head and body as needed with a low-
temperature glue gun; a chenille stem
was used to attach the head to the
body and a temporary name tag was
taped to the chenille stem.
Adding Papier-Mâché
The next step was to add the skin,
which consisted of two layers of
papier-mâché, made from paper towels
cut into small pieces. Students used
paintbrushes to coat their sculptures
with papier-mâché, making as smooth
a surface as possible.
Adding Details
When the papier-mâché was dry,
students drew their designs on the
bobble-heads, first with pencil, then
with fine-tip permanent markers.
They used tempera paint to color large
areas of their sculptures and could add
details with gel markers, paint mark-
ers, colored permanent markers, or
yarn.
Reflection
This lesson is one of my favorites
because the subject matter can be so
open. I always encourage my students
to come up with a plan, and to make
it happen. They are always so involved
with the project from beginning to
end that having them do their best is
never a problem. Their pride in their
creations is evident in their finished
sculptures.
Mary Jane Hadley is an art teacher at Seneca Valley School District in Cranberry
Township, Pennsylvania. hadleymj@svsd.
net
NATIONAL STANDARD
Students select and use subject matter, symbols, and ideas to communicate meaning.
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