African Designs

Anna Esteban, Llicència d'estudis a St Helens, 2005-06

Design their own African pattern
To investigate colour, shape and texture in textile material and create interesting surface textures.
Children will investigate patterns from different times in Africa.

White Fabric
Thin paper card for design
Permanent black markers, thin and thick
Pencil colours
Oil pastels
Scissors and glue
Spray for fabrics

Compare the shapes and patterns in designs from different African times and Culture. Notice when patterns are made of simple shapes and when they are based on animals, plants, forms or other objects. Remind the children that pattern is made when a shape is repeated many times.

Show a map of the world and ask the children to situate Africa, His shape, extension. What do they know about Africa?.
Try to situate some countries in the map. Then give a piece of paper with the map of Africa and stick it in front of the card given to work the project.

Warm colours because they can be associated wit the colours of Africa. Experiment with oil pastels, how can be they blended, using 2 warm colours blend them overlapping, they are soft, smooth and easily mixed.

To write about the final work. The process followed, the materials needed.

1 - Give the students the paper card, 40 cm · 60 cm folded like a booklet, the African map and information about Africa. Glue both papers in the card. Spend some time reading and answering the questions. Every time they read or listen about a country they have to find it in the map and colour it.

2 - Give the students the pack of Handout of African Designs and with a black marker, children have to experiment drawings. Use another folded part of the card paper. Give them about 15 minutes.

3 - In a double paper card page 40 cm · 40 cm, they have to make a nice and big design. They have to think the hole shape and build a composition. Try not to design too small. They don't need to copy but be inspired. Afterwards revise what they have done, if they have been creative, if they have used lots of details.
Look if their design is right in paper and leave it for a moment.

4 - Then, they are given a box of oil pastels to experiment blending. Remind them to use warm colours, red and orange, red and yellow...Paint solid with a colour and overlap the other. Once students have practise in paper they colour in a small piece of white fabric with one of the previous designs.

5 - They use now the 40·40 cm piece of fabric and put on top of their design. With a black oil pastel trace carefully part of the design . Use the blending technique. It is important to to leave some areas left. For small details they use permanent marker.

Finally, use a fabric spray for the designs. You will need to choose the appropriate colour for them.

Design any other culture.
Design using cool colours.
Use wax crayons, fabric paint.

Fabric
Pattern
Warm colours

- Encourage students to use the vocabulary they learn.
- Which shapes are symmetrical?
- Which pattern are repeated?
- Which patterns use reflection?

Ask the children how the work can be displayed.

Sessions	Two or three
Focus	Design their own African pattern To investigate colour, shape and texture in textile material and create interesting surface textures. Children will investigate patterns from different times in Africa.
Material	White Fabric Thin paper card for design Permanent black markers, thin and thick Pencil colours Oil pastels Scissors and glue Spray for fabrics
Resources	Handout of African Designs. Map of Africa, St Peter and ST Paul Student's work	*Books: "African Designs", By Rebecca Jewell,* British Museum Pattern Books
Talk about	Compare the shapes and patterns in designs from different African times and Culture. Notice when patterns are made of simple shapes and when they are based on animals, plants, forms or other objects. Remind the children that pattern is made when a shape is repeated many times. Show a map of the world and ask the children to situate Africa, His shape, extension. What do they know about Africa?. Try to situate some countries in the map. Then give a piece of paper with the map of Africa and stick it in front of the card given to work the project. Warm colours because they can be associated wit the colours of Africa. Experiment with oil pastels, how can be they blended, using 2 warm colours blend them overlapping, they are soft, smooth and easily mixed.
Sketchbook	To write about the final work. The process followed, the materials needed.
Doing	1 - Give the students the paper card, 40 cm · 60 cm folded like a booklet, the African map and information about Africa. Glue both papers in the card. Spend some time reading and answering the questions. Every time they read or listen about a country they have to find it in the map and colour it. 2 - Give the students the pack of Handout of African Designs and with a black marker, children have to experiment drawings. Use another folded part of the card paper. Give them about 15 minutes. 3 - In a double paper card page 40 cm · 40 cm, they have to make a nice and big design. They have to think the hole shape and build a composition. Try not to design too small. They don't need to copy but be inspired. Afterwards revise what they have done, if they have been creative, if they have used lots of details. Look if their design is right in paper and leave it for a moment. 4 - Then, they are given a box of oil pastels to experiment blending. Remind them to use warm colours, red and orange, red and yellow...Paint solid with a colour and overlap the other. Once students have practise in paper they colour in a small piece of white fabric with one of the previous designs. 5 - They use now the 40·40 cm piece of fabric and put on top of their design. With a black oil pastel trace carefully part of the design . Use the blending technique. It is important to to leave some areas left. For small details they use permanent marker. Finally, use a fabric spray for the designs. You will need to choose the appropriate colour for them.
Developing the idea	Design any other culture. Design using cool colours. Use wax crayons, fabric paint.
Vocabulary and language	Fabric Pattern Warm colours	Composition: arrangement of shapes, colours lines. Drawing skills: outline, mark making Visual and tactile elements: geometric shapes, space, symmetry, identical, rotate, pattern, repeat, motif. African Designs: tribe, blankets, pottery, ceramic, function, meaning.
Assessment	- Encourage students to use the vocabulary they learn. - Which shapes are symmetrical? - Which pattern are repeated? - Which patterns use reflection? Ask the children how the work can be displayed.