Art tactics
strategy cards

Using the cards

The art tactic strategy cards can be used as a complete collection or as separate sub-sets. The ‘developing’ cards may be used for the first stage of art making — developing ideas and images, researching and starting the work itself. The ‘making’ cards may be used for the often long and sometimes mundane period — the ‘hard slog’ of doing the work. The ‘resolving’ cards may be used for the final stages of completing the work. However, many cards are applicable for any stage of making.

Art tactics and the art maker

The studio can be an isolated workplace and often a visitor will bring a new perspective that will provide an artist with an answer. Artists now have a companion in the studio to help them through times when things have come to a halt. Art tactic cards provide the artist with a fresh perspective in the studio at all times.

Art tactics and the art educator

In busy lessons, art tactic strategy cards will provide art educators with an avenue for establishing fresh dialogues with students who have reached a stalemate with their work. Alternatively, an individual student may independently select an art tactic card to provoke a new perspective.

10 ideas for using Art Tactic strategy cards in the classroom

  1. Use the relevant set of cards (developing, making or resolving) or a smaller selection from them at important transition points in a project. In small groups, students place the cards face down on the table and take turns to turn over a card. They read it to the group and discuss how the art tactic advice or instruction relates to their own work and the work of the others in the group. They make notes in their art journal that resonate with them. This process can be repeated with different sets of cards, then the class has dedicated time to apply the tactics to their work. 
  2. Peers evaluate each other’s work using two stars and a wish. The wish could be made very practical using an art tactic card to give specific ideas about how to refine the artwork of their classmate. 
  3. When students are evaluating artworks, place cards 04, 14, 15, 21, 25, 26, 27, 31, 38 and 40  in a small pack to work through as pairs, small groups or as a whole class. 
  4. If you have students you want to challenge to improve their work use cards 28, 29, 33 and 39.  
  5. When students need support with idea development try cards 09, 11, 13, 19, 22, 24, 34 and 35. 
  6. Towards the end of a making phase in a project, students work in pairs, small groups or a whole class to evaluate and give feedback to each other. They choose a making or resolving card with a tactic that might give a peer a suggestion for improving the communication of meaning, compositional approach or expressive qualities in their artwork. They place it face down in front of the artwork or it could be the starting point for a group discussion about how to apply the tactic and improve the work.
    The class is given time to apply the suggested tactics and documents the effects of the changes.
  7. Consider investing in 4 or more sets of cards to easily facilitate art tactics activities in groups. 
  8. Strengthen student’s ideas using a rotation between tables. Each group takes a turn with one of the following cards 14, 20, 28, 33, 34, 39. They discuss and carry out the practical suggestions for improving or refining artworks that are still in the early stage of making, while ideas are still malleable.  The activity is repeated until each group has worked through each card. 
  9. Senior students independently take turns with the pack of cards. They act on tactics that apply to their artworks.
  10. At checkpoints in the body of work, the teacher chooses cards for individual senior students to help them push their art making to achieve more thoughtful communication and expression.