Folk Art Miniatures

Who can be an artist? There are plenty of well-known people but there are also lots of ordinary folks who are creating art and consider themselves artists too. Ordinary folk like you. What does their art look like?

• 1.

  Folk art is art created by people who taught themselves how to make their artwork. They didn’t get formal art training. How do you think that would affect what their art looks like? How about the subjects of their art? Some subjects of folk art are very every-day and some are filled with wild imagination. Look at some photographs of folk art to see what’s being depicted.

• 2.

  Often folk artists make art out of found materials—stuff that they collect for free found around where they live. Study some examples of folk art to see what the works of art made of? Buttons, wood, recycled bottle caps, tinfoil are just some of materials used in successful folk artwork.

• 3.

  Some folk art pictures are done on pieces of wood. Ask an adult to cut small squares and rectangles from recycled wooden fruit boxes or another recycled source such as paint stirrers. Think about what your subject matter will be.

• 4.

  With Crayola® Color Sticks™ Colored Pencils, first draw a frame around the edge of the piece of wood. Next create picture inside the frame. Are you able to render delicate depictions? How important are the colors you choose?

• 5.

  To display your artwork, (with the help of an adult) poke a hole in each upper corner of the artwork with the closed tip of Crayola® Pointed-tip Scissors. Thread a thin wire through the holes to make a hanger.

Benefits

• Students understand the significance of folk art.
• Students interpret everyday subject matter into art form.
• Students experience drawing on wood.

Adaptations

• Look around your house for examples of folk art. You might not realize that the quilt your grandmother made or the stone wall your father built could be considered folk art. Share your findings with the class.
• Attach the class’ folk art miniatures to a wooden frame or mirror surround to sell at a parent auction to raise money for a classroom purchase or class trip to a museum.
• Folk art has been being made ever since people began to create art. Explore some folk art from long ago and some folk art of today. Are there any similarities? Differences?