Art and Design Key Stage 4
L'elisir d'amore Art and Design Key Stage 4
Lesson one
Theme/ Activity headline: Working from observation look at the work of Artists- shapes and forms of vessels
Visual elements: Composition, Shape, Light, Colour
Starter activity
What are quack doctors?
What are Charlatans?
Can you look at images of Quack doctors and Charlatans such as: Pietro Longhi ‘The Quack Doctor
Why do you think people bought things from these people?
How do artists draw attention to central figures in their works?
Discuss compositional devices.
Main activity
Look at and analyse images and depictions of charlatans, quack doctors and vaudeville.
Draw out an image/s of a quack doctor. Think about costume and posture.
You can use images seen and researched but try to incorporate your own ideas.
Develop a selling pitch for a remedy. Write it down. Think of keywords.
Homework/Extension
Look at posters for Vaudeville.
If you were trying to sell your elixir, what costume would you want?
Lesson two
Theme/ Activity headline: Look at and record travelling showmen, stalls and wagons. Fonts, patterns and colours
Curriculum attainment targets: Pattern, Colour, Line
Starter activity
Explore the graphic work in posters in the Art Nouveau style and the work of Alphonse Mucha.
- How has the artist used colour to convey a message?
- How are lines used?
- How would you describe the lettering- look at the shape, the positioning and the scale?
- Do the images look realistic, imaginary or dreamlike?
Main activity
Look at and record travelling showmen, stalls and wagons. Fonts, patterns and colours.
Look at images of travelling showmen and women, medicine men and their entourage with stalls and wagons.
Using either a net design for a wagon, barrow or a template for the side of a wagon, or using a simple rectangular format, design and record patterns, colours and text for a travelling wagon. Try to link this to the influence of Art Nouveau and or psychedelic posters.
You might just do this as a samples and ideas rather than a final outcome.
Bright, quick colouring and drawing media will suit this such as pens, pencils and coloured inks.
You might incorporate key symbols and clues as to the content of the wares.
Homework/Extension
Look at and record Art Nouveau and psychedelic poster design.
Lesson three
Theme/ Activity headline: Look at and explore and experiment with costumes of jesters and showmen
Curriculum attainment targets: Line, Shape, Colour, Pattern
Starter activity
Make a drawing of a top hat.
What accessory would you attach if you were a travelling salesperson /assistant selling an elixir?
What is the role of a jester? What does a traditional jester’s costume look like?
Main activity
Look at and explore and experiment with costumes of jesters and showmen
In the 2019 Glyndebourne production L’elisir d’amore the character Dulcamara has a sidekick or assistant.
He wears a top hat and the costume and mannerisms were in part inspired by vaudeville characters. He also wears a bodysuit suggesting body art and tattoos.
Design a hat for such a character.
Design a section of body art- a sleeve for this character.
Homework/Extension
Make a title page for the character in your sketchbook. Think about lettering and design of the whole page.
Are you going to include some information? Some images? Will you choose a background colour? Will the page have a border?
Lesson four
Theme/ Activity headline: Design and produce a costume and/ or hat/ or banner for either Dulcamara or his assistant
Curriculum attainment targets: Colour, Pattern, Lettering, Composition
Starter activity
Look at the work of Léon Bakst and the Ballets Russes.
Main activity
Design and produce a costume and/ or hat/ or banner for either Dulcamara or his assistant inspired by the work of Bakst and/or Art Nouveau artwork studied.
This could be:
- A drawing
- A series of sketches
- A coloured design on paper using pens, inks, watercolours
- A 3D piece
- A textile piece
- A poster/ banner design which could be on paper or produced digitally
- A series of photographs exploring props, costumes, portraits, ideas on the theme of smoke and daggers, jesters, charlatans.
- In all cases consider colour, pattern, lettering, composition.
Homework/Extension
Photograph or scan your outcomes and using a program, design a poster for the opera L’elisir d’amore.
Image credits: L’elisir d’amore, Festival 2011, photo by Bill Cooper