Horror Vacui symmetry - art project

Arts & Activities, March, 2003 by Cheryl Crumpecker

MATERIALS

* 90-lb. 9" x 12" white drawing paper (or as heavy as you can find)

* Pencils

* Black permanent markers

* Crayons

* Light boxes (or windows)

* Black paint for resist, e.g. tempera--I use liquid watercolor mixed with about a tablespoon of India ink

* Tissues (to dab away any area that doesn't resist paint sufficiently)

* Drying rack (not necessary, but helpful)

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Students will ...

* understand and apply the concept of "Horror Vacui," the fear of empty space, to their designs.

* learn how to transfer pictures to make symmetrical designs.

* create a unified picture through the use of related objects.

* understand the concept of wax resist.

A number of years ago (September 1986) Arts & Activities featured an art project titled "Horror Vacui." As written by Jane Looney, "Horror Vacui"--fear of empty space--is a belief of primitive Northwest American Indian tribes that is evidenced in their art. The faces and bodies of animals, people or spirits were often repeated motifs used to fill space on robe decoration, headdresses, etc.

After introducing the concept of horror vacui, my third-graders created their own version of this belief. This project begins by folding a 9" x 12" piece of drawing paper in half. On one side of this paper, students draw, with pencil, one-half of the head and shoulders of a person or animal along the center fold line. This drawing should then be transferred to the other side of the paper to make one whole symmetrical figure.

After this central figure is completed, a decorative border (about 1 inch thick) should be drawn around the edge of the paper. Again, draw only one-half of the border and transfer it to the remaining side.

The final step of the drawing is to fill in the remaining empty space. All the space between the central figure and border should be filled with items that pertain to the central figure, e.g. a central figure of a dog could be surrounded by fire hydrants, dog bones and collars; a farmer could be surrounded by farm animals and tractors. (Remember to draw on only one side of the paper and transfer to the other side to maintain symmetry.)

When the pencil drawing is completed, trace over all lines with a black marker. Color the entire picture hard, with crayons. A paint-resist wash (I use black liquid watercolor) is painted over the entire picture. Using a tissue to dab off extra watercolor gives an antiqued effect.

Presenting the project in this manner helps the children draw large (often a problem in intermediate grades), reviews the concept of symmetry (when to draw a whole object to transfer or when to draw only half), and produces artwork that is absolutely a showstopper.

Cheryl Crumpecker is a K-3 art teacher at St. Paul's Episcopal Day School in Kansas City, Mo.