Northwest Coast Sun Designs

   This Fall, fifth grade students learned about the elements of art and the principles of design through the creation of Sun Designs inspired by Native American art of the Northwest Coast of North America.  An important principle that students learned about was symmetrical balance which means a design that has symmetry or is the same on both sides.  To achieve this, half of the design was created in pencil, incorporating traditional shapes and pattern.  The design was then folded and transferred to the other side to give it symmetrical balance.
   Traditionally, Sun Designs were carved from wood and painted.  Students created the texture of wood by coloring heavily with crayon and painting the entire design with black ink.  When the ink dried, they scratched through the ink making the surface appear like the grain of wood.