All you need is some burlap, Plaster Paris, and a bit of prep time.
Mix the plaster according to the instructions and pour onto the burlap. (place the burlap on some cardboard for the bit of plaster that will seep through.
I give it a few taps once I pour it on and spread it out just to take out any air bubbles and smooth the surface. Then let it set for an hour before using.
The first two times I did this project, I put out chalk pastels. Just have the kids dampen the surface of the plaster with a bit of spritz from a water bottle and they are ready to go.
But here's the thing, there are no "take backs" with this project. Once you put a mark on the plaster, it does not come off.
I usually have the students do their original drawings on copy paper and then trace it onto the plaster. If they put it directly on top of the plaster and trace over their lines, they will crave slightly into the plaster thereby giving them guidelines for their work.
Once they are finished, I let them "break" the work. They slam them against the table and throw them on the floor. No doubt some of them will be hesitant at first to do this step. Some will flat out tell you they won't do it at all. I always tell them it's up to them if they do this step or not but I have not had one child skip it yet- even the ones most adamant that they will not break their artwork.
The burlap and plaster adhere to each other so no matter how hard they try to shatter the work into a million pieces, it will ultimately stay in one piece.
Once finished, I cut back the burlap, spray a bit of clear matte varnish and mount on a heavy weight paper.
10 year old
7 year old
6 year old
9 year old
Throwing the work and creating the cracks give the piece an aged look of old fresco. I love the finish on them.
8 year old
7 year old
The below work tickles me to no end. This student told me at least a dozen times she would under no circumstance throw her work around to break it. No way. No how. Not a chance. A dozen times, at least. Then while she watched her friends start the final step and realized the artwork really did stay together on the burlap, she said she would do it "just once". Needless to say from the picture below, she did not stop with just "one time". In fact, she loved tossing and slamming her work around so much, I finally had to tell her that was probably enough. So you can see below, it does not matter how many times they shatter the work, it will stay in one piece because of all the pieces, this one is definitely the most extreme. The child who most emphatically told me she would NEVER, EVER break her work....
7 year old
And then last week, I changed it up a bit and tried this project with some old watercolor tubes I had laying around the studio. I love the way the watercolor worked on the plaster almost as much as I love this "Prissy Kitty".
9 year old
This student also did not want to do the final step. I thought at the end I might of just found the first student who would actually follow through and not give it a slam or two. At the very last minute, she did give it a slight whack and there are some small cracks in the work but they are hard to see in the picture.
Great project. Definitely on my "do again" list of things I want to introduce to new students who come to my classes. I can't wait to see what the high school class does with it.
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