Tim Burton Works

Term: 1 Year: 2013

Billanook Colleges’ senior primary students produced a mixed media diorama, based on the work of artist and film director, Tim Burton. Students focused on the artistic features that are typical of Burton’s style, exploring the visual features of his quirky characters and their strange worlds. 

The aim of this project was to provide students with the opportunity to experience the creative process involved in both character and scenery development, with an emphasis on the analysis of the physical features which make Burton’s characters look disturbing, a little insane and yet somewhat loveable.

Students explored the many influences that inspired Tim Burton.  Students learnt that the story of ‘Frankenstein’ intrigued Burton and this combination of human and non-human features played a key role in the development of the student’s character designs.

The process of producing the diorama began with character sketches, which were refined and photocopied on to transparency sheets, which were then painted. Students investigated features of Burton’s scenery and went on to create paper collages for their backgrounds. The art work was arranged in an A4 box lid and framed with black mounts.

This display forms a small part of a large Billanook College senior primary exhibition of fifty-five dioramas in total.

Angela Mitchell
Visual Art Teacher
Billanook College
Suitable for level 4