Australian Aboriginal Art 1

Each unit has a range of fun projects including a representational artwork of hills using natural colours, brightly coloured artworks inspired by and including Indigenous symbology, an animal-track artwork using chalk pastel, artworks inspired by the dreamtime, and even an artwork using traditional weaving techniques to create a sculptural goanna from natural materials. All students from K-6 will have the opportunity to learn about Australian Indigenous symbology and culture, with included information sheets on each highlighted artist or cultural art practice.

Kindergarten, Grade 1 and Grade 2

Within the K-2 category, students draw inspiration from artist Rover Thomas to create a natural, ochre coloured artwork using symbols, pattern and shape to create a representation of hills. Students can be inspired by artist Jimmy Pike to create a brightly coloured, stunning artwork  that uses repetitive line in combination with indigenous symbols to convey an idea using oil pastel.

In another project, students will be inspired by artist Emily Kngwarreye and will create their own animal track artwork using chalk pastels. These lesson plans introduce the elements of space, repetition and line and explore flow and movement within a drawing, colour mixing with a range of materials, and the effects of different kinds of colour palettes on the viewer.

Grade 3 and Grade 4

Within the year 3-4 category students will be inspired by Indigenous dreamtime stories to create a fantastic, brightly coloured rainbow serpent using oil pastel and edicol dye. There is an artwork to create inspired by Rover Thomas using natural ochre colours, a representational artwork of the Barramundi dreaming.

Aboriginal artist, Makinti Napanangka will inpire to create a gestural abstract artwork using paint on paper. These lessons teach the elements of space, line and colour and demonstrate how to create different compositions, flow and movement in an artwork. Students explore colour palettes, including harmonious and contrasting colours and will get to experiment with colour mixing on canvas, colour blocking, and dotting techniques.

Grade 5 and Grade 6

Grade 5-6 students will find themselves inspired by Indigenous artist Emily Kame Kngwarreye and her renowned abstract artworks of the yam dreaming story. Students will use chalk pastels to create their own brightly coloured abstract work inspired by the lines of the yam dreaming. Students will learn how to use traditional weaving techniques to create a goanna sculpture from natural materials.

In this unit, students explore colour palettes, such as monotone, analogous and contrasting colour. Students will explore and experiment with the elements of line, colour, repetition and pattern. All students from K-6 will have the opportunity to learn about Australian Indigenous symbology and culture, with included information sheets on each featured artist or cultural art practice.