Turning Ordinary into Extraordinary

Day 1

1. Show student the image of Sandy Skoglund’s Fox Games. Have the students list what they can see in the image. Share information from About the Art. Using images from the "Details" section, point out details the students may not have noticed. Lead students in a discussion about how Skoglund likes to create artworks with ordinary spaces viewers think they know and then turn the artworks into dreamlike fantasies. Ask students to identify how she did that with this image.
2. Point out how the artist uses bold color and repetition in the image. Skoglund says that she likes to interfere with reality so that the viewers have to make sense out of what they are seeing. Ask students to discuss what descriptive word they would use to describe the image. Would it be “exciting,” “chaotic,” “confusing,” “calm,” or “serene?” Would they use more than one descriptive word?
3. If possible, show students other images of Skoglund’s work. Ask for words that describe some of her other works of art. What action, colors, or other elements lead students to choose these words?
4. Divide students into small groups and explain that they are going to create an image that takes the viewer from something ordinary to a dreamlike fantasy, in the style of Fox Games. Rather than setting up an installation, students will use technology to alter a photographic image, creating a similar effect to Skoglund’s work. Students will start by deciding on a descriptive word such as “peaceful,” “frenzied,” “hectic,” etc. Then students will brainstorm how they could create such an effect with what is available in the classroom. Remind students that they can and should alter reality to help produce this effect. Creating a rough sketch or two of possible ideas might help the group. If the school has no access to technology, the students could turn these sketches into finished works of art, perhaps collaged together with sketches from the other members of their group.

Day 2

1. Ask groups to arrange their chosen scene using things in the room in the way that they planned. Provide them with cameras to take a photo of their scene. (Most art rooms have access to some type of camera. If yours does not, the school’s technology liaison should be able to provide access. Another alternative is to use cell phone or iPod cameras.)
2. Download the images into photo editing software, such as iPhoto or even Microsoft Paint applications. You could also use of any of the many free web-based applications, such as Fotoflexer, BeFunky, iPiccy, or Pixlr—there are several that do not require any sort of download.
3. Students will alter the photo to fit their descriptive word by changing colors or erasing items, or using whatever filter is available with the software or freeware you are using. Encourage experimentation and play; this is a proven way to learn while having fun and opens up lots of options for 21^st century technology use.
4. Once the group decides that their image elicits the description they were looking for, they will save the image. It might be a good idea to save versions of the image throughout the exploration process. If a color printer is available, students can print their images. If not, have the class walk around to each computer screen to see the creations. Using details in their image to back up their answers, students will point out details that reflect their descriptive word.

• About the Art section on Sandy Skoglund’s Fox Games
• Color copies of Fox Games for students to share, or the ability to project the image onto a wall or screen
• Access to random items and furniture around the room
• Sketch paper
• Writing and drawing implements
• One camera (digital, cell phone, or iPod cameras) for each group of 4 or 5 students
• Ability to transfer pictures to a computer
• Photo editing software such as iPhoto, Microsoft Paint, Adobe Photoshop, Picasa, etc.; or web-based freeware such as Fotoflexer, BeFunky, iPiccy, Pixlr, etc.
• A color printer, if available