Cultural Diversity
Shadow Puppet Doll
Suitable for:
Upper Primary and Lower Secondary levels
Materials:
Batik Wax Cold, Cotton Shirting, Food Dye, Pipe Cleaner, Pottery Plaster, Mould Shapes Faces, Paper Magiclay, Vipond Gloss Paint/Shimmer Glass Paint, Ocaldo Blocks, Artline 70 Marker Black, Sequins in a Jar Diamonds, Sequins Leaves, Creative Bead Box, Metallic Marker, Jewels, Felt, Popstick Propellers, Cover Paper, Supertac, Eyeball Stickers Large and Wooden Spills
How to Make a Shadow Puppet Doll:
1. Paint Cold Batik Wax on to a rectangle of Cotton Shirting in a pre-designed pattern. Set aside to dry.
2. Paint the fabric with Food Dye or inks and set aside to dry.
3. Place the fabric between two sheets of newspaper and iron with a hot iron. Keep replacing the newspaper as the wax is melted on to it until no wax remains on the fabric.
4. Pottery Plaster face: First put the required amount of water into a plastic bucket or icecream container. Then sprinkle the powder on to the surface of the water. DO NOT STIR YET. Keep adding powder until the “hill” which forms in the centre of the water ceases to sink under the surface. This is the correct proportion of water to plaster. Wait until this entire “hill” is dampened by the water seeping up. Stir the mixture carefully in such a way that air is not trapped. When the mixture is ready, lift the container and gently bang it down on to the bench or floor a few times to force any air bubbles upwards. It should now be ready to pour into the face mould.
5. Cleaning up is easy if the mixing and pouring has been carried out outside or surrounded by newspaper or plastic sheeting, which can be thrown away. Plastic containers can be cleaned by allowing the plaster to set hard. It falls out easily when the container is tapped vigorously.
6. WARNING: do not allow unset plaster to be washed down any drain; never allow children to wash their hands at the sink, an accumulation of plaster sediment will block drains very quickly. Allow children to wash their hands and tools in a plastic bucket. The sediment will settle and harden or gel, then the water may be poured off, and the plaster residue disposed of as solid waste.
7. When the face is dry and out of the mould, paint it and add details such as eyes and lips.
8. Model a decorative headdress and two hands with Paper Magiclay. Paint them and decorate the headdress with a gold marker, beads and jewels.
9. Paint 4 Popstick Propellers in a skin tone the same as the face and hands.
10. Glue the headdress on to the plaster head, and glue the head to a sheet of Cover Paper.
11. Glue the arms and hands in place.
12. Tie a Pipe Cleaner around the decorated fabric to create a waist and glue the fabric on to the paper, falling from the neck of the dancer.
13. Decorate a small rectangle of Felt with sequins and beads to create an apron and glue this on to the costume.
14. Display the dancing figure on Cover Paper in colours that complement the costume.
Note: The head may be made with Paper Magiclay modelled over half a Poly Ball or Plasticine pressed into a face mould.
Dreamer Step: Research
Search for traditional and modern Indonesian batik designs on the Internet or in books from the library. Use these to base your own design on. Will you use geometric patterns or abstract? What will your design depict? Will it tell a story?
© Copyright Zart Art 2009. Activity and teacher notes written and designed by Zart Education.
Key words: Art, craft, activity, activities, children, kids, school art activities, culture, cultural, year of rapprochement, textiles, 3D, construction, tradition
Related activities and links
Commonwealth Games Activity Flyer
LOTE and Cultural Activities
Celebrating 2010 the International Year for the Rapprochement of Cultures
China Activities
Islamic Design Activities
Jewish Activities
Mexican Activity
The Netherlands Activity
Russian Activity
Swedish Activity
Doll/People Making
Mask Making (see also Visual Performing Arts for more Masks)
