NORMAN ROCKWELL: Celebrating Everyday America LTC 4240: Art for Children Created by Mary Franco

Introduction to the Artist Norman Rockwell Biography, Part 1 (5:31) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiL24GF3q_s Norman Rockwell Biography, Part 2 (6:18) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TO4kOmpyUM

Norman Rockwell “Breaking Home Ties” 1954 “I was showing the America I knew and observed to others who might not have noticed.” Norman Rockwell

Rockwell’s work is about CELEBRATION Work demonstrates optimism and frequent humor Even serious subjects offer a ray of hope

Rockwell’s work is also about IDENTITY Visually conveyed IDENTITY with familiar visual cues Costumes, props, setting Facial expressions, postures, and gestures Common, recognizable settings and experiences help the viewer identify with the events portrayed.

Rockwell’s work is about RELATIONSHIPS as well. Depicted universally recognized RELATIONSHIPS Tapped into sociocultural and historical knowledge of viewer Facial expressions, postures, gestures, and proximity Again, common, recognizable settings and experiences help the viewer identify with the RELATIONSHIP events portrayed.

Rockwell’s work is about STORIES Contain story elements of character, setting, plot, point of view Draw upon visual, social, historical and cultural literacy of the viewer who constructs and reads the narrative (What’s going on in this picture?)

Rockwell’s Common Themes Celebrating the common, often overlooked Celebrating change and invention Celebrating tradition and the past

Studio Activity: TSW create a photography-based magazine cover design that celebrates 21st century American using one of these Rockwell themes Celebrating American through the common, often overlooked Celebrating American change and invention Celebrating American tradition and the past To avoid potential copyright issues, you are asked to use your own, original photograph. (This may be a photograph you have previously taken.)

Studio Activity (CONT’D) Art Medium: Digital Photography Tool Options: Digital Camera iPad iPhone Supplemental Technology Tool Options: Microsoft Word Photoshop Other

Studio Activity (CONT’D) Procedure: TSW will create a fictitious magazine cover using original photography and computer-based production tools. The magazine cover will CELEBRATE AMERICA as it conveys one of Rockwell’s themes through a 21st century lens. The magazine cover will feature a central photographic image created by the student that is consistent with the theme (visually tells the story). It may contain supplemental photographs to reinforce the theme or make the magazine cover “believable.” The magazine cover will feature headings, abbreviated text, and other stylistic elements that make it visually recognizable as a magazine cover. (MS Word instructions provided).

Instructor Exemplar

References Norman Rockwell Museum (2013). [Images]. Retrieved from http://www.nrm.org/dev/collections-2/the-collection/ Rockwell, P. (2007). American chronicles: The art of Norman Rockwell, Part 1. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiL24GF3q_s Rockwell, P. (2007). American chronicles: The art of Norman Rockwell, Part 2. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TO4kOmpyUM Rockwell, N. (1920). [Image]. Shadow artist. Retrieved from http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/aroundthemall/files/2009/10/rockwell- oct05.jpg