Design Studio: Integrating Art & Thinking (Grades 5-9) (Paperback)
Design is many things. More than a subject, it is a process. In the broadest sense, it is a way of thinking and solving problems. It is also a way of communicating, a process that uses both divergent and convergent thinking, and a way of selecting a solution that best fits the needs of the people involved. More than an art class, this book is also a course in thinking. Students learn how to create attractive designs using the techniques of unity, variety, repetition, movement, proportion, and more. Concise information is combined with unique projects that allow students to hone both their thinking and artistic skills. "Design Studio" presents information about several areas of design, with the main emphasis on graphic design. Graphic design is used as a vehicle for understanding all other areas of design and as an area for the application of the Creative Problem Solving process. While the largest part of the book is devoted to the principles of graphic design, an entire section presents the CPS process and provides practice using this process to solve design problems. Students are also given a glimpse of other areas of design (fashion, industrial, architectural, decorative, environmental, urban, computer, and interior) and are provided with projects for each area. "Design Studio" has a wide variety of hands-on projects, opportunities for thinking and doing, ways to combine art and thinking, and ways to teach art through real-life applications. With a creative attitude and basic art supplies, students can create great artwork.
Dianne Draze holds both a bachelor's degree in education with a major in mathematics and a master's degree in curriculum and instruction. Beginning her tenure in the field of education in 1968, she has found many ways to enrich the educational experiences of children. She taught upper elementary grades, junior high mathematics, English and history, gifted programs for grades 1-8, and education classes at the university level. Draze founded Dandy Lion Publications in 1977, creating a publishing house that specialized in curriculum materials that were appropriate for able learners and gifted students, that combined motivating content with challenging activities, and that were easy for teachers to use. In the capacity of owner and editor, she wrote more than 50 books and edited an additional 119 books. Her goal, whether writing or editing, was to create materials that would engage students in thinking, creating, making new discoveries, and applying what they learned to new situations. A person with a great curiosity, she has written curriculum guides on many topics and is always interested in whatever topic she is currently researching or editing. Draze has retired from full-time involvement in Dandy Lion Publications and currently consults, writes, and edits on a part-time basis.