Collage

Kindergarten, Grade 1 and Grade 2

Discover the vibrant works of Australian artist Laura Blythmann. Her joyful works are a wonderful way to explore colour in a free and experimental way. Kids can choose their colour palette, learn about colour mixing and try out techniques to create their collage papers using a variety of materials. An opportunity to explore fluoro colours as well, if that’s your vibe. Make a layered hill collage by cutting and pasting shapes onto a painted background.

Tissue paper hearts with two ideas to explore! These lesson plans are adaptive so can suit a wide range of student abilities. Use contact (sticky book covering) and attach squares of torn tissue paper to make a tissue paper heart. Discuss colour with a range of red and pinks. Display these in the window so the light shines through! In the second project we roll small balls of tissue paper and glue to a paper heart. A great way to use the same materials and colours with a different outcome.

Grade 3 and Grade 4

In year 3-4 we look at two Australian artists; Anna Blatmann and Pete Cromer. Explore the gorgeous colourful works of Melbourne Artist Anna Blatmnn and create a sweet bird collage using colour and pattern to create our own bird artwork. Use the bird template provided or create your own bird shapes to make fun characters and a little story between the birds. Learn about warm and cool colours to create contrast and interest in the composition.

Pete Cromer is a much loved Australian Artist who creates animals from painted paper collage. The Stag Beetle is found in many differeent countries around the world but none is as spectacular as the Australian Rainbow Stag Beetle. Its beautiful iridescent shell, (or exoskeleton) is an array or wonderful colours. We create painted papers and learn about highlights and shadow as the composition develpps. Tie this lesson plan in with science to explore insects and the 3 body parts, head, thorax and abdomen.

Grade 5 and Grade 6

Our collage projects for years 5 and 6 are  multi-week projects with a total of 7 hours of art to make. They both begin with painted paper. We love painted paper projects because it allows kids that are not great at detailed painting to get clean precise edges but cutting out the shapes they need and arranging the composition before gluing them done. Great for those kids that like control over the end product but also allowing for lots of experimentation.

The black swan is an iconic Australian bird. The lesson plan includes several birds to choose from and could easily be adapted to a bird that is local to where you are located. You could also change the lesson plan to create a dark background and white swans if preferred. The lesson focuses on colour and texture. Kids create a range of painted papers and then add texture with various found objects or print plates to match the bird they have chosen.

In the Village Collage project your students will become illustrators. They are given or choose a prompt from the list provided, or you can make your own. Then, they will create an illustration that shows all the details and more from the text. This is an opportunity to try out the role of illustrator and let their imaginations soar. There is plenty of opportunity for self expression as students can add any extra details they wish. The prompts provide a basic guide with lots of room to embellish.