SchoolArts - May/June 2009

The Design Process One common thread in my graphic design classes over the years has been that students’ designs are often personal statements. Research led to student brainstorming, thumbnails, sketches, scans, and finally, rendering on the computer. Most designs expressed anti-establishment concepts. The final designs were laid out and printed on adhesive-backed vinyl by a local sign shop, and we purchased blank skateboard decks in bulk from Bob Merriam, a retired teacher and owner of the skateboard shop, Mr. M’s World. Each student was able to design and build his or her own custom skateboard deck for less than thirty dollars.

An Outside Audience of Critics

The inclusion of an outside audi-
ence upped the ante on the concepts
and art. As part of their assessment,
students created videos called screen
casts to record the thought process
behind the art. These videos, along
with a digital gallery of the work,
were shared with
two other high-
school art classes
and another
important critic.
The two high
schools repre-

sented the East and West coasts of the United States. The first class to give feedback was that of Tom Darneau of Boyertown High School in Boyertown, Pennsylvania. The second was from Lance Eagen’s class in Eugene, Oregon.

The last criticism came from that all-too-elusive real world. My students were lucky to receive feedback from NHS, Inc., located in Santa Cruz, California. If the address didn’t give it away, NHS has helped shape skate culture since its earliest beginnings. They manufacture and market Santa Cruz skateboards as well as many other skateboard accessories.

I can’t begin to describe the difference in mood that developed once students knew that the real world was going to view and also critique their work. Concepts were more

refined; time and care were taken on illustrations.

Each student was able to
design and build his or her
own custom skateboard deck
for less than thirty dollars.
Positive Results

Some students kept their boards and skated with them. Some gave the boards as gifts. Others, I’m told, are currently using them to decorate their dorm room walls. Either way, this product outlasts most other design projects that I have offered in my classroom. Of this, I am quite proud.

Establishing student interest and finding relevance was something that happened over time. The next challenge is to do the same for the rest of my projects. Would anyone like to critique some animations?

Jim Howard teaches graphic design at Central York High School in York, Pennsylvania. jhoward@cysd.k12.pa.us

NATIONAL STANDARD

Students create multiple solutions to specific visual arts problems that demonstrate competence in producing effective relationships between structural choices and artistic functions.

Additional Motivation

Having a tangible product at the end of this assignment added to the relevance, but the most successful element of this project was the addition of assessment and criticism from an outside audience.

In my opinion, the biggest flaw with art and design education at the high-school level is that often, the student is his or her own client. Even if there’s a detailed rubric or a peer assessment in place, the artist is still his or her own final critic. Students often take the easy way out or say to themselves, “it’s good enough.”