Primary Color Tiki Tiki Masks

The longer I teach the more interested I become in the process of mask making. Each group of students has a different view of what the purpose of a mask can be. Halloween is always a really good reason for masks, but by the time they reach 5th grade they can give me some more well thought out answers for example "Expressing one's emotions" or "Hiding identities". 

African masks are a very popular subject matter, but I wanted to try to vary up the style a bit. This project studied Polynesian/Hawaiian style Tiki Masks. 

Rage Tiki.

Primary Tiki Tiki Masks - 3 forty minute sessions

In our study, we viewed visuals of tiki sculptures and discussed a variety of Tiki gods. We identified the way the artists would exaggerate certain features of faces. (Be aware when cruising online images, there are some inappropriate ones)

I posted some visuals with a variety of facial features on the board for inspiration and from there the students started.

Day 1: I gave each student a sheet of 11 x 14" posterboard (although you can use any other material you prefer) and a pencil. Students were first asked to shape the top, bottom, and sides of their mask. They could round it or keep the edges straight.  Then cut out the shape you have drawn.

  

Then students had the task of designing eyes, nose, mouth, and design details. Having visual examples to look at were very helpful. We noted that many of the tiki featured large open mouths with teeth.

Face details

This was a stopping point for us. After design was complete with pencil, we saved for the next session. 

Day 2:  I set out liquid tempera paint for the second session. Students were given the three primary colors RED, YELLOW, and BLUE.  They were also given white and black. I emphasized with students the importance of painting the lightest colors first then ending with the darkest as to keep the colors as pure as possible. Black was for fine detail and outlining work. 

When these were dry, I got out my crafty Xacto knife and cut out the numerous eye holes that called for removal. If students left a gap between the teeth of the jaw lines I removed that too. 

Day 3: This day is optional if you feel like the second day gave the masks a level of completeness. I decided to give students one more day to collage scrap paper elements for a more refined work. I gave them paper left over from matisse collages. I emphasized the importance of SYMMETRY at this point and requested they keep that in mind when adding their paper elements. 

I created this art work by cutting out cardboard and painting.

'Lil Tiki.

If students finished early, I let them create a Tiki Sculpture using a toilet paper tube and a 4 x 6" piece of white paper. Some of them turned out quite funny! Keep an eye out for a post on t.p. tube sculptures. 

 

A few pointers on this project: 

1. I'm not sure what it is about black paint, but they will go OVERBOARD with it. I give them specific instructions that it is a detail color and give them an especially tiny brush for painting with. Paint black last... it will alter all the other colors otherwise.

2. I don't think the white paint was necessary for us. Our poster board was already white so I think the paint really gave them more grief than helped. 

3. I wanted to emphasize primary colors on this project, however this could be much more colorful. This could be a value study with shades and tints of browns much like the carved tiki sculptures. Lots of options here.

Color-full Bird Masks

I've found Artsonia to be my new favorite go-to site when at work. It has a plethora of ideas right at your finger tips. I started using it for inspiration then eventually began our own school gallery. It has been a real treat to utilize a more worldly venue that allows family from any corner of the globe to view a child's art work. This particular project was inspired from a mask I saw on Artsonia.

Symbol Masks with Symmetry!

My fifth graders just wrapped up a fun project utilizing symmetry. This project came to me through another intermediate art teacher in my school system.  We intitially discussed symmetry (which they truly are experts on) and the purposes behind a mask.

We started off by folding a 4 1/2 x 6 inch piece of light brown construction paper in half length-wise. We then drew a simple "half face" for a mask on one side of the folded paper. I emphasized exaggerating features.  Add details like jewelry, hair, and designs to the face.

Students then traced over the design with black crayon (pressing hard). We then opened the paper and folded it closed so that the image was within the fold.

Students then rubbed with tools (such as tongue depressors, etc) to transfer the black crayon to the other side of the brown paper.

When opened they could see a light black line of the other side of their design. This transferring to the other side made their picture more symmetrical.  Students then colored the other side of the face so it would be outlined as darkly as the first. This intro took the entire first week class.

The second week students colored their designs with construction paper crayons (Oh how I love those crayons!). The one rule was that they needed to maintain symmetry from left to right. I also emphasized using "wild" and exciting colors.

On the third week of this project, students completed the coloring of the mask faces using construction crayons. Then they glued their brown paper to a piece of 9 x 12" black construction paper for a frame. I gave each table of students a hand-out of West African symbols that I found. Students could use one symbol or multiple depending on  how they wanted their mask to be represented. Students drew their symbols on scrap squares of colored construction paper with our awesome crayons! Symbols were glued around the black frame.  Some students needed to carry on to a third week.

This last mask is one done by a student a couple of years ago. These symbols were drawn with brown marker instead of crayon which can be just as effective.

This project took three forty minute classes. Love the results! Hardest part is transferring the image from one side of the brown construction to the other side. Other than that the rest is a breeze!