Working with clay is a whole body experience that provides students with a break from using paint and crayons, the usual means of artistic expression utilized in school. The three-dimensional quality of clay makes it easier for children to use to represent the concepts and ideas of their world. In Social Studies, clay masks of faces can be used to depict the personalities of the characters featured in First Nations legends and Greek and Egyptian mythology. In Science, animal masks could be made in animal studies units as well as units about the food chain and habitats.
Materials Needed
- rectangular slab of hardening clay
- bamboo stick
- rolling pin
- water in a cup
- newspaper
- texture producing tools like toothbrush and garlic press
- pictures of different animal and human faces
Steps
- Cut one third of clay off using the bamboo stick and set aside.
- Roll bigger clay slab until it is a few centimeters wider on each side.
- Roll the piece of newspaper into a messy cylinder and place under the middle of the slab - this will give the mask its 3D shape.
- Using the bamboo stick cut along the edge of the clay to give the face its shape.
- Mold the clay or use the clay piece set aside to make facial features such as a nose, eyes, ears or eyebrows.
- Pieces can be attached to the face using slip which is made by scoring both pieces that will be attached as well as the area that it will be joined to in a cross like shape using the bamboo stick. Add a small amount of water to the areas and score again. This wet mixture will help the two pieces join when they are pressed firmly together.
- When the features are in place, texture producing tools can be used to produce the appearance of fur or hair. Pushing a small amount of clay through a garlic press creates long stringy strands that can be placed on the mask as hair or whiskers.
- Leave the paper under the mask and set aside. The mask can be air dried, oven baked or kiln fired which will produce the most durable piece.
- If the mask is kiln fired, you might want to glaze it first. Since it is a tricky process, and toxic, the teacher might want to do it for the students. The glaze will stick to the mask like glue and have a shiny finish once dried. Or once the mask is dried, it can be decorated using acrylic paint and varnish. The piece will probably require several coats of paint since the dried clay will absorb it and the paint will fill in any cracks.
Once dry, the finished mask can be displayed by being hung on the wall with a hook or resting on a table. Students will be able to take the masks home and have a permanent artifact to remind them of their unit and the unique experience of working with clay.
References
http://www.chicagochildrensmuseum.org/WorkingwithClaypdf
Lisa Loewen - Lisa Loewen is a writer and educator living in the area of Vancouver, B.C. She has a B.A with a major in History with a focus on Canadian ...
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