| Aboriginal Dot Painting is a popular art lesson classic | | | | draft sketch. |
| suitable for learners of all ages as it features an | | | | 2. A short video of aboriginal dancing features at the |
| irresistible combination of music, art, culture and history. | | | | end of this lesson plan. |
| The beauty of this subject is that the lesson engages | | | | 3. Students speculate in groups on the meaning of |
| learners on a number of different levels - practical | | | | common symbols in aboriginal art as per 'Aboriginal |
| painting technique, cultural understanding, linking art with | | | | Symbols' worksheet pictured below. Which symbolize |
| music, dance and storytelling, and getting their fingers | | | | a kangaroo, a boomerang, a waterhole, footprints, and |
| nice & dirty in the process! | | | | the sun, rain, and moon? |
| AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINAL DOT PAINTING | | | | 4. At the end of the first session students annotate a |
| For beginners through to advanced level learners | | | | B/W copy of a real aboriginal painting and identify |
| 3~4 hours contact time in class, extra time for | | | | which lines/dots/patterns symbolize what. Students |
| research/homework | | | | should also understand the following elements of |
| Lesson Aims: | | | | design - contrast, colour choice (how did the aborigines |
| * Students will be able to select colours, mix paint, | | | | find paint? why are coours of nature prevalent?) |
| make a preliminary sketch, complete an authentic | | | | Show other examples of aboriginal paintings. |
| aboriginal artwork. | | | | 5. The next session begins with a first draft in B/W. |
| * Students will understand the origin of motifs, colours, | | | | Students should select a unifying 'theme' for their |
| storylines in aboriginal art. | | | | artwork - the hunt, the dance, animals, nature, tools |
| * Students will be able to connect aboriginal art with its | | | | & weapons, food are all good subjects. Allow |
| other cultural traditions of music, dance, and storytelling. | | | | students to progress to their final larger colour draft |
| Materials: | | | | when they have clearly demonstrated an |
| * Aboriginal music or video. | | | | understanding of colour, line, pattern, contrast, theme. |
| * B/W photocopies of aboriginal symbols. | | | | 6. Two sessions should be devoted to the final draft. |
| * B/W photocopies of a real aboriginal painting. | | | | Show students how to use sponges, fingertips, |
| * Sketching paper or thin card for B/W draft - about | | | | brushes, and combs to create authentic painterly |
| 40cm x 25cm. | | | | effects. Monitor students as they work - paying |
| * Watercolour paper for final draft artwork - about | | | | careful attention to the 'tightness' of their patterns and |
| 60cm x 40cm. | | | | the relatively 'minimal' use of colour. I find that my |
| * Black marker pens, watercolour or acrylic paints, | | | | students really get into it when there's some music |
| sponges for dab effects etc. | | | | blasting out - which in this case should be funky |
| In Class Lesson Stages: | | | | didgeridoo. |
| 1. As a lead-in my students respond really well to | | | | * Depending on the level of the students you could set |
| closing their eyes as they listen to real aboriginal music | | | | a short essay on one of the following subjects: 1. The |
| and imagining they are an eagle flying over the | | | | things I learned from creating an aboriginal artwork, 2. |
| Australian Outback. What did you see? How far did | | | | My critique of an aboriginal artwork, 3. How aboriginal |
| you go? What animals came into your mind? In the | | | | art reflects the cultural and historical background of the |
| course of introducing the people, the country, and their | | | | aborigine people. |
| traditions you can reveal how each sound from the | | | | Evaluation and feedback should take place throughout |
| didgeridoo depicts the sound of a distinct animal - a | | | | each session in the form of peer evaluation (what do |
| snake, a fish, a crocodile, an emu. This visualisation | | | | you think of each other's work?) and final evaluation in |
| exercise will help when they come to start their first | | | | the form of a clear grading scale. |