Penleigh & Essendon

Marks & Maps

Through Line

How do others and I describe, analyse, organize and shape the constructed world around us?

To complement and extend the Year Four Term One Integrated Studies Module, 'Melbourne and Beyond', this visual arts unit was designed to enable students to examine how past and present artists, including authors and illustrators of children's literature, Australian artists and artists from other cultures, have, through their art works, attempted to describe, analyse and understand the constructed urban environment around them. 'Mapping Moonee Ponds' was the culminating exercise of this unit. It took approximately 3 weeks to complete.

My Place - The Mapping of Moonee Ponds

Art Elements

• line, shape, colour, pattern, space

Artist Links

• Aerial photographic images of Melbourne and suburbs
• Ngurrara 1 canvas 1996, various Artists (Mangkaja) from Colour Power at NGV Australia, Federation Square, 2005. Image, history and details of this work available in Colour Power, Aboriginal Art Post, 1984, Judith Ryan, published by NGV, 2004

Additional Resources

• A3 images from Melways street directory of Moonee Ponds area - an A3 image of a section of the original map for each student to work from

Materials

Chromacryl Paints in primary colours plus white, A3 Black Cartridge, White Oil Pastels

Method

1. Aerial images of Melbourne's northern suburbs were viewed and spontaneously discussed. (These were generally images that had appeared in newspapers and magazines that had been collected over time, but aerial posters are also available.)

Landmarks that students were familiar with were identified (Maribynong River, Highpoint Shopping Centre, Golf Courses, Parks and other recreational sites).

2. The images were also examined as art works in their own right, and the types of lines, shapes, spaces and patterns of the aerial views were investigated and described. The irregular, meandering curved line of the river was compared and contrasted with the regular grids of the built-up areas and the interesting web of lines created by roads.

3. In pairs, students enthusiastically poured over enlarged photocopies of the Melways map of Moonee Ponds and its immediate surrounding areas. Key areas of interest were located, including our school, known local shopping areas, parks, playgrounds, churches, recreational areas, the Maribynong River, and the streets where some students lived.

4. The use of mapping 'symbols' was discussed. (What is a symbol? How are road, rail and tramlines represented? How are churches, parks, etc. represented? )

5. Again, these maps were described using the art elements, which were then compared with the aerial photographic images. (The similarities and differences between the photographs and the drawn maps were observed.)

6. As a group, students investigated Ngurrara 1 canvas 1996, various artists (Mangkaja), displayed in Colour Power at NGV Australia, Federation Square 2005, and illustrated in Colour Power, Aboriginal Art Post 1984. The size, history and intent of this magnificent art work, realised by 24 Indigenous artists were highlighted to assist the students to gain some understanding of a collaborative art project, of symbolism and of the different ways and reasons 'country' is mapped.

7. The project of the 'Mapping of Moonee Ponds' was proposed and discussed. Each student was given an enlarged small section of the Melways map (numbered according to where it fitted on the map) and asked to outline the major roads, railways and tramlines, parks, etc. Students then transferred these major lines and shapes on to a sheet of A3 Black Cartridge using a White Oil Pastel.

8. Colours, lines, patterns and symbols for roads, parks, recreational areas and suburban sections were discussed in order that the completed map had an overall unity and could be effectively combined to form one cohesive, creative map of Moonee Ponds.

9. Students painted their section of the map, using the guidelines discussed and decided upon. Lines (the river, roads, railways, etc.) were detailed first, and then the shapes created by these thoroughfares were filled in according to whether they were built-up areas or parks and open spaces.

10. Upon completion, the individual maps were joined to complete the 'Mapping of Moonee Ponds'.

Heather Lee
Visual Arts Teacher