Silk painting
Ms. Beata Balog is full of surprises. When she managed to put tears in my eyes with a beatifully hand-painted silk scarf which I received under the Christmas tree, I immediately knew what the students would be doing for Mother’s Day. Her patience, step-by-step and easy to understand directions, together with a great talent for the arts has proven to be a great inspiration for students throughout the year. This project was going to be a success from the get go.
The process began with an explanation of symmetry. Different methods were tried and tested and even the young artists were impressed with their own results.
Because Mother’s Day presents are so personal, each child designed a picture that made them think of their mom. They then amplified this drawing, and after a lesson about ‘outlining’, they outlined their amplified version so that it would be visible under the silk.
Students then used special textile phantom markers to draw their design on the silk. On top of that they used contour liners in order to keep different color paints from seeping into another block.
Only then could the painting begin. Silk paints are fun to work with. You can get a wavy effect using drops of water or even salt.
Once the scarves were finished, it was time to write a card and pack them nicely.
The result were some very happy and beautiful moms!
