Indianapolis Art Center

Exploring Asian Art

Goal: Students receive a multi-disciplinary art program, enabling students to learn about history, culture, arts movements, artistic styles, mediums and technique by learning about and creating artwork tied to specific cultural groups.

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Also available is an application for the ArtVan program.

Anime

Time Required:	2 hour class period
Recommended Age Group:	ages 10 and up

Art Activity: Students discuss anime cartoon images and cross compare them with western style cartoon images. Developing an understanding of tools, techniques, and styles used in drawing anime, students create their own anime character.

Gyotaku

Time Required:	2 hour class period
Recommended Age Group:	ages 5 and up

Art Activity: The historical use of recording fish size and weight, by printing the actual fish, was developed in the 18th century by Japanese fishermen. Students blend color combinations of paint onto their fish replica, and produce several prints to discuss within the group.

Silk Painting

Time Required:	2 hour class period
Recommended Age Group:	ages 8 and up

Art Activity: The Chinese developed the cultivation of silk worms to produce luxurious silks for the emperor and his family, which over time also became the canvas for artists who used paint and batik to create their work. Students will create an image to be batiked on silk, using dye resist, traditional brushes, and silk dyes.

Sumi Painting

Time Required:	2 hour class period
Recommended Age Group:	ages 5 and up

Art Activity: Using sumi brushes and ink, students explore tonal value and execution of brush stroke to create their painting. Students view examples of early and contemporary works and gain appreciation through discussion, and participate in a critique of their own work.

Clay Figures

Time Required:	2 hour class period
Recommended Age Group:	Can be adapted for ages 5 and up

Art Activity: Working from examples of ancient ceramic figures, students work with air hardening clay to create their own interpretation of a Chinese figurine. Students view and discuss several forms of ceramics from different dynasties in Chinas’ history, to draw inspiration through discussion and perception.

Lino Prints

Time Required:	2 hour class period
Recommended Age Group:	ages 10 and up

Art Activity: Students use linoleum blocks and cutting tools to generate several prints of an image created by them and inspired by Japanese woodcut prints. Students are versed in proper handling of lino cutting tools, and technique in producing a print of their original illustration.

Origami

Time Required:	2 hour class period
Recommended Age Group:	Can be adapted for ages 10 and up

Art Activity: Using traditional folding paper, students create a collection of origami objects that are used to assemble a mobile. Students discuss the origins of origami, and its’ use in recognizing important documents.

Paper Dragons

Time Required:	2 hour class period
Recommended Age Group:	ages 5 and up

Art Activity: Students reflect and discuss the historical importance of dragons to Asian culture and their representation of status, dignity, and power. Students create a dragon from paper and decorative items, to create one of the four typical dragons found in Chinese mythology.

Haiku Calligraphy

Time Required:	2 hour class period
Recommended Age Group:	ages 8 and up

Art Activity: Reading from traditional haiku poems, students develop an understanding of syllable count and content through discussion and interpretation. After instruction and practice of calligraphy strokes and characters, students compose a haiku and reproduce it with sumi brush and ink on paper. Students examine Chinese and Japanese characters to produce a signature chop from small linoleum blocks to sign their work with.