Customer Reviews

From Ordinary To Extraordinary: Art & Design Problem Solving

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Creating a piece of art can sometimes be a daunting task, the moreso since a great idea for the next project is not something that can be turned on and off like a faucet. That's where a book like this becomes a priceless little gem. Although primarily targeted for K-12 art teachers it gives fascinating project ideas that any artist will find helpful. Throughout the book both 2D and 3D art projects and ideas are given and illustrated with students work throughout.

The entire goal of the book is to open student's eyes to seeing everyday things, people and places around them with new eyes and then bringing that experience to life. Things as simple as popcorn or a coffee mug find new life as transformed objects or drawings. Lessons in composition, color, sculpture and meaning are but a few things discussed in detail. Each chapter shows many pieces of art demonstrating how students worked on a particular problem posed by the teacher. A list of suggested supplies is provided so the reader may create their own work from the project discussed. For example, one project was "Expressing Music in Visual Language". For anyone interested in ideas for new artwork this book would be a worthy investment.

The ideas in this book will inspire you to become a more creative and dynamic teacher! Even as an art teacher, you can get stuck, and this book will really unstick you! The art projects are really relevant to secondary students because they incorporate symbolic thinking and personal reflection. They appeal to the whole child and all encourage creative and critical thinking skills, as well as some that are cooperative and group oriented. What high school student wouldn't want to 'map the landscape of his mind'? Or, what about making a 'Tower of Freedom' to express thoughts on that subject!? You will love the ideas and wonder how you ever taught without it!!!!!!

An excellent book with faboulous ideas and lessons. I find this book to be very helpful. Ken Vieth ideas involve not only the visual arts but the historic arts as well. His book help students to think creatively and gives them the opportunity to make their ideas come true. He gives the teacher different options and educators can take his ideas to a next level by expanding his techniques.

Ordinary to Extraordinary is a real bummer of a book that offers cliched and specific assignments that offer little room for creativity or really even learning. The assignments are more like student-to-technical-art-machine-converters. I don't imagine a student would get more out of these then a temporary increase in motor skills and a limited perspective for the possibilities of art. The fact that this book has received such high reviews worries me greatly--learning art is about learning to pay attention to the world and think critically and interpret what you see!!
Oh, and I bought this at the same time as "[ASIN:1590301056 100 Creative Drawing Ideas]" which is a much better book. great reflective drawing assignments that really get kids to think and create for themselves.

I am an Art Teacher with 25 years experience. I ordered this book because of its title. I have used several of the projects and techniques with great success so far. I can highly recommend all aspects of the book, from the logic and ideas to the famous "rubric on page 34". Cheers to Ken.

Masterful artist and teacher, Ken Vieth has done an amazing job in sharing his experiences and visions with those who also look to inspire as teachers. Showing how you can take something as simple as a doorknob, string or even rocks, and make a meaningful project. This book is highly recomended for anyone that wants to creat or inspire great art.

I own a few other Davis Publications by Ken Vieth, (Engaging the Adolescent Mind: Through Visual Problem Solving and The Visual Experience) so this book was a waste of money for me as all the best projects are repeated in this book as well. Excellent resource otherwise.

This book is full of wonderful lesson plans as well as ideas to create compelling lessons yourself. My students have found much sucess with Ken Vieth's projects. His motivation is wonderful and really simplfies the process for delivering the lessons. He has a keen insight into the secondary student's mind and how to create an interest in extraordinary artwork.

My students find the projects inspirational. The projects can be adapted in many ways. Student's get excited seeing how other students their age solve design problems.

This book has really broadened my mind. In my country where Arts and Culture has (thankfully) become a compulsory subject (or learing area) up to age 15, I am trying to assist teachers who are often forced to become Arts and Culture educators with little or no experience. This book has given me more ideas on what to do and how to assist these teachers, while also giving me more possibilities, effectively pushing my own creativity. It is well written and easily accessible: a total feast for the eyes!