hahaha...Gogh Art!

Well the Gogh Art went through quite a transformation this weekend!

As I was off to Massachusetts to do some uhh...research with our prototype...I realized that it was a prime testing ground for the concept Rebekah and I came up with. I prepared the Gogh Art for its final testing session.

Previously there had been some trial runs with the concept of edible art and coloring in outlines of pre-existing works to get children away from the tv and interested in art. The trial runs were exciting and proved to be very successful. 4 children between the ages of 3 and 13 were given the (at the time yet to be named "Gogh Art") outlines as well as the edible art projects. At the time the suggestion from Tina had not been given to combine the two so we were experimenting conceptually. We were planning on packaging these concepts of non-traditional methods to use a child's creativity to get them interested in the arts as well as the design world.

Edible art projects for example consisted of using a licorice rope and froot loops, etc. to design a bracelet or necklace that could be eaten if one so desired. The child could then color in outlines of famous works by Van Gogh, Picasso and Mondrian. These artists were selected because of the varying levels of complexity they provide the children to work with. Kids like choice so if they wanted to try a more difficult one as opposed to a Mondrian piece, that would be up to them. We would also provide the child with samples of the completed piece as the artist created it. This allows children to compare their own creation with the artist's after they have come up with their own piece. We found that children older than 6 either were too old to sit down and do "arts and crafts" or found one painting that they really liked and became interested in that artist and experimenting privately with the outline to that particular piece. We decided that our project would be targeted for kids ages 3-6.

After the suggestion of combining the two projects together into one was made we were instantly intrigued by this and the new possibilities it opened up. Now instead of a book of ideas or a possible web site with the concepts and photos online, which parents and teachers could plan for children, the project became more of a self-contained product.

Rebekah and I decided the best way to put this together would be in a package that was entirely "creatable." We would package:

- 2 editable art dishes with Caro corn syrup (edible glue) and licorice ropes, jelly fruits, etc.
- 8-10 Crayons of varying non-sexually discriminating colors
- 10 outlines of Van Gogh, Picasso and Mondrian pieces
- 10 copies of the completed work by Van Gogh, Picasso and Mondrian in an art book
- 1 "art-ready" package with easy-carry handle

Rebekah had an excellent idea to improve the package. Children love to have their parents proudly display their creations on their fridge, right? Why not have a framed area on the front of the box where you can attach velcro to your latest masterpiece and proudly display it everywhere you bring your package! It was a brilliant idea and added a lot to the project. =)

The package idea was a complete success! ...initially.

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After the trip to Massachusetts our belief that our product was in prototype stage was completely and utterly confirmed. We knew that cardboard was just a prototype design but we didn't think the entire thing would have as many problems as it did! For one it's easy to break. Then when children use their own supplies, (paint in this case), you realize that paint takes a very long time to dry on cardboard and sometimes is just absorbed while barely changing its color! Another problem was that the materials provided were not enough for coloring in the entire box, which is apparently what some children like, so outside materials were used that could potentially ruin the package. In addition, we experienced lots of rain over the weekend and the inevitable, "keep it out of the rain! Your work will get ruined!" obviously was unacceptable to hear. The handle was quite sturdy with hot glue but no match for a child swinging the package wildly about. Another problem was candy sticking to the insides of the package and the cardboard slots breaking off when shaken. This was probably due to the weight of the crayons as the hot glue completely snapped off. The concept itself however was very successful in that Robbie couldn't wait to show his parents his masterpiece and instantly put the piece on the package rather than simple run to show them what he'd made. He asked me if I was going to come back with more Picassos next time and Becky said she would show him some on the computer. It was great to hear that he was super excited in an artist he'd previously never been introduced to!

After the completion of the test phases, Rebekah and I determined the final product would essentially be our package but would instead be encased in plastic. We will show the class in person the changes but they include:

-Plastic package to keep children's masterpieces (children like the term "masterpiece" we've discovered) from getting ruined in the rain. The plastic would have slots where you could design pieces to fit into protected plastic compartments. This also eliminates the restrictions set forth by the velcro attachments. The inside tray area would also be entirely plastic which is easy to clean off "accidents" (as in paint accidents) as well as unstick candy pieces. This would also help with the problem of the handle falling off when children swing the package wildly about.

We were toying with the idea of individualizing artits into separate packages such as Gogh Art, So Art and Mo Art. We ended up agreeing the package is much more successful as a non-traditional education tool and creative engine by combining artists into one. We were quite pleased with the lessons learned, the admiration of the art world instilled in the children tested, and the laughs and smiles that came forth from experimenting with our project. Rebekah and I were very happy with the outcome!