Surrealism Dream Worlds

By Mrs. Fabrycky
Class 8th Grade

Background Knowledge Needed:

The students need to understand what Surrealism is as it
pertains to art. The students will need an understanding of the Major
artists of this movement (particularly Salvador Dali). The students will
need a working knowledge of paper mache, and how to paint with
Acrylics.

Common Core Standards

Pr4.1.8 Develop and apply criteria for evaluating a collection of artwork
for presentation.
Cr1.1.8 Document early stages of the creative process visually and/or
verbally in traditional or new media.
Cr2.3.8 Select, organize, and design images and words to make
visually clear and compelling presentation.

Objectives
Students will understand how to represent in a visual format
objects that create juxtaposition in a unified appearance.
Students will be able to understand how to visually represent
emotions and dreams.
Students will know what Surrealism is.
Students will be able to create a composition in the Surrealist
style.

Materials needed
9x 24 Black rail-board
Hot Glue/Glue gun
Tape, glue sticks
Scissors
X-acto Knife
Miscellaneous materials
magazines,
paper mache,
paint,
markers,
paper,
balloons
rubber cement
Absolutely NO CLAY
Problem
Students will create a visual reflection of their personal dream world
and develop one artistic, 9 triangular visual statements in the
Surrealist style. Students will decide how to stack individual a
collective dream structure. The structures should reflect the principles
and elements of art.

Startup
3 weeks before beginning the project in class, have students begin to
keep track of their dreams.
Have them use their sketchbooks as a dream diary-writing, drawing
images or creating symbols-for a period of 3 weeks.
List words that describe images connected to specific
dreams.
List emotions and feelings
List images or create symbols
Use a language of art to express qualities of a dream
image or sequence. That is to say, with what color, line ,
texture, or form would describe your dream?
Have students reflect on
What is it like for you when you sit in a class and your mind
starts to drift?
How is that drifting different from dreaming while youre asleep?
Have students reflect on visual qualities
What parts of the daydream are in focus?
What parts are elusive or unclear?

Process
Introduce the project by showing the size of the triangle form.
Provide varied materials for students to use as they explore their
imaginative images.
Share current research about dreams with students.
Provide examples of dream-influenced artworks that we have
previously covered in the Surrealist Unit.
Give students a sheet of 9x 24 black rail-board
Fold the paper twice to form triangle
Have students use medium that will help them connect the
feeling or mood of a specific dream to the visual image that they
are creating.
Students will choose 1 side to create a window into their dream
world.
 Students should think about how to invite the viewer into their
dreams.

Evaluation
Have students describe the essence of their dream or dreams. Ask: Do
your images come close to representing those qualities visually?
Will others be able to draw from your artistic statement some of the
emotions you experienced? How have you made it possible for
viewers to do this?