Mexican Yarn Painting

Create a yarn painting representing the sun with simplified shapes, bright colors,
and patterns inspired by the folk art of Mexico.

 

SCHOOL: Grant Street School
TEACHING ARTIST: Kim Fairbanks GRADE: 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Teaching artist:

Discusses Mexican folk art: students identify warm and cool colors, simplification of shapes and lines for patterns. Students draw animals, plants and suns--simplifying and organizing shapes in different ways for design possibilities. Teaching artist demonstrates selecting a design and drawing it on mat board. Students then select their strongest design, and draw it.

Demonstrates techniques for attaching yarn to mat board. Make lines of glue that are thick and consistent by holding the glue bottle at an angle ... Yarn is put on glue one short piece at a time and firmly pressed down using a craft stick. Simple lines are emphasized with pattern repeated more than once in the design. 

Assessment: Students have a ”walk about” where they view each other’s work in progress, find an art work “they can learn something from”, and describe what they have discovered. 

Helps students complete yarn paintings with attention to craftsmanship in firm attachment of yarn to surface. Teaching artist facilitates group discussion about finished art: Describe the different ways that you see the sun represented...What are some of the differences between warm and cool colors that you see...cool color recedes, and warm color comes forward.

 Assessment: Whole class discussion and critique.

 Essential learnings

Arts 1.1 concepts: shape, pattern, color

Arts 1.2 skills and techniques: process of yarn painting

Arts 1.3 applies arts styles from cultures: Mexican folk art

Arts 4.4 makes connections: arts reflect culture

Creative process and resources introduced

Teaching artist:

Discusses need for communal living in Pacific Northwest Native American Culture.  Shows functional objects which art is on.  Asks students to describe attributes of this traditional art form which make it unique and recognizable.

Shows images of animals on overhead and describes shapes used.  Demonstrates how to draw animals using basic shapes, and how to add shapes to the interior of the animal in the style of Coastal Native art. Asks students to name and describe why certain animals were important to this culture. (salmon, raven, orca, etc…)

Demonstrates making key contents for longhouse, demonstrates folding paper for a bentwood box, making fire with cellophane, rocks, and sticks: also making a fish line, fishes and mats.

Divides students into groups of three for each box for Long house construction.      Guides students in choosing and creating crest/animal chosen as a clan/family symbol for front of Long house, and other animals for other sides of building.  Reminds students to include important elements for living needs in shelter: fire, containers, sleeping areas, food. Guides student groups in completing longhouse.

 

Assessment

Reflect and describe building and decoration of your long house. What essential objects are in your long house?

Describe how the environment influenced shelter, clothing, and objects needed for everyday life. What is the animal symbol for your clan? What shapes did you use in this animal?

Essential Learnings

concept: shape

applies style from cultures and times: Native American

4.1 Connection between content areas: art and social studies

4.1 Arts reflect culture and history