Girl Scout Gold Award

Visual Arts p. 144 – 145 Skill Builder 1 : Design a “home studio.”It can be as simple as a table in the corner of your bedroom, the living room, or the family room. Stock it with construction paper, scissors, tape, glue, crayons, markers, colored pencils, and any other drawing medium. Skill Builder 3 : Create a painting, drawing, or sculpture that expresses something you feel deeply. Show the artwork to others. Skill Builder 6 : What skills do you need to become a fine artist? Learn about and practice at least two of the following skills in a class at school, by attending a museum course, by reading a book, or from an art mentor: perspective, composition, color and design, or light and shadow. Technology 1 : Create an original work of art in any two-dimensional medium. For example, work on a painting, a woodblock, a lithograph, a pen-and-ink drawing, or a silk-screen. Learn the procedures and try individual ways of handling your chosen medium. Learn about the chemicals, solvents, and tools used in your medium. Make sure that you choose nontoxic products and use a work space with adequate ventilation. Service Projects 2 : Use recyclable materials to create a sculpture that shows the need to reuse materials to protect the environment and the benefits of recycling. Career Exploration 3 : Arrange to interview two art teachers working at different age levels (perhaps one at a middle school and another at the college level). Ask them how they arrange their schedules so that they can both teach and create their art. What are the challenges of their lifestyles? Ask them for any advice they can offer a young artist starting out. Career Exploration 6 : Visit an art museum to view the work of a favorite artist. Read about the life and work of this artist. Find out: 1. What kind of childhood the artist had. 2. What the artist’s early career was like. 3. What challenges were overcome. 4. How her style changed over time.

Graphic Communications p 96 – 97 Skill Builder 2 : Look at posters and fliers in your community. Analyze how designers use art, words, fonts, color, and “white space” – the area that contains neither art nor text. Design a poster or flier to be used as an announcement or invitation to an event, party, or family gathering. Share your creation with others. Skill Builder 6 : Design your own greeting cards or note paper using a computer or your own photographs or artwork. Present the card to someone on a special occasion. Technology 5 : Calligraphy is the ancient art of fine handwriting or penmanship. View an exhibit of calligraphy or look at samples of it in library books. Learn some lettering styles by taking a calligraphy class or studying an instruction manual. This may require that you use special pens. You can buy a beginner’s set or individual pens. Or you may experiment with felt-tip pens of different thicknesses. Write a letter, invitation, quote, or your favorite poem in calligraphy. Identify at least four different styles of calligraphy. Service Projects 4 : Design a letterhead for yourself or for your troop or group. Use the letterhead for invitations, requests for information, and thank- you notes. Service Projects 5 : Help your council or other girls advertise a special event. It can be an overnight training, special sports program, or even the Girl Scout cookie sale. Design fliers, posters, or brochures, etc., using three to five elements of design, such as composition and choice of colors. Career Exploration 2 : Job-shadow or interview a designer or commercial artist. Why did she go into this field? What was her training or education? What is a typical day like? Write up your experience and submit it to your school or community newspaper. Or create a graphic representation (picture book, coloring book, cartoon) of the profession for younger girls. Career Exploration 3 : Arrange to visit a local college or technical school that offers a program in graphics or communications. Talk to advisers or students in that program. What are the benefits of attending such a program? What are the drawbacks? What other options are there for people interested in this field? Ask if you can sit in on one of the classes.

Artistic Crafts p 116 – 117 Skill Builder 1 : Choose your medium. You will probably want to experiment with several types of crafts before you find one that you really enjoy. Choose from among the following crafts: leather work, macramé, crocheting, quilting, decoupage, candle making, metal-work, stained glass design, pottery, ceramics, printmaking, woodcarving, woodworking, jewelry making, floral design, basket weaving, or clothing design. When you have made a choice, do the following steps: 1. Become familiar with the craft. Be able to explain the process and describe the tools needed and where you would find them. 2. Make a scrapbook with pictures, articles, and samples of this craft. 3. Develop at least three different designs; complete one of them. Skill Builder 2 : Clay is a medium that offers many possibilities for expression. From bead making to pottery, you will find a variety of possibilities for using clay creatively. Traditionally, clay work has involved firing (baking) in a kiln. Today, there are many types of clay that can be baked in a regular oven or air-dried. Learn about hand building, or learn to throw clay on a potter’s wheel. Make one finished piece. Skill Builder 3 : Make your own woodcarving. Or try your hand at building something with wood--for example, a birdhouse. Technology 1 : Choose three of the following crafts and find out about three tools used in each: 1. Candle making. 2. Stained glass. 3. Woodcarving. 4. Leather working. 5. Pottery making. Service Projects 1 : Teach a simple craft to younger girls, making sure that the skills needed are appropriate to the age group. Career Exploration 1 : Interview someone in your community who ears part or all of her living through her craft. Find out how she got started, what she has learned, some typical aspects of her work, and what advice she would offer to someone just starting out. Or visit a crafts show, exhibit, or sale, and do the following: 1. Find out how many different media are represented in the show or fair. 2. After looking at the objects on display, decide which ones you like best and why. Be able to explain the reasons for your preference to your troop or group. 3. Talk to one of the artists to find out : a. How she got started. b. What kind of training was required. c. Whether she has other work that she does in addition to her craft. d. What are the pitfalls and satisfactions of the artist/craftsperson. Career Exploration 4 : Occupational therapists help people with illnesses or disabilities improve their coordination and fine-motor skills. They also design devices to help improve their daily living skills. Ask an occupational therapist to explain or demonstrate how crafts activities might be used in her job.