Henna hands

 You need:

1. white drawing sheet
2. colored sheet
3. Indian ink or fine black marker 
4. glue
5. scissors 
   
   

Henna art is making temporary decorations on the skin using dye from dried henna leaves. Henna decorations are applied during festive occasions in North-African and Asian countries. Used symbols are those of strength, luck, fertility and protection. Patterns and symbols vary per country.  

Trace your hand on a white sheet. Decorate with patterns. Cut oud and stick on a colored sheet. Cut the hand again with an edge of approximately 1/2 cm. 

Printing African animals

You need:

1. styrofoam
2. pencil
3. block printing ink
4. paint roller
5. flat piece of plexiglass
6. coloured paper

Explain the principle of printing. Why is it that people started to print texts and pictures?

Draw an African animal with a pencil on the styrofoam. Press to get a print in the foam. Squeeze out “toothpaste” amount of ink on plexiglass. Roll ink out. The ink is ready when lines appear. Ink should look wet.
Put the styrofoam on a newspaper. Roll one colour ink onto the foam, working quickly to cover all areas. Lay a sheet on top of foam and press with a flat hand. Take away the sheet and your print is ready. Let dry and cut it with about 1 cm around. Paste one or more prints on a white sheet. 

 

All artworks made by students of grade 6

Bogolan - African mudcloths

Made by two students of grade 6

You need:

1. black construction paper
2. tempera paint in brown, white and gold
3. brushes

Bogolan means: made from mud. A bogolan is a handmade Malian cotton fabric traditionally dyed with mud. It has an important place in traditional Malian culture. The cloths is nowadays being exported wordwide for use in fashion, fine art and decoration. 

Show this educational movie about bogolans. After this, show some pictures of bogolans and discuss colours, patterns and symbols. 

Students have to word in pairs this lesson. Two students get their own black sheet, but have to make one bogolan together - the sheets will be stuck together when finished. So they have to come to agreeements about colours, patterns and symbols.