Aug 12, 2012

Aboriginal Inspired Line Drawings

This is one of my favourite fallback lessons which I have been doing on and off for the past few years. I'm not sure where this idea originally came from, so if anyone knows, let me know!

Students begin by dripping watercolour paint in a random pattern on their paper.
They then choose about 4 different coloured textas. (I usually ask them to choose either a warm or cool colour scheme).

Using one colour, they must trace a contour line around each drop. Then they use the next colour to trace and so on, repeating the pattern until they reach the end of the page.

To me, they always look Aboriginal inspired, like aerial desert landscapes or water.
You could use this lesson to teach about Aboriginal art, colour families, pattern and contour line.

12 comments:

  1. What an awesome project to teach line and movement.

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  2. um, yes, I simply love this because it teaches contour. Perfect.

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  3. Fantastic lesson and work! And I can definitely see the resemblance to Aboriginal aerial landscape art.

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  4. Almost like cell cultures on a petrie dish, fascinating and beautiful.

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  5. I love the flow of the lines around the organic shaped drips! :)

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  6. Thanks for sharing. Would love to try this.
    Cathie at toddlersthroughpreschool.com

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  7. I love the movement and rhythm in these pieces. It is great to have an "old stand-by lesson" like this when you want a quick and sure-fire successful result for everyone!!

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  8. I love your creative art projects. How sad is it that children can only do art projects in "Art Class?" I find it more and more difficult to do creative, artistic projects with my primary gifted students. There is so much push for math and literacy. It IS possible to teach both concepts effectively while still imbedding creativity training. I think I missed my calling by not being an art teacher. Bravo to you! Continue to feed the soul of your students!
    Julie- kochsage.blogspot.com

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  9. In response to Mrs Koch, we rarely have art teachers in our primary schools. New Zealand. Our school is an exception. Each class spends a day with me (Art teacher) every 5 weeks. I have noticed the majority of teachers at our school consider that to be enough art for their class. I believe it should be an integral part of class programmes, as well as specialist lessons.
    And Anne, I think this lesson is great. Thanks for sharing.

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  10. Thank you so much, Julie and Gretchen and of course I agree with you wholeheartedly! Even in a school where Visual Art is a specialist subject, I still feel it does not even receive the same value as music or phys ed. I think this is unfortunately just a continuation of the beliefs of our respective societies. Ever tried asking your students how many of them have ever been taken to an art gallery? Pretty disappointing.

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  11. Hi
    thanks for sharing great images and ideas for Aboriginal inspired artmaking. I will be using some in my classes in the next few weeks in inner city Sydney. Maggie Stein

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  12. You are absolutely dear. Art has no boundaries and it is for creative people. I am also interested in Aboriginal Art. Please do share some tips for me here as I am a new learner.

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