Introduction

Recap the last lesson and the main tools that we used. Which part of the picture should you always start with? Why? Which tools are useful for creating a background quickly? Which tools are better for adding detail?

 

Comparing art programs with symmetry

This week we are going to compare two different art packages but we are going to focus on a particular feature or artistic style; symmetrical patterns. What is symmetry? Have you ever created symmetrical patterns using anything else?

Open Purple Mash and go to Tools > Art and design > 2Paint a Picture.

 

 

Then select the Slice option.

 

 

What do you notice when it loads?  There are far fewer tools than 2Paint that we used last time, all we have are an eraser, colours, a flood fill and pen thickness options.

 

 

The default when Slice opens is set at six points of symmetry. You need to draw inside the dotted lines and the computer reflects whatever you draw to the rest of the page.

 

 

You can adjust the number of points of symmetry (reflection lines) that you get by dragging the blue square at the end of the dotted line. Moving it down the page and making the dotted segment larger reduces the points of symmetry (3 points shown below).

 

 

Moving the square up the page to make the dotted segment smaller increases the points of symmetry (12 shown below).

 

 

3 is the minimum and 24 is the maximum number of reflections you can have.

Let the children experiment with this for a short time. Try layering up patterns with different colours and adjusting points of symmetry as they go. Or creating a symmetrical picture.

 

 

Ensure they all save a pattern that they like, naming it ‘first name SLICE’.

 

ABCYa! Magic Mirror Paint

Next, open Chrome and go back to ABCYa!

 

Go to Grade 2,

 

 

Then click on Skill

 

 

And select Magic Mirror Paint

 

 

The tools and options available are as follows:

 

 

Ask the class to experiment with this to create another pattern. While they work, ask them to be thinking in their head how it compares to 2Paint a Picture > Slice

Save their work to their computer at the end, naming it appropriately.

 

 

Writing a comparison

At the end discuss the two painting packages and what each one offered. Which one was your favourite? Why? Which one was easiest to use? Which would you use again?

Depending on time, the age and ability of your children you may wish to extend this into a written task. 

2Publish offers a nice template for this in 'Pages of a Book'.

 

 

When it opens click the upload button to add their saved image from 2Paint a Picture - Slice.

 

 

Browse for your first saved image, then load it in with Open.

 

 

You may then need to position it in the centre and zoom in a little to get it to fill the space well.

 

 

Then click the upload button on the other image box and select From my PC, then browse for the image that was created with ABCYa! Magic Mirror Paint.

 

 

Then ask the children to add a brief description of each tool and their opinion of each to provide a comparison. 

 

 

Save or print the finished work.

 

Plenary

Review the main points of the lesson and the students' learning.

• Which drawing tools have you used today?
• Who experimented with the thickness of their brush/pen?
• How many colours did you use?
• Which of the symmetry tools did you prefer? Why?
• If you could change them what would you add?

---