The Arts Studio
  • done Welcome
  • done Class Rules
  • done Grade 6/7s
    • done Fine Arts >
      • done Scavenger Hunt
      • skip What does an artist do?
      • done Introduction to Art
      • done Collaborative Banner
      • done Bypass your Catalogue
      • done Charcoal Still Life
      • done Pencil Portrait
      • skip Printmaking
      • done Form and 3D sculpting
      • done Exquisite Corpse
    • Drama >
      • Done - Basics of Theater
      • Done - Improv
      • Dance and Movement
      • Done: Twisted Fairy Tales
  • Grade 8s
    • Fine Arts >
      • Explorations >
        • Done - Drawing >
          • Done - Metamorphosis
        • Done - History
        • Done -0 Pride of Self
        • Done - Microscopic Art
        • Done - Animation
        • Done - Activism
        • Done - Graffiti Art
        • Done - Book Poetry
        • Done - Junk Art
    • Drama >
      • Done - Improv >
        • Done - Warm Up
        • Done - Finals 2019
      • Done - Car Plays
      • Done - Tableau
      • Done - Musical Theatre
  • Toolbox
    • Done - Drawing
    • Mixed Media
    • Animation
    • Artist Statement
  • Elements
    • Line - Doodle
    • Done - Value and Shading
    • Colour
  • Checkout
  • Special Projects
    • Bump-Out

Tableau


For this unit, we will be learning more about tableau and what makes a successful tableau. We will culminate this unit with a tableau for Remembrance day, which we will record and play for the audience. This eliminates the fear of performing and allows for us to utilize our lights and music with no glitches.

First, let's have a tableau refresher. A tableau is a living picture, created by people to represent a scene from a story or from history. Often, whole stories can be represented by a tableau set.

For a successful tableau, you must consider your ability to freeze the scene, to focus on your pose, to create smooth transitions, having different levels and employing appropriate depth.

Just like creating a painting, your tableau must have a view side -- a side where the camera, or the audience, can see your vision in its integrity -- and just like a painting, your composition is most important in order to tell your story.



Tableau checklist - if you say yes to everything, your tableau is a winner:

  • Do I have bodies in different levels? High, medium, close to the ground?
  • Do I have bodies forming different shapes -- open bodies, closed bodies, hands going in different directions?
  • Do I use the space given effectively?
  • Can the audience see everyone in my tableau?
  • Are our poses strong enough to communicate the story?
  • Do our faces match our poses, showing the emotion of the scene? Exaggeration is important in tableau.
  • Is our focus appropriate and do we stay in character?

Below, one of the best tableau sets I have ever watched!


Let's get started!

Your first tableau assignment is to pick your favourite song and figure out five perfect scenes that represent five lines or themes in your song. You have the remainder of this class to find a song and rehearse.

After this assignment, we will start working towards our remembrance day tableau.


Things to consider

For remembrance day, what song should we illustrate with our tableau?
How many scenes should we do in order to illustrate the whole song?
Consider your levels, body positions and expressions; consider your composition. How can you improve upon it?


Contact

The Arts Studio © Copyright 2019-2021 by Mrs. J., a teacher at Ecole Glenbrook Middle School, New Westminster
No rights reserved for ideas and materials. Use it in your classroom, make copies, enjoy!
  • done Welcome
  • done Class Rules
  • done Grade 6/7s
    • done Fine Arts >
      • done Scavenger Hunt
      • skip What does an artist do?
      • done Introduction to Art
      • done Collaborative Banner
      • done Bypass your Catalogue
      • done Charcoal Still Life
      • done Pencil Portrait
      • skip Printmaking
      • done Form and 3D sculpting
      • done Exquisite Corpse
    • Drama >
      • Done - Basics of Theater
      • Done - Improv
      • Dance and Movement
      • Done: Twisted Fairy Tales
  • Grade 8s
    • Fine Arts >
      • Explorations >
        • Done - Drawing >
          • Done - Metamorphosis
        • Done - History
        • Done -0 Pride of Self
        • Done - Microscopic Art
        • Done - Animation
        • Done - Activism
        • Done - Graffiti Art
        • Done - Book Poetry
        • Done - Junk Art
    • Drama >
      • Done - Improv >
        • Done - Warm Up
        • Done - Finals 2019
      • Done - Car Plays
      • Done - Tableau
      • Done - Musical Theatre
  • Toolbox
    • Done - Drawing
    • Mixed Media
    • Animation
    • Artist Statement
  • Elements
    • Line - Doodle
    • Done - Value and Shading
    • Colour
  • Checkout
  • Special Projects
    • Bump-Out