
Sam Gilliam, Abacus Sliding, 1977. Paint. 90 in. X 118 in. Denver Art Museum; Funds from the National Endowment for the Arts and the United Bank of Denver, 1978.10
Ideas for the Art Center:
- Add pre-cut paper shapes in various sizes.
- Painters tape
- Rollers with ink or paint
- Paper
Instructions:
- Encourage young artists to tape pre-cut paper shapes or torn pieces to their background paper.
- Roll ink on top of the taped pieces on the paper.
- After the ink has dried, prompt children to peel the taped paper pieces away to reveal shapes and patterns on their paper.
- The art can be a finished product or they can continue to repeat this process over and over to create a layered effect using different shapes or ink colors.
Guiding Questions:
- What do you notice when you peel the paper pieces away?
- What do you notice in the white spaces on your paper? How does layering more than one shape change what’s left when you peel the paper away?
- What happens when different paint colors overlap?
TIP: Use construction paper or cardstock for durability and reusability.
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