Making plastic art with digital technology

Gilbert Gosselin, visual arts teacher at École secondaire Mont-de-Lasalle at the Laval School Service Center, presented two projects that combine arts and multimedia as part of the last AQUOPS conference. Demonstrating that it is possible to provide stimulating experiences for students by combining art and digital!

"The two projects that I lived with my students of 2^e secondary school led me to do art and multimedia, but they were also an opportunity to focus on the basics of communication and to engage in ethical reflections. This leads me to see the teaching of the arts in a new way, ”argues Gilbert Gosselin.

Bring a robot to life

The first project started in the fall of 2019, “long before we thought schools could close,” as the teacher said. His students then embarked on a process of designing a robot. At the very beginning of the project, the teacher reminded the students of Asimov's Laws on robot ethics.

Then, each "brought their android to life" by naming and describing it. The students had to answer questions such as: what society does he live in? What are its permissions and prohibitions? The answers to these questions led to discussions on diversity, inclusion, racism, etc.

The students then had to make the technical drawing of their robot. These quotes were then sent to the students of Marc Laforest's multimedia course, who made a virtual 3D design with the TinkerCad software. The project ended with an exhibition where visual arts students were surprised to find a large format photograph of the 3D design of their robot.

Self-assertion through art

The second project was experienced during the current school year. The constraints imposed by public health forced Gilbert Gosselin to use his imagination to provide students with an enriching artistic experience.

Inspired by Montreal artists Miss Me and Stikki Peaches, students discovered the street art and graffiti on portrait. They explored the world of tattooing and its relationship to body image and diversity. They then had to choose a cause and match it with words and emojis that they wrote on paper. These were then digitized.

The students had to continue the work by making a self-portrait of themselves masked. On this photograph, using Photopea software, they affixed their own drawings, words and sentences related to the chosen cause. "This exercise really helped reveal some unsuspected personality traits in the students."

Finally, the students explored Google Street View in order to locate a wall on which they could put their image. “I realized that the students were looking for specific places related to the chosen cause. It was impressive. "

The project To assert itself through art, which can be experienced both at a distance and in the classroom, is now presented as SAÉ model on the website of the RÉCIT national service for the arts.

Images taken from Gilbert Gosselin's presentation at AQUOPS.

Dimension (s) of digital competence related to this article
7- Producing digital content

To see the Framework.