Category Archives: Art Tutorials

Nov1

El Dia de los Muertos Banner Design

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El Dia de los Muertos Banner Design
El Dia de los Muertos Banner

El Dia de los Muertos Banner

 

Materials:

Felt in various colors

Puffy paint in bright and metallic colors

Pencil/eraser

Scissors

Glitter glue (optional)

Hole punch

Paper in various colors (optional)

Scraps of material (optional)

Decorative gems (optional)

String

Cardboard

White glue

 

Project:              

  1. Select a piece of felt for the background of the banner. Place the design vertically or horizontally.
  2. Using different colors of the felt and using the letter stencils, trace and cut three Es; one A; two L; one D; one I; two O; two S; one T; one U; and one R.
  3. Arrange the letters on the felt background. Glue. Allow to dry.
  4. Some objects associated with the Day of the Dead are skeletons, marigolds and skulls. Draw and cut flowers, skulls and skeletons out of the remaining felt or use paper or another material. Glue and let dry.
  5. Add sequins, glitter, beads, etc. to the overall design or add a starburst, the sun or other symbols appropriate for the holiday. Let dry.
  6. Punch holes in the top corners of the felt. Pass a piece of string longer than the length of the banner through one hole, tie a knot and then pass it through the second hole. Glue a strip of cardboard that fits between the holes and glue it to the back of the banner at the top. Let dry and hang up. Celebrate El Dia de los Muertos!
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Oct30

Tales of the Chinese Zodiac: The Year of the Sheep

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Tales of the Chinese Zodiac: The Year of the Sheep
Characters from the Year of the Sheep

Characters from the Year of the Sheep

THE YEAR OF THE SHEEP

Chin, Oliver. The Year of the Sheep, Tales of the Chinese Zodiac. San Francisco, CA: Immedium, 2015.

When Sydney the lamb was born, the entire flock came to see her. The shepherd’s daughter, Zhi and her dog, Dao, came, too.

Even though Zhi was the flock’s shepherd, Zhi and Sydney became close friends. Zhi even helped Sydney out of some hairy predicaments. Sydney was curious about the world around her and couldn’t help it but she did like grazing in the meadow with the rest of the flock.

One day, a great storm prevented them from going outside. The storm lasted for many days.

When the storm finally ended, it had destroyed much of the land including the pasture where the flock grazed. The sheep tried to eat dry shoots but the dried grass tasted awful.

As usual, Sydney strayed from the rest of the flock. Zhi found her talking to a rat and surveying the dried up river. They followed it upstream. Boulders and branches were blocking the flow of the water by the dam.

Sydney told Zhi about the river and together they devised a plan. Enlisting the help of all the animals of the surrounding countryside, Zhi and Sydney placed a log in a strategic spot in the dam. The animals stood on the log and hopped and hopped until pebbles and then rocks popped out. After more hopping and hopping a boulder finally gave way and the water rushed out of the dam, filling the river.

Zhi, Sydney and the other animals saved the day and the pastures, meadows and gardens were once more lush with vegetation.

Shadow Puppets:

Sydney, the sheep

Zhi, a girl

barnyard animals

Act out The Year of the Sheep for friends and family. What other predicaments can

Sydney and Zhi get into?

Shadow Theatre

Shadow Theater made of recycled materials

 

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Oct16

Tales of the Chinese Zodiac: The Year of the Ox

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Tales of the Chinese Zodiac: The Year of the Ox
Characters from the Year of the Ox

Characters from the Year of the Ox

The Year of the Ox

Chin, Oliver. The Year of the Ox, Tales of the Chinese Zodiac. San Francisco, CA: Immedium, 2008.

Mama and Papa Ox named their newborn baby, Olivia, and introduced her to all their friends. The farmer’s daughter, Mei, came to see her, too. Mei declared that Olivia was her best friend and adopted sister. After that, Olivia and Mei played together every day.

One day, Mama and Papa Ox decided that Olivia had to learn to do chores and not just play all day long. They showed her the shed where they worked. Olivia was anxious to help with the daily farm chores but she was still too young and too small to do most of them. She messed up at everything she tried to do.

She even messed up when she tried to help at the farmer’s market.

On another day, Mei, her parents, and Mama and Papa Ox, went to work and left Olivia behind. Olivia moped about until she heard a noise outside. The dam had burst and the farm land was quickly flooding, frightening everyone on the farm and in the village.

Olivia searched for Mei and found her hanging from a tree branch. Olivia rescued Mei and the other animals swept away by the rising water. But Mei and Olivia noticed that the bank had begun to buckle. Neither Mei nor Olivia nor the other animals knew what to do.

Then Olivia had an idea. Olivia placed her shoulder against the dike while Mei went to get help. A crack appeared as Olivia waited. She became frantic but she did only what she could do: plug it up with her tail. Olivia pushed against the wall with all her might.

Eventually, Mei, Mei’s family and Mama and Papa Ox arrived with help. The waters receded and Olivia was able to take a breather.

Everyone exclaimed that Olivia and Mei were “the bravest girls in the world.”

Shadow puppets:

Olivia, the ox

Mama Ox

Papa Ox

Mei, a farmer’s daughter

Act out The Year of the Ox for family and friends.

Shadow Theatre

Shadow Theater made of recycled materials

 

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Oct10

Tales of the Chinese Zodiac: The Year of the Snake

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Tales of the Chinese Zodiac: The Year of the Snake
Characters from the Year of the Snake

Characters from the Year of the Snake

THE YEAR OF THE SNAKE

Chin, Oliver. The Year of the Snake, Tales of the Chinese Zodiac. San Francisco, CA: Immedium, Inc, 2013

Suzie, the baby snake, was born to her parents after they awoke from their winter’s nap.

Suzie wanted to fly like the dragons did but her father warned her to stay on the ground.

One day, she was outside exploring her surroundings and met a little girl named Lily. They shared a snack and became friends.

Suzie helped Lily with her chores because she was long and flexible like all snakes. Although Lily’s grandparents didn’t like Suzie at first, they changed their minds when they saw how helpful she was to Lily.

One day, various people in the neighborhood spotted a wild tiger and everyone ran for their lives. But Suzie and Lily confronted the tiger and found out that it was running away from a fire-breathing dragon.

Suddenly, the dragon circled overhead leaving behind a trail of fire and smoke as far as the eye could see.

Suzie’s parents taught her how to shed her skin and she did so now. This enabled her to climb up a tree. She slithered out on a tree limb and waited.

The dragon glided to earth and noticed the snake-skin. Suzie jumped down from the tree and wrapped herself around the dragon’s snout. She stopped the dragon’s fire and the dragon relaxed.

The dragon thanked Suzie for helping her. The dragon wasn’t trying to set anything on fire. She just had an uncontrollable case of the hiccups.

Everyone admired Suzie’s bravery and Lily and Suzie remained friends forever!

Shadow Puppets:

Suzie the snake

Suzie’s parents

tiger

Lily,a girl

dragon

Act out The Year of the Snake but think of other animals Suzie and Lily can face during their long walks and use them in your shadow play!

Shadow Theatre

Shadow Theater made of recycled materials

 

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Oct3

Tales of the Chinese Zodiac: The Year of the Tiger

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Tales of the Chinese Zodiac: The Year of the Tiger
The Year of the Tiger

The Year of the Tiger

THE YEAR OF THE TIGER

Chin, Oliver. The Year of the Tiger, Tales from the Chinese Zodiac. San Francisco, CA: Immedium, 2010.

In the mighty jungle, Teddy the tiger was born to the King and Queen.

Teddy loved to play in the forest but his parents warned him to stay away from dangerous animals called humans. This order only roused Teddy’s curiosity. He found out that humans lived on the edge of the forest so he set out to see them for himself.

He walked for a while until he spotted a town. A girl spotted him and screamed, “Tiger!” Heeding the warning, Teddy scampered back to the jungle.

Curious about the girl, Su, Teddy returned to the town the next day. He noticed a barn and looked inside. Su was feeding the sheep and the pig. With a toothy grin, Teddy shouted, “Good morning!” and scared all the barnyard animals.

Su gave him a bowl of mild and introduced herself.  Scared, Teddy ran way but Su’s mama saw Teddy. She warned all the neighbors that a tiger was roaming the village. This situation caused all the other tigers in the jungle to find a new home.

Teddy decided to see Su one last time and say goodbye before his family moved away. Her dog’s barking warned Su’s parents that a tiger was on their farm and they chased him into the jungle. This time, though, Su followed him and they explored the jungle together.

Both Su and Teddy’s whereabouts were unknown to their parents. The King and Queen and Su’s mother and father were looking for them at the same time.

As Su walked through the jungle she accidentally stepped on a snake, slipped and fell over a ledge. Teddy leaped forward, roaring. Teddy’s claws clutched the dangling branches of a tree while his teeth held on to Su. Su hung on to his tail as he pulled her up and climbed up over the ledge.

Teddy’s act of courage brought the two families together in a long-lasting friendship.

Shadow Puppets:

Teddy, the tiger

Teddy’s parents,the King and Queen

Su, a girl

Su’s parents

sheep

pig

snake

Act out The Year of the Tiger for your friends and family!

Shadow Theatre

Shadow Theater made of recycled materials

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Sep25

Tales of the Chinese Zodiac: The Year of the Rabbit

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Tales of the Chinese Zodiac: The Year of the Rabbit

THE YEAR OF THE RABBIT

Chin, Oliver. The Year of the Rabbit, Tales of the Chinese Zodiac. San Francisco, CA: Immedium, 2011.

Rosie was born to Mama and Papa Rabbit. Rosie had soft, hazel-colored fur and long ears. She could hear everything with them.

Rosie came from a large family. She loved to play in the grassy meadow with her siblings and cousins.

One day, they discovered a large vegetable garden tended by a woman and a child, PoPo and Jai. The rabbits dug a hole under the gate that surrounded the garden, burrowing until they reached vegetables

PoPo and Jai spotted them and chased after them. The others got away but Rosie’s ears got stuck under the gate. PoPo caught Rosie but Jai persuaded her to let him keep Rosie as a pet.

Jai filled a bed of hay in a wooden hutch in the barn and gave her lettuce to eat. Curious neighbors came to see Rosie the next day to meet her and see if the tales about rabbits were really true.

Rosie enjoyed her new friends but missed her family.

One night, Rosie’s parents came to rescue her. Papa unlocked the gate but Jai heard the commotion. He and his dog ran after Rosie, startling a tiger sleeping in the bushes.

The dog ran away when he saw the tiger chasing Jai into the woods. Rosie raced through the tunnel that led to her house and out into the forest.

Just as the tiger was about to pounce on Jai, Rosie popped out of a hole and pulled the tiger by the tail. She grabbed Jai and they ran until they found a large log to hide behind.

The tiger looked and looked for them until it spotted a pair of ears sticking up behind a log. It grabbed the ears with its claws but the ears didn’t belong to a rabbit. The ears belonged to a dragon!

The dragon didn’t like its ears being pulled and chased after the tiger with his fire-breathing tongue for mile and miles!

Rosie and Jai and their families breathed easier. From then on, Jai and Rosie became best friends.

Shadow Puppets:

Rosie, the rabbit

Jai, a boy

dog

Mamma Rabbit

Pappa Rabbit

PoPo, a woman

tiger

dragon

Act out the Year of the Rabbit for your friends and family. What animals other than a dragon and a tiger can Rosie and Jai run away from?

Shadow Theatre

Shadow Theater made of recycled materials

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Sep18

Tales from the Chinese Zodiac: The Year of the Horse

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Tales from the Chinese Zodiac: The Year of the Horse

THE YEAR OF THE HORSE

Chin, Oliver. The Year of the Horse, Tales from the Chinese Zodiac. San Francisco, CA: Immedium, 2014.

Hannah, a foal, comes from a family of accomplished horses. Her mother is a show horse. Her father is a race horse. Uncle Fu is a draft horse who pulls large heavy loads and Auntie Yee is an old mare who plays with children.

Everyone wanted to see Hannah when she was born.  Tom and Lao Shi, his teacher, were painting nearby the stables and strolled over to see the new foal.

From then on, Tom and Hannah became friends.

One day, Lao Shi received a message from the Governor asking her to paint a picture for him. She realized that she was too old to travel to the capital with it.

No other animal in the village was able to take it for her. Tom got the idea that he and Hannah would deliver the painting.

Little did they foresee the adventures that lay ahead of the on the road to the capital! And they had no idea the surprise the painting held until they delivered it to the Governor!

Shadow Puppets:

Hannah, a foal

Hannah’s mother

Hannah’s father

Uncle Fu

Auntie Yee

Lao Shi, an artist and teacher

Tom, a boy and Lao Shi’s pupil

Governor

Act out The Year of the Horse. What other adventures can Hannah and Tom experience on their way to the Governor’s mansion?

Shadow Theatre

Shadow Theater made of recycled materials

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Sep10

Tales from the Chinese Zodiac: The Year of the Dragon

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Tales from the Chinese Zodiac: The Year of the Dragon
Characters from the Year of the Dragon

Characters from the Year of the Dragon

YEAR OF THE DRAGON

Chin, Oliver. The Year of the Dragon, Tales of the Chinese Zodiac. San Francisco, CA: Immedium, 2012

In a mountainous cave, two dragons tended their first egg. Slowly, it began to crack until a baby dragon emerged. The parents named him Dominic and introduced him to the Emperor and the Empress and their court.

“Remember,” they told him, “dragons are special.”

Dragons could do things others couldn’t: play ping-pong, pick oranges and roast marshmallows.

One day, Bo invited Dominic to his swimming party. Across the river, a team of villagers were practicing for the big boat race. No one wanted to teach Dom, Bo and their friends how to row but the kind Emperor lent them his spare canoe.

The friends tipped it over on their first try. Everyone along the river watched and laughed at them.  Undaunted, Dom had an idea.

Dom turned himself into a dragon boat and the friends practiced diligently.

Finally, the day of the festival arrived. Dom and his friends were ready for the race. Dom made himself straighter than an arrow, making them faster than all the other boats except the Imperial boat. One last push and Dom and his friends surged through the Dragon Gate.

The race was close. Who won? The judges decided that Dom and his friends won by a nose!

Shadow Theatre

Shadow Theater made of recycled materials

Shadow Puppets:

Emperor

Empress

Dominic the dragon

Bo, a boy

friends

judges

Act out The Year of the Dragon. What other races can Dom, Bo and their friends compete and win? Do they prove that dragons are really special?

 

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Sep6

Tales of the Chinese Zodiac: The Year of the Rooster

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Tales of the Chinese Zodiac: The Year of the Rooster
Characters from the Year of the Rooster

Characters from the Year of the Rooster

THE YEAR OF THE ROOSTER

Kimmel, Eric A. The Rooster’s Antlers, A Story of the Chinese Zodiac. NY: Holiday House, 1999.

A long time ago, the Jade Emperor decided to measure time and name each of the 12 years of the Chinese Zodiac after an animal.

He would choose only the wisest, bravest, swiftest and most beautiful animals.

All the animals hoped they would be picked especially Rooster with his bright red comb, multi-colored feathers and coral antlers.

Dragon, however, wasn’t sure if he would be picked because of his baldness. Centipede cut a deal with dragon. He offered to get Rooster’s antlers so Dragon would be picked but Dragon had to promise to give him many legs and powerful jaws. Dragon agreed, grateful that he wouldn’t have to defend Centipede like he used to do.

Centipede gave Rooster a sob story about Dragon’s baldness and asked to borrow Rooster’s antlers. When Dragon finished with them, he would return them. Dragon, Centipede assured Rooster, just wanted the Emperor chose him as one of the 12 animals of the zodiac.

When Centipede brought the antlers to Dragon, Dragon strutted and in front of his mirror. He also carried out his promise to Centipede and gave him lots of legs and powerful jaws.

Jade Emperor summoned all the animals together and announced his choices to represent the Twelve Earthly Branches.  The Emperor placed the Dragon 5th on his list and placed the Rooster 10th. Rooster was crushed.

Rooster demanded his antlers back but Dragon refused, laughing at him. Next, Rooster got into a fight with Centipede. Centipede thought his new jaws and legs would defeat Rooster but he was no match for Rooster’s beak and ability to fly. Centipede crawled under a rock in fear that Rooster would hurt him.

From that day on, roosters have hated centipedes and pounce on them and eat them. Rooster continued to pine for his coral antlers, sitting on a fence, flapping his wings and crowing loudly, “Ku-ker-keru! Dragon, give me back my antlers!”

Shadow Theatre

Shadow Theater made of recycled materials

Shadow Puppets:

The Jade Emperor

Dragon

Rooster

Centipede

Act out The Year of the Rooster. What would happen if Dragon had returned the antlers to Rooster? The tale would have ended differently! Act out a different version of the story.

 

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Aug29

Make a Shadow Puppet Theater and Shadow Puppets

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Make a Shadow Puppet Theater and Shadow Puppets
SHADOW THEATRE

SHADOW THEATER

MATERIALS FOR THE THEATER:

(1) Large cereal box 13 ½” x 7 ½”

Scissors

Box cutters

Masking tape or packaging tape

White glue or double-stick tape

Colored papers, i.e. construction paper, scrap booking papers, or material like craft foam or felt

Tracing paper or translucent papers

Small lamp

PROJECT:

  1. Measure the large cereal box and cut out the back. Tape down the sides of the box.
  2. Cut out a window in the front leaving 2” width wise and 1” lengthwise.  Discard   cardboard scraps or save them to use for another time.
  3. Select papers or felt or craft foam to cover the front and sides of the stage. Be colorful. The top, bottom, sides and the front of the stage do not have to match. Contrast colors and/or patterns.
  4. Measure the sides, top and bottom of the stage. Measure the front of the stage around the cut out window.  An easy way to measure the front is to turn it over, lay it on a sheet of paper and trace around the outside of the box and around the cut out. Cut the papers and glue them down.
  5. Measure the width and length of the window. Select either tracing paper or translucent paper and measure and cut it a slightly bigger than the window. Glue behind the stage so the ends of the paper won’t show.
  6. Test the lamp: does it work? The lamp will illuminate the puppets from behind.
  7. Add more embellishments such as columns or curtains.
  8. The Shadow Puppet Theater is (almost) ready to go!

BASIC APPROACH TO THE PROJECT OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS: MAKE SHADOW PUPPETS BASED ON STORIES OF THE CHINESE ZODIAC

The next step is to read the synopsis of the zodiac tale and make the shadow puppets. There are twelve stories, twelve animals and other characters that illustrate the stories of the Chinese Zodiac.

When looking for information on how to draw animals and people, select free downloads on the web. I have listed a handful of sites (below) but there are more. Be sure that the clip art is free!!

www.dragoart.com

www.wikihow.com

http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/

MATERIALS:

White glue

Popsicle sticks

Dark paper

Scissors

Free clip art websites

PROJECT:

  1. Using free downloadable clip art, look up easy to follow instruction for tracing and cutting out the animals.
  2. Glue to a Popsicle stick and recreate the stories for friends and family. Charge a small fee and open the plays to the neighborhood.
  3. As a challenge, rewrite the endings to the stories or add or drop minor characters to make the stories unique!
  4. Act out the stories for friends and family!

 

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