Mexican Folk Art

Mexican Folk Art-

This 5th grade lesson dealt with Mexican folk art. First, we learned about metal embossing techniques used in Mexican Folk art and the symbols and patterns used. After viewing a short PowerPoint we filled out a brainstorming worksheet where we began thinking about the symbols we wanted to use on our own artwork. Symbols such as hearts for love, eagles for freedom, and flour leaf clovers for luck were used by many students. Next, each student was given the materials needed for the project. We began by drawing the symbols we wanted to use to create our own Mexican folk art on a piece of aluminum foil. To scratch the symbols into the aluminium foil we used wooden sticks. When we wanted parts of our design to stick out or bulge we would flip the foil over and scratch on the other side. We could use spoons and other tools to create the metal embossing effect on the aluminium foil. Then we repeated the process until the design was how each student wanted and began the coloring phase. In most Mexican folk art bright colors were used and in order to get a good grade our piece of art we needed to include 3 or more colors. Final stage was using a piece of pipe cleaner to create a handle for our Mexican embossed art.

This was a wonderful lesson for a 5th grade students. If I wanted to introduce this metal embossing technique to an older audience I would have the students create a composition using aluminium foil still but the different levels of the design would be made from layering the aluminium foil; not pressing into the aluminum foil like was used for the project up above. Using different mediums and painting them to look like embossed metal would be another project that could be used to introduce Mexican folk art.

Mexican folk art is very interesting and is used to celebrate the Day of the Dead. Creating a lesson where each student learns more about the Mexican holiday and then creates their own Mexican folk art by creating a traditional Day of the Dead skull composition.