This lesson can teach skills in using a compass, ruler
and X-acto knife. I can see students combining maybe
three related wallpaper prints (showing contrast of
values -- large print combined with small print) with
newspaper copy, solid color papers, wrapping papers -
and accent with gold paint markers. If anyone does a
lesson like this - please share with Incredible Art
Department.
I have used wallpaper books for collagraph prints
(textures papers), as backgrounds for our Renaissance
inspired paintings, for the heroes triptychs, in
Japanese inspired collage (for backgrounds and
kimonos), in Picasso self portraits. I have also used
wallpaper samples as surface for relief printing - we
got some interesting results. Another idea did with
elementary was to make beads for our Zuni Indian
necklaces (long triangles rolled up).
You might also tie in Chinese costume (compare and
contrast) and have students design a collage inspired
by either culture. If anyone does a kimono lesson, I
would like to put it on Incredible Art Department.
Ideas that have been shared so far include Quilt
designs and "Lost and found" paintings by Maggie
Tucker:
>> I've also had kids use wallpaper as a sort of
lost-and-found surface for painting. Gesso most of
the surface of the wallpaper sample, thinning
it out in spots so you can see the original design.
Paint on the gesso surface, again incorporating
design.
Maggie has also given students 2" squares that they
had to use to develop a composition. For example - A
flower became the tail of a squirrel.
