Teaching Sequence

Work through this resource material in the following sequence:

05 minutes	Part A: What is upcycling?
15 minutes	Part B: An upcycle story
30 minutes	Part C: Paper cup art activity
10 minutes	Reflection

PART A: What is Upcycling?

Step 1.

Begin by asking students if they have heard of the term ‘Upcycling’. Ask students to complete the 'Think-Pair-Share' Visible thinking routine to explore their ideas.

Think Pair Share
Think pair share is a collaborative learning strategy in which students work together to solve a problem or answer a question.
Think - Students independently think about an issue or questions and record their thoughts.
Pair - Students work in pairs to discuss their ideas and record new thoughts.
Share - Students share their thoughts with the whole group or with other pairs to reach consensus.

Step 2.

Assist students' understanding of upcycling by reinforcing that upcycling is a term used to describe the reuse of discarded or disposable items with the intent to give the objects a new ‘life’ or purpose. The creative process of upcycling has been adopted by many artists as a way to produce aesthetically beautiful works of art, as well as saving materials from ending up in the landfill.

Step 3.

Ask students to summarise their understanding by writing a definition of ‘Upcycling’ in the space provided on the Student Worksheet.

PART B: An Upcycle Story

Step 1.

Using a projector, show students Faber-Castell’s video ‘An Upcycle Story’. This video provides a glimpse into the life of New York artist Gwyneth Leech, as she describes her art practice and how she upcycles paper cups to create works of art. Viewing her work will provide inspiration for the art-making activity in Part C of this lesson.

Gwyneth Leech Upcycling with Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Pen (https://vimeo.com/231976662)

Additional information:

Upcycling is a term used to describe the reuse of discarded or disposable items with the intent to give the objects a new ‘life’ or purpose. The creative process of upcycling has been adopted by many artists as a way to produce aesthetically beautiful works of art, as well as saving materials from ending up in landfill. Gwyneth Leech is a New York City artist who has created a series of artworks on disposable paper cups. Her inspiration came from initially sketching on the cups, she then realised they were a nice, smooth surface to draw on, and their shape allowed for a full-circle format to draw a continuous flow of imagery. Her preferred medium is PITT Artist Brush Pens, as they combine the qualities of both painting and drawing, producing a painterly effect. Her subject matter usually consists of patterns and shapes inspired by specific locations in her environment.

Step 2.

After viewing the video, ask students to respond to the questions on the Student Worksheet, analysing Gwyneth Leech’s use of materials, subject matter and ideas. They are asked:

Where does she find ideas and inspiration for her artworks?
What subject matter does Gwyneth Leech base her works on? (what objects or scenes does she draw?)
Why do you think she uses paper cups as her ‘canvas’?
What artists’ tools did you see Gwyneth use? What reasons did she give for using those tools?

Step 3.

Draw students' attention to the techniques used by Gwyneth Leech, pointing out her use of varied lines, working thick to thin by changing the amount of pressure she applies with the Faber-Castell PITT Artist Brush Pens. She also combines the use of both broken and continuous lines, utilising the circular working space of the cup. In the next part of this lesson, students will adopt a similar art process to Gwyneth Leech in exploring and connecting with their environment outside of the classroom, then designing their own cup artwork.

PART C: Paper Cup Art Activity

Step 1.

Begin by explaining to students that they will be creating their own upcycled paper cup artwork. Ask students to reflect on the things that inspire Gwyneth Leech’s use of subject matter. Reiterate to students that Gwyneth Leech’s artistic process involves observing her immediate environment as a starting point for her cup artworks, taking notice of things such as light and shadows, colours, lines, patterns and shapes found in nature and man-made structures. She focuses on these elements and creates a visual image in her mind that she then takes back to her studio to draw out her designs, capturing a special moment in time.

Step 2.

Encourage students to follow the same creative process as Leech by observing the small details in their environment during a walk outside, using their sketchbook to note down ideas. While facilitating the whole-class walk around a chosen area of the school, try to limit the area in which students are to focus, e.g. playground, oval, courtyard, as this will make it easier to supervise students. Draw students’ attention to patterns, colours, lines and shapes that they can write down OR sketch in their books before taking back to the classroom to work on their cup designs. Some specific things to look for are:

shadows formed from objects: what shapes do they make?
interesting colour combinations
patterns and shapes
varied textures
lines and angles
signage or text
plants/animals/insects.

Remind students that the intention of the task, like in Gwyneth Leech’s work, is to find a subject that captures their interest, allowing them to document a moment in time.

Step 3.

Encourage students to practice using PITT Artist Brush Pens or Calligraphy Brush Pens. Explain to students that the pens have a brush tip, therefore lines can be manipulated by increasing or decreasing the amount of pressure applied (pressing harder creates a thicker line, whereas little pressure produces a thin, light line). Also, mention to students that they can create darker tones by applying layers of colour (you may like to demonstrate some techniques). Ask students to complete the technique exercises on the Student Worksheet using PITT Artist Brush Pens. Once the exercises are completed, encourage students to use the dedicated workspace on their worksheets to further explore their mark-making. This allows students who may be unfamiliar with the tools to experiment with the brush tip and practice controlling the thickness of the line and flow of ink.

Step 4.

Distribute empty paper cups to students. If you are not able to collect pre-used cups prior to the lesson, print the paper cup template on reused paper (ensuring there is no confidential information on the back), maintaining the ‘upcycling’ element of the lesson. Invite students to begin drawing their designs on their paper cups. If using the cup template, instruct students to complete their drawing prior to cutting out the template and assembling the cup, as the paper will not be as sturdy as a commercially used coffee cup.

Step 5.

Ask students to use the techniques they have just learned to create their cup artwork, referring to their notes and preliminary sketches from their observations. Gwyneth Leech likes the idea that each cup design captures a moment in time, a memory, and creates a habit of writing the details on the base of the cup. Ask students to do the same, using a pen or fine liner to write the date, their name, and a few words that describe the object and location that inspired their cup illustration.

Step 6.

When students have completed their cup artwork, invite them to create a class installation. Ask students to contribute their ideas on how they can work together to create an art display. They could use a similar format to Gwyneth Leech and suspend their cups from the ceiling, or they might like to stack them up on a table, creating a sculptural tower.

Reflection

Bring the focus back to upcycling and ask students to reflect on how this particular art activity links to sustainability. Students can evaluate their work by answering the following reflection questions on the Student Worksheet:

What subject matter did you choose to include in your paper cup artwork and why?
Explain why you chose to use certain shapes, colours and patterns.
How do you feel about your finished piece? Is there anything you would change? Why?
Why do you think artists like Gwyneth Leech choose to upcycle? How does her art practice benefit the environment?

Differentiated Learning

Extension

Students can create another paper cup artwork inspired by their local environment, for example, observing shapes, patterns, etc. on their way home from school or in their home environment.

Provisions for Learning Support

Encourage students to take photographs of patterns, shapes, lines etc. during their school walk-through, to use as a reference for their drawings once back in the classroom. They might like to use their phones to do this.

Teacher Reflection

Take this opportunity to reflect on your own teaching

What did you learn about your teaching today?
What worked well?
What didn’t work so well?
What would you share?
Where to next?
How are you going to get there?

Creative Sustainability - Upcycling Art

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