2 class periods of 45 minutes each
Small Groups
Thinking & Reasoning
The student will identify, sketch, draw and paint with watercolor, rock art designs that exhibit patterns. The student will create a border utilizing the pattern on their art portfolio cover or drawing notebook cover.
Teachers will explain the purpose for the lesson is to identify patterns in rock art and the students will sketch patterns they identify from the Sacred Images exhibit or from books. Define the word patterns as, the repetition of lines, dots and shapes in a regular or sequenced manner. The teacher will read aloud a book titled Celebrations by Byrd Baylor prior to the lesson.
Students will know that patterns exist in rock art and all aspects of life. The student will identify a simple pattern, that may be a geometric in shape. The students will understand that the Sacred Images exhibit has rock art designs that repeat and may be used to paint a design on watercolor paper called black- on- white.
The student will learn how to identify, sketch, draw and paint rock art designs on watercolor paper. The watercolor technique is called black on white, similar to pottery making techniques. The student will select a few designs from the exhibit and construct a repeating pattern, which will be sketched and painted on a watercolor front cover for an art portfolio.
The student and teacher may experiment with different colors of washes for background. Washes are watered down colors that is spread on with a large brush. The effect of the wash will be seen clearly while the design will be painted with black watercolor paint. Experiment with colors.
Appleton, LeRoy H., American Indian Design & Decoration 1971.
Patterson, Alex A Field Guide to Rock Art Symbols of the Greater Southwest 1992
Smith-Sides, Dorothy Decorative Art of the Southwestern Indians 1961