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Using the Art of Tattoos as a topic in the classroom 

…an opportunity for health education and art education.

By M. Ledo

Author: Melissa-Ann Ledo
School: Lester B. Pearson High School
Subject: Visual Arts
Level: Secondary, cycle 2, year 1
learn_film View student work

Links to Curriculum | Evaluation | Planning | Learning Activities: Inspiration Development Distancing | Resources and Links | Documents

DESCRIPTION AND PURPOSE OF THE LEARNING SITUATION

The students will explore the world of tattoos, learning about the health aspects as well as the traditions. They will work in teams to design a “sleeve” and create it on a plaster cast of an arm.

Students had indicated an interest in tattoos – this was an opportunity to look at all aspects to lead to a creation.

LINKS TO THE CURRICULUM

BAL1_Health_Outline

Broad Areas of Learning : Health and Well-Being

Educational Aim :
To ensure that students develop a sense of responsibility for adopting good habits with respect to health, safety and sexuality

Focuses of Development :
Knowledge of the impact of his/her choices on health and well-being: knowledge of the basic principles of health and hygiene
Active lifestyle and safe behaviour: adoption of safe behaviour in all circumstances

cooperCCC8

Cross Curricular competency (ies): Cooperates with others

Contributes to team efforts Interacts, showing an open mind
Participates actively in classroom activities
Uses differences constructively to attain a common objective •
Plans and carries out work with others
Carries out his/her task according to the rules agreed on by the team


Subject Specific Competency (ies) : Creates Personal Images

Key Features :
Uses ideas to create a personal works
Uses transforming gestures and elements of visual arts language
Shares his/her experience of personal creation
Organizes his/her visual arts production

Subject Specific Competency (ies) : Appreciates Images

Key Features :
Analyzes an image
Constructs his/her interpretation of the image
Shares his/her appreciation experience
Makes critical and aesthetic judgments

EVALUATION CRITERIA:

Use the rubric to grade the art productions

PLANNING

Approach administration: make it clear that this would be a health and art lesson


 DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMPLEX TASK ACCORDING TO THE THREE STAGES OF THE LEARNING PROCESS

Inspiration

Power Point Presentation

  • Health
  • History

Please note - the attached presentation includes a preamble re the LES. The presentation may be edited to suit your purpose, but must give credit to Ms Ledo for her work.

Development

  • Learning Activity 1

Students watch Powerpoint Presentation on health and history of tattoos
Take notes and ask questions
Students are asked to read and write a personal response to “Think before you Ink” article by the FTA.

  • Learning Activity 2

Students are given a homework assignment where they are to create one sketch in a tattoo “style” for the following 5 themes: Celtic, symbols, floral, wildlife and fantasy after doing some image research. They are also asked to write a few sentences as to why they have chosen specific images and these specific styles

Handout: Tattoo Brainstorm

  • Learning Activity 3 Production
Students are asked to pair up in class and create a sketch that combines two ideas from both students’ sketches to create a tattoo “sleeve”.
The requirements for this assignment can be seen in the rubric: they include attention to colour choice and creating a unified piece.
A plaster cast is then created by the pair
It is painted following the students tattoo design.


Distancing

• Summary and closure: Students are then asked to speak about their work and critique each others work using the new visual arts language learnt.

Guiding questions:
Did students show understanding of the vocabulary during oral discussion?
Did students follow the steps in creating art?
Did students critique artworks by applying concepts presented?

LINKS to Resources and Reference Tools

Books / Magazines

Start making a collection of tattoo magazines and book sources such as


Great Book of Tattoo Designs: More Than 500 Body Art Designs

Lora S. Irish
Publisher: Independent Publishers Group; 1 edition (2007)
ISBN-10: 1565233328
ISBN-13: 978-1565233324

 

500 Tattoo Designs

Henry Ferguson
Hardcover: 256 pages
Publisher: Thunder Bay (May 31 2004)
ISBN-10: 159223139X
ISBN-13: 978-1592231393


Living Canvas: Your Total Guide to Tattoos, Piercings, and Body Modification

Karen L. Hudson
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Seal Press (Sep 14 2009)
ISBN-10: 1580052886
ISBN-13: 978-1580052887


Web Links

Facts and Health Issues

Think Before you Ink by the FDA
http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm048919.htm
pdf download

Contents
What exactly is a Tattoo?
Does it Hurt to get a Tattoo?
Avoiding Infection
Description of Procedure
Care of Tattoo
Risks of Tattoos
Removal Description
Is it Worth it?

Teens Health: Tattoos
http://www.kidshealth.org/teen/your_body/skin_stuff/safe_tattooing.html


History Of Tattoos

A Brief History of Tattoos
http://www.designboom.com/history/tattoo_history.html

Tattoo Museum
http://www.vanishingtattoo.com/tattoo_museum/index.html

Tattoos.com Online ezine
http://www.tattoos.com/jane/steve/toc.htm

 

Tattoo Timeline
http://nymag.com/guides/everything/tattoos/37978/


Diagram of Tattooed skin

Tattoo Process
http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/Business/DragonButterfly/Skin-CrossSection.jpg

Skin Needling
http://skinneedling.com.au/images/skin-needling-diagram-full.gif


Safety tips

Teen Health FX: Piercings and Tattoos
http://www.teenhealthfx.com/answers/Health/2221.html

Family Education: Primal Teen: Tattoos and Body Piercing - Piercing and tattooing safety
http://life.familyeducation.com/teen/parenting/48432.html

Medline Plus: Piercing and Tattoss
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/piercingandtattoos.html


Tips from LA INK (TV show) and Miami INK


Top Tattoo Mistakes
http://tlc.discovery.com/tv/la-ink/tattoo-mistakes/tattoo-mistakes.html

Miami Ink
http://tlc.discovery.com/fansites/miami-ink/miami-ink.html


Tattoo Images for reference


Tattoo Finder
http://www.tattoofinder.com/

Needled: a community for the love of tattoos
http://needled.com/

Free Tribal Tattoo
http://www.freetribaltattoo.com/

Celtic Tattoo Net
http://celtic-tattoo.net/default.aspx

Tattoo Archive: Sailor's Tattoos
http://www.tattooarchive.com/history/sailor_tattoos.htm


Other Links:

Body Ideals and Body Modification
http://oldweb.uwp.edu/academic/english/martinez/women%27sbodies.htm


Related Canadian Articles


Body Art: The story behind tattooing and piercing in Canada
http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/tattoo/

Health Canada: Tattooing and Piercing
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/iyh-vsv/life-vie/tat-eng.php

Health Alberta: Health Standards and Guidelines for. Tattooing (pdf)
http://www.health.alberta.ca/documents/Standards-Tattooing.pdf

** Tattoo Laws Canada
http://tattoojoy.com/tattoo_laws/canada,1.htm


Henna info


Health Canada: Black Henna Tattoos
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/pubs/cons/black_henna-henne_noir-eng.php


Pictures of infected tattoos

http://tattoo.about.com/b/2007/05/20/discussion-is-severe-swelling-around-tattoo-normal.htm
http://dermatlas.med.jhmi.edu/derm/IndexDisplay.cfm?ImageID=-330723126
http://dermatlas.med.jhmi.edu/derm/IndexDisplay.cfm?ImageID=1636036483



Documents

Complete LES
Rubric
Powerpoint
Student Brainstorm
Tattoo Test