FOURTH GRADE . . . Mirror image writing

Fourth grade students were asked to read this quote by Leonardo da Vinci as they entered the art room. Everyone recognized it as backwards writing and most had no trouble figuring out what it said, after stumbling over a few words here and there! We talked about the reasons that Leonardo might have written in mirror image and discovered that many of his journals contained top secret inventions he worked on for the government. It could be that he was writing in code. At a glance, the mirror image letters might appear to be from another language and someone glancing at the page would not bother to take the time to figure out his code.
    We also discovered that Leonardo wrote with his left hand. That means that all of you "Lefties" are in good company. Leonardo was a very talented and brilliant man! When you write from Left to Right across the page, a person writing with his left hand might smudge the letters just printed. However, if you write with your left hand and are writing in mirror image, then you write from Right to Left and your hand does not cover the wet ink. Perhaps mirror image writing was simply a brilliant invention by a left handed artist to not smudge his work!

This is Leonardo's quote written the correct way. We then talked about what it could mean and I heard the most wonderful interpretations from my students. People who can "see" can imagine a different way to do something. For a Renaissance man like Leonardo da Vinci, living life to the fullest meant always discovering new and better ways to understand the world. He used painting, music, mathematics and science to help him come up with new visions of the world, amazing inventions, and a new standard of mastery in art.

Brandon in Mrs. Robinson's class was very clever when he explained that it is just like looking up at the clouds. Some people might see the shape of something in the clouds, such as a dog. Others will recognize that it looks like a dog after being shown how the clouds take on the shape of a dog's head, the feet, perhaps the tail. The last group of people would insist that it is just a cloud, nothing more. Not everyone has the vision to see things in a different way. Great analogy, Brandon!

Other students suggested that having the ability to "see" might also mean being able to think of a new way to use something, just like re-purposing a box or a toy that you don't need anymore. How many of you could come up with another use for a box instead of throwing it out?

We started practicing mirror image writing in class and it was a challenge for many of us to write that way. Emma had an easier time with her name because the M's and the A are the same written both ways. She just had to figure out how to write the E backwards. As more class time allows, we will try drawing other lines and shapes in mirror image, all in preparation for drawing our portraits this way. Try practicing this skill at home. The more comfortable you are seeing outlines and shapes in mirror image, the easier it will be to draw in mirror image too.


Note to families . . .
    This art blog will be updated regularly with new posts sharing our daily activities in the art room and news about upcoming art exhibits. To respect the privacy of our students, names will always be limited to first name only and identifiable photos will never be accompanied with a name. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to write in the comment box below or send me an email at blevine@ranneyschool.org. I would love to hear from you!
    In my class, students are given the chance to explore different materials and fun new techniques as they develop their signature style. Some young artists love to draw with a pencil, some like to paint on canvas or create images in a digital format, while others prefer working with clay and molding three-dimensional forms. In my classroom, we use a variety of materials allowing all artists to experiment and figure out which type of art they like the best. At Ranney School, we place a strong emphasis on originality and celebrate artistic differences, always nurturing and encouraging the imagination of every student.
     Remember to check out our display of finished artwork and student portfolios in the Ranney home page of Artsonia.com.  http://www.artsonia.com/schools/school.asp?id=114839