The most important social function of graphic design is to give identity through visual forms. Design therefore creates a “personality” for institutions like schools and businesses, as well as for products and certain groups of people who have shared interests. Over the years literacy for the eye has been created; a commercial alphabet of symbols and styles known to the consumer. Activists use designs to promote certain issues, for example feminism and AIDS, while designers in the subcultures of rave, hip-hop and skateboarding brought about a change in visual literacy through the mixture of styles and symbols of the mass media and city underground.
- To which subculture do you belong? Motivate your answer.
- To which music do members of the subculture to which you belong, listen? Give examples.
- Do members of the subculture to which you belong wear any specific clothes, jewellery or hairstyles? Mention a few examples.
- Which brand names are associated with your subculture? Name them.
Exchange information in your group to enable you to complete the table below. If all the members of a group belong to the same subculture, they must do research on other subcultures to be able to complete the table.
| Subculture | Music | Dance(s) | Visual Art | Clothing |
As homework, write an essay of between 200 and 250 words (pictures and/or illustrations are not compulsory, but are recommended) on the following topic:
THE INFLUENCE OFART ON CULTURES, LIFE STYLES AND FASHIONS
| LO 4.4 | ||||
Activity 2 (Individual)
To design a t-shirt
STEP 1
Draw your design on paper. This first design must represent your subculture. Well-known symbols and brand names may be used, but must be mixed or changed to create an original design. This design can be used for the front and/or the back. A second design must be a repetition of the first, modelled on different lines and simpler, but the two must form a pattern. The second design must be used for the neck, bottom and/or sleeves of the T-shirt.
Example:
STEP 2
After the preliminary sketches for the second design have been made, the design must be done in coloured pencils or ink on a T-shirt format.
Example:
STEP 3 (OPTIONAL)
You may bring old T-shirts from home and use fabric paints to paint the designs on the T-shirts.
| LO 4.5 | ||||
Over-arching activity
- To integrate the content of the four learning areas you can now present a performance where the rap of Learning Unit 1, is combined with the movement of Learning Unit 3, the characters of Learning Unit 2 and the T-shirt or clothing of Learning Unit 4.
| LO 4.6 | ||||
Assessment
| Learning Outcome(LOs) |
| LO 4 |
| expressing and communicatingThe learner will be able to analyse and use multiple forms of communication and expression in Arts and Culture. |
| Assessment Standards(ASs) |
| We know this when the learner: |
| MUSIC |
| 4.3 explains how technology has influenced music over time; |
| DRAMA |
| 4.2 uses a drama presentation to critique the impact of soap operas, radio shows or other available forms of performance media on people’s values and behaviour; |
| DANCE |
| 4.1 explains how dance is shaped by and reflects the values of the times and is influenced by music, place, fashion and technology; |
| VISUAL ARTS |
| 4.4 explains how art reflects and affects cultures, lifestyles, beliefs and fashion; |
| 4.5 applies skills of media production, while considering target group, purpose and design elements (e.g. create an advertisement, class newsletter, poster, T-shirt, logo or jingle); |
| COMPOSITE |
| 4.6 combines individual art forms to create a new form of artistic expression. |