Feb 25: Art for the Senses - Touch
Assigned Teachers: ranitri, piyumika, Suren
Sculpting for the Senses: Creating for the Vision Impaired / Blind
Duration: 1.0 hour
Introduction (8 minutes)
Introduce the topic of the class: creating sculptures for individuals who are vision impaired or blind.
Discuss the importance of art accessibility and inclusivity.
Explain that today they will be using their creativity to make sculptures that can be experienced through touch rather than sight (show videos 1+2 (link below) to the kids)
Visualization and Observation (7 minutes)
Engage the students in a brief discussion about the senses and how people who are blind or vision impaired experience the world, based on the videos watched
Show examples of sculptures designed for touch, emphasizing texture, shape, and form (show video 3 (link below)
Encourage the students to close their eyes and imagine what it would be like to experience a sculpture through touch alone, and how they would describe to a blind their mother/father/brother/sister (like in the sculptor video you just watched)
You will need:
Clay- provided in the class
A cup with water
Making and Problem-Solving (35 minutes)
Provide the students with sculpting materials - clay for modeling, students should sculptor something that blind students can feel and understand, anything is allowed
Guide them through the process of sculpting their own creations, emphasizing the importance of texture and form.
Encourage problem-solving as they work through challenges translating their ideas into tangible sculptures.
Offer assistance and support as needed, ensuring that each student feels included and capable of creating.
Community Building (7 minutes)
Facilitate a sharing session where students can describe their sculptures to each other or blindfolded, they can explore/touch other students' sculptures
Encourage them to use descriptive language and focus on their creations' tactile experience.
Emphasize the importance of empathy and understanding in creating art for diverse audiences.
Allow time for questions and feedback from their peers.
Conclusion and Reflection (3 minutes)
Lead a brief reflection on the experience, asking students to share what they learned and how they felt about creating sculptures for the vision impaired / blind.
Discuss the impact that art can have on people of all abilities and the importance of inclusivity in creative expression.
Encourage students to continue exploring ways to make art accessible to everyone.