Upper Image: Landscape 1, 2013, Colour on Aluminium, 90 x 5 cm
Lower Image: Landscape 2, 2013, Colour on Acrylic, 40 x 5 cm
By NG KUAN SHIN, CHIJ Katong Convent (Secondary), Art Teacher
Personal drawings and sketches are rearranged by digitizing and re-tracing the hand-made processes into unusual personalised symbols. These symbols are drawn from imaginations, memories, intuition and glimpses of images in the galaxies.
Symbols are further inscribed into a diverse mix of texts and pseudo-signatures. I am influenced largely by industrial sign-making processes. Signing a petition and creating pseudo question and exclamation marks are juxtaposed on polished surfaces. Marks or signatures are transformed to passing elements such as stars and dust in the universe. All symbols are drawn from imagination.
Processes are developmental for the purpose of exploring and experimenting with differing surfaces.
Lesson Ideas for Landscape Series (2013) by Ng Kuan Shin
This lesson is suitable for students in: Lower Secondary – suggested size A5, Upper Secondary – suggested size A4
Artwork title: Landscape 1 / Landscape 2
Name of artist: Ng Kuan Shin
School: CHIJ Katong Convent Secondary School
Possible Guiding Questions
1. What do you see in this artwork?
2. How did the artist make these marks? Describe the elements.
3. What do you think the artist is trying to express?
4. What do you think is the significance of these marks made by the artist?
5. How would you appropriate and recreate this artwork?
6. What do you think is the significance of these marks made by you?
7. What are the other possible ways to present your work?
Possible Elegant Art Tasks
Starting point: Craft and Technology
In this lesson idea, students could be asked to think about patterns used in papercut or packaging, as a form of ‘mark making’. The teacher could introduce students to folk art paper cuts, laces, paper cuts done by students, the use of cuts in product design or packaging design, and the use of industrial cutting in architectural design. Aerial photographs of cities that sprawl in different patterns; electron microscope images of everyday objects or insects can be also shown. Different techniques to derive a positive and negative space image can be demonstrated. Students can explore the use of symbols, or abstract random patterns to create different artworks that utilise a variety of cuts on paper, cardboard, leather, fabric and window (vinyl stickers).
Suggested Materials: Common art materials with card, cutter, cutting mat, paper plate, cloth, etc.
Safety: A demonstration of cutting techniques, and safety procedures for handling cutting implements should be shown to the students.
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