aboriginal dot animals

Several months ago I wrote about this lesson and about a month ago I did it with my 4-8th graders as part of their unit on Australian art. I now have some photos of 6th-8th grade samples.
I did a demo on making a snake, lizard or turtle shape using model magic. Students used a golf ball size of clay and choose their own animal. We let them dry over the weekend, then gave them a solid coat of acrylic craft paint, let dry overnight and then dot painted them with toothpicks. The results were very nice all around. I did ask students to dot in either a star, cross, horizontal, parallel or concentric circle pattern. This guideline helped produce a better finished project. Students were allowed to use any color of their choosing, however I have noticed this year they are starting to think about complementary and analogous color themes. Score one for me.



not sure why this keeps loading as a sideways image.

one of my advanced students

a "ridge back lizard" according to the 6th grade artist


darn you blogger! The "sister" turtles

done by one of my students with Auspburgers (sp) who really latched onto the Australian aboriginal symbology and did a lot of out of class research. I was very proud of him.

named "speedy" due to his racing stripes on his back.

Model magic made this a high success rate project. I've become a convert to the stuff. When working with the large number of 4th and 5th grade students model magic was a life saver. I no longer have to fire and glaze and fire the work. If a leg falls off you just glue it back on with Elmer's. Have a kid who is behind? Have them make it and paint it in just one sitting. At first I thought it was pricey, but when I figure in the cost of glaze and electricity for firing I think it works out to cost about the same as traditional clay projects. At least for smaller projects that is.