Paper Mache Egyptian Sarcophaguses and Cartouches

Lesson Background:

With Covid-19 upon us, I am now at home teaching my own children as well as online teaching my class.  My son became interested in Ancient Egypt after reading a home reader about mummies, so we decided to make some Ancient Egyptian art.

Lesson Materials:

Gold acrylic paint
Red, blue, green, yellow, brown and black acrylic paint
Paintbrushes
Tissue paper
PVA glue mixed with water (50-50 ratio)
Masking tape
Water pots
Thick card
Black sharpies/permanent markers
A hieroglyphics chart such as http://www.classic-play.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/hieroglyphs_symbols.jpg
A sarcophagus template such as: https://www.bing.com/images/search?https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgalQd5TYKXluvrO9QxlO3zCWS9roLePWbw9JKV5nfNbiAj97YFxsYcKn6pQbvACioIz6eE7wb8wrtSH9-c4iG3h0vDRap2wgzk1XME5KC697Rz5WbYj8agflqfWyOnklC5Jcsl2vy55sIE/s1600/coffin+template.jpg
A cartouche template such as https://d1uvxqwmcz8fl1.cloudfront.net/tes/resources/6055369/3715df9e-0ec8-4494-9865-e91916b692e8/image?width=500&height=500&version=1416127517000


Lesson Steps- Sarcophagus

1.  Trace the sarcophagus template onto the thick card, cut out and assemble with masking tape.
2.  Using a picture to help, draw a basic sarcophagus face onto the sarcophagus, and then build up a layer of scrunched up tissue paper and PVA mix until it looks 3D.  Put strips of tissue paper all over the coffin in a single layer.  Let it dry.
3.  Put masking tape over the whole sarcophagus in neat lines, pressing it down to keep the shapes of the raised 3D face and head dress.
4.  Paint all over with gold paint.  Dry.
5.  Using the black sharpie, draw on hieroglyphic decorations.  Paint with red, blue, green acrylic paint.
6.  Finally, use the black marker to outline everything and tidy it up!  Add more hieroglyphics witht he marker to the coffin if desired.

 Lesson Steps- Cartouche
1.  Trace the cartouche template onto thick card.
2.  Paint it gold.  Dry.
3.  Using a hieroglyphics name generator (heaps online!) or a hieroglyphics chart, draw/write your name on.
4.  Paint with the acrylic paints.
5.  When dry, outline the symbols with black sharpie and also make a black border around the cartouche.

Charlie (aged 6) made these with help from me to do most of the drawing

Annie (aged 4)  made these with help from me to do the drawing

Charlie drawing some basic hieroglyphics on the sides

Annie painting her sarcophagus

Oil Pastel Dragon Eyes

Senior IEC student artwork

Lesson Background:

During my lovely 2 hour block with the senior Introductory English Centre class each Wednesday, we complete an art activity usually related to something they are studying in class.  In term 1 they were learning about classic fairytales so we made these dragons.  There are loads of versions of these on art blogs and Pinterest, but I decided to go for an oil pastel version with a focus on using light and shadow.

Lesson Materials:

Pictures of dragon eyes off Google and samples of dragon eye artworks using different art media
Oil pastels
lead pencils
trimmed A3 white art paper

Lesson Steps:

1.  We looked at images of dragon eyes and artworks.  We talked about the shapes, colours and textures.
2.  The students followed along with a lead pencil, drawing as I did each part of the eye step-by-step.  I gave many opportunities for the students to make theirs unique by suggesting things like:  You may want to add some horns like this here, you may want to make these scales small like this or larger like this... You may want to change the shape of the pupil like this or this...
3.  Next I demonstrated how to fill the drawings in with oil pastel thickly and with no white gapes.  We then re-looked at the colour wheel and talked about how to use tints, shades and different colours to show light and shadow, and to create a more realistic dragon eye.

I wish I could show them all, but unfortunately only 2 were completed before coronavirus sent us all home and left the rest unfinished back at school!  Such a shame, as they were looking incredible!  

Here is the one other completed one:

Sandra Silbersweig portraits - Senior Primary

Lesson Background:
This year I get to spend one lovely morning per week doing art with the senior IEC (Introductory English Centre).  We started the year with these portraits based on some that I did a number of years ago with a Grade 1/2 class: http://mrsbakersartclass.blogspot.com/2012/02/silberzweig-inspired-portraits-in-oil.html

Lesson Materials:

A4 sheets of white art paper
Oil pastels
Lead pencils

Lesson Steps:
1)  We discussed Sandra Silberzweig's use of line, shape, colour and pattern.  Being an introductory English Centre class, we focused on names for basic colours and shapes.
2)  The students were given a trimmed A3 sheet of art paper and went back to their desks.  I then did a step-by-step guided drawing session, demonstrating how they could draw a Silberzweig-style face.  We drew two differently positioned faces on either side of our art paper (one portrait facing straight forwards and one leaning to the side).  As I modelled for the children, I tried to teach them drawing and spatial reasoning skills, such as asking them how far down the page the side of the face started, how far down the page it went, etc.
3)  The students chose their favourite/best drawing from the two we had created.
4)  I demonstrated how to press firmly with the oil pastels to achieve thick and vibrant colours.  
5)  The students then went back to their desks and coloured their faces.  Upon completion, they outlined all shapes and lines in their portrait with black oil pastel.

Here are some samples from students whose parents have given me permission to share: