Roxy Paine/ Second Nature

LESSON PLAN:
Using systems to create art

OBJECTIVES
1. To create a system/machine to assist in making art
2. To learn about how chance affects artistic makingMATERIALS
Lazy Susan (can substitute a pottery wheel or any spinning disc), heavy white paper, several colors of India ink, small squeeze bottle (could substitute eye dropped or turkey baster) cardboard, mat knife, marker, and newspaper. (Optional: four 6” dowels per student and hot glue)

BACKGROUND DISCUSSION
Roxy Paine is a sculptor who often builds and programs machines that make art for him. These machines vary: one makes sculptures, another makes paintings, a third makes drawings.
While each object made by the machine is unique and slightly different, Roxy maintains some control over the outcome. He programs information into a computer that determines how much the conveyer belt should shake, how long paint should spray, what color ink to you use, etc.

ACTIVITY
1) Prepare the Lazy Susan by taping or tacking a piece of heavy white paper to it. Cut the paper so that it fits on the Lazy Susan (Note: If you wish, students could build there own spinning wheel by drilling a hole through s piece of would and have a dowel or peg run through it like a turn table.) Lay newspaper beneath the Lazy Susan

2) Creation of a template table: Students cut the cardboard to be slightly larger than the Lazy Susan with an interior border that is slightly smaller than the paper. Then, they will draw a simple linear design on the cardboard with marker. The line should have a beginning and ending point, and it should not overlap itself. The students will then cut away the marked line using a mat knife. The space must be wide enough for the squirt bottle tip/eye dropper. (Options: Students may hot glue the 4 dowels to the corners of the cardboard so that it becomes a table that can be placed over the Lazy Susan, or a third student may hold the template in place.)

3) Decision Making: Before the art making stage, which will consist of one person spinning the Lazy Susan, and another dropping ink in a consistent manner through the template, many decisions should be “programmed.’ Here are some suggestions:
How fast should the wheel be spun?
What color ink should be used?
How concentrated/diluted should the ink be?
How fast should the eye dropper be moved through the template?
How much time should be allowed for the ink to dry between layers?

4) Art making: Following the programmed decisions, work in groups of two. Have one student spin the wheel, and the other move the specified ink in the eye dropper through the template. Are a specified amount of drying time, repeat the process with a new ink color/dilution or new wheel speed through the template. The final product should have 3-5 layers minimum.

5) Series:(Optional) Repeat the activity. However, this time use a different “program”.

CLOSURE
Place the drawings on the wall with their instructions next to it. How do the works look similar? How do they look different? How does wheel speed affect the outcome? How do the different template shapes affect the image?