Bullying

CHARCOAL REDUCTION SELF-PORTRAIT |  THEME: EMOTIONAL EFFECTS OF BEING BULLIED
A project of Myrtle Beall’s Studio Art Class, Coshocton High School  Nov. 2013

Mrs. Beall’s  Studio Art Class meets during  a period of the high school day dedicated to Home Room–a mix of study hall/tutoring/intervention/assembly time and  a time when students are engaged in the OLWEUS Bullying Prevention Program. Mrs. Beall addresses the topic of bullying once every nine weeks in order to  meet school requirements.  The CHARCOAL REDUCTION SELF-PORTRAIT |  THEME: EMOTIONAL EFFECTS OF BEING BULLIED  project spanned the first two nine weeks.  In addition to the powerful artwork produced, 4 of which are posted on this page, the students  were asked to reflect and journal about their work. Journaling is a consistent component of Mrs. Beall’s curriculum. Below are the questions presented by Mrs. Beall to the students.

As per the questions below students discussed the project before beginning.  They also looked at the work of Käthe Kollwitz, a German Expressionist artist whose work spanned the two World Wars.

JOURNAL REFLECTION QUESTIONS

* How did you like working with the REDUCTION process? Explain

* This was also the 1st time for many of you to use a grid to enlarge an image. Discuss the steps and the benefits, if any, of gridding.

* For most of you, this was your 1st self-portrait – (maybe even your 1st portrait). Discuss what it was like to draw yourself.

* The theme for this drawing was the emotional effects of being bullied. Only two people in the class indicated that they have been a victim of bulling. This meant that most of you had to emotionally put
yourself in unfamiliar territory. With the emotional aspect of this drawing in mind, respond to the following questions.

• How difficult was it for you to pose for the photograph?

• What reaction did you have when you saw yourself in the photograph?

• How do you feel about drawing yourself in such a serious/sad pose/attitude?

* How effective do you feel your finished drawing is as an example of the reduction process?

* How effective do you feel your drawing is a statement about the effects of bullying?

* Overall: sum up your feelings about working with charcoal.