As part of the K-8 African art curriculum and their unit on lines/shapes, Kindergarten students created these mixed media art projects. First, we looked at three examples of lions in African art. I pointed out the continent of Africa, and spoke of how there were more than 50 countries and 1000 languages spoken by many different groups of people.
Although many pieces of traditional African art feature nature and animal themes, we also spoke of how there are big cities and neighborhoods as well as large natural areas in African countries. I have found that because of portrayals in movies and cartoons, many young students picture Africa as one big grasslands, when in reality there are a variety of landscapes, including urban areas.
***Interestingly, in my own research, I found that although the lion is a well-known and much loved animal associated with Africa, it is actually not frequently represented in traditional African art. More frequently seen are animals associated with daily rural life, such as birds, elephants, and snakes. These animals are often used to represent characteristics of the ceremony for which the object is used- for example, the Bamana people's Chi Wara headdress features the neck of an antelope, as a digger to symbolize the harvest season.
Bamana Lion Mask, Mali
Asante Drum, Ghana
Metal comb, Kenya
Following this, Kindergarteners learned how to put lines and shapes together to draw the face of a lion. By putting different shapes together, they formed the whole picture.
They used Sharpie and watercolor to add color to their lion. We discussed how to mix golden brown by combining brown with other colors such as yellow, orange, and red. When we added in the element of fuzzy yarn, some students chose to create manes for lions, and others chose to use the yarn to outline their lionesses. Finally, we looked at photos of lions' habitats and identified colors to use for the sky, mountains and grasslands.
