Paper Sculptures

Artist or Art Form PAPIER COLLE

Project Type PAPER SCULPTURES (study of owls)
Name Lisa Liebow
Grade Third
Teacher/School Miss Stewart/SES
Date of
02/04/04
Presentation

Books:
Resources Used Website:
Other: This project was tied to the 3rd grade in depth owl
research project, so I used Audubon's Field Guide on CD rom

Description: The bird, (or any sculpture) is made by layering 3

copies (2 of which have been cut into pieces) of a picture together.
Because it is very time consuming, I cut the "master" shapes they
would be working with and each child got a kit for their bird. The
first layer is the entire bird. The second layer I cut out prominent
features - the birds head to the top of the wing, the wings and the
tail (no body is used in the layering). The same features are then cut
out of the third copy only they are cut even smaller, the eyes and
the beak are cut together to form a mask, the wings and the tail are
cut even smaller and when appropriate I cut some feathers away to
Project Description give it more dimension. I also numbered each layer. The children
then took their pieces and rolled and molded them carefully to give
them shape. Once shaped, they cut small fringing around the
outside for wispy feathers, long cuts for bigger feathers, little pieces
were cut away to make it more lifelike and the cuts were molded
further. Then it was glued together layer by layer to give it a 3-D
effect. Because this was a ""study"" I used power point to blow up
each bird to its actual size (or almost actual sized for the larger
birds) when printed on 11 x 17 paper (color prints at Kinkos). This
technique works with any picture or drawing, color or black and
white. I made each owl a natural base to perch on (logs, branches
and evergreens) but it can be displayed in any fashion.
 Since this was linked to their owl research project I discussed John
James Audubon and his accurate artistic studies of the birds of
North America. Then I explained the concept of papier colle (which
Presentation
literally means glued paper) and how Picasso used it in his canvas'
Content
adding another dimension. Then I explained how we were going to
cut, mold, form and glue our "study" together to form a 3-D paper
sculpture
Huge sucess. Children can see in a 3-D relatively life size form what
the owl they studied looks like and their relative size to one
Comments another. The Owls are currently displayed in the library and the
librarian has asked they be donated for permanent display. Some
children did, but many want to take their sculptures home!