Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Noahs Ark



A whole school Primary project. This time a Catholic School with a specific request for 'Noah's Ark' to adorn the back hall wall. It was a big bare space, high up with the complication of pipes running down. My initial thought was MDF panels but they're heavy and involve a major install. Instead I opted for a 3x2 metre canvas (tab topped) which could be hung from a large wooden pole.


I went into Assembly to talk about the project. I had already decided that I would design the shape of the work but that the animals would be work-ups from the pupils drawings. I had prepped some work sheets. There were 20 different ones asking the kids to draw me their take of a specific animal and also an animal of their choice. That way I ensured enough variety.
The school gave over a lesson to this and I had the best response ever. There must have been 200+ completed worksheets!




MATERIALS The canvas came at 2mtrs wide so the only prep necessary was to hem raw edges, attach tabs and prime. I used household emulsion for this and acrylic paint for the artwork.


TECHNIQUE Again I chose to work up the school starting with the tinies sponging the background and whiting out & working up the years as the requirements became more complex.

I used a large camping groundsheet to protect the floor, dispensed paint in small amounts, sourced aprons and made foam squares for the kids to kneel on.

They LOVED working on the big canvas. We talked about things getting smaller and paler in the background. How to mix colours, best ways of holding a paintbrush...


We wondered at the size and shape of the ark and the problem of predation ...... but tried to focus on the beauty and wonder of the natural world.


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