Art with Mrs Baker: 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.