Great Ryrie Primary School

Puppets & Hands

CSF level: 3 (Grade 3/4)
Theme: Textile puppet making
Art elements: colour, shape, pattern, texture

Art form: 3D

Skills and techniques

• Planning and drafting puppet designs
  
• Time management skills
  
• Pinning and threading a needle
  
• Hand sewing
  
• Selecting and cutting fabrics
  
• Sewing on a button
  
• Patience!
  
• Creative decision making skills
  
• Applying finishing touches such as accessories
  
• Length of project - 5 x 1 hour art classes
  

Steps

• Students used a planning proforma to sketch two puppet designs and then made a decision which design they would use.
• They needed to consider where the button/s would be sewn on, the clothing or body covering required etc.
  
• Students chose a pre-cut felt puppet front and for the next couple of lessons they cut the fabric and hand sewed it on.
  
• Students were required to sew on a button so they did this before sewing the felt back onto their puppet.
  
• Students were then encouraged to ask themselves the question "What more can I add?"
  
• The final lesson was spent sewing and sticking on accessories and googly eyes etc.
  
• The students displayed their work around the school and at a local shopping center for others to enjoy.
  

Plaster Hands

CSF level: 4 (Grade 5/6)
Theme: 3D ART - Plaster hands
Art elements: colour, shape, line, pattern, texture

Art form: 3D

Skills and techniques

• Designing and planning
  
• Mixing and pouring plaster
  
• Painting
  
• Decorating
  
• Experimenting with a variety of media
  
• Presenting
  
• Length of project - 4 x 1 hour art classes
  

Steps

• Students thought about and then drew a series of drafts of what they wanted their 3d hand to look like.
  
• They chose either a large or regular size glove and mixed up the pottery plaster.
  
• The plaster was poured into the gloves and the students sat still holding them gently whilst the plaster started to harden.
  
• The gloves were then rested gently on their sides for a week to fully dry.
  
• The gloves were cut open and the gloves were left to dry a further 1-2 days
  
• The hands were painted with Chromacryl
  
• Students then looked back on their planning and began creating and developing upon their imaginative ideas and the results were so exciting!
  

Copyright 2004 Zart Art & Zart Education Service