Japanese Batik Lanterns

Submitted by: Connie Ferguson Monroe Middle School - Monroe, WI
Unit: Batik - Art of Japan
Grade: 8
Project: Paper Lanterns
Focus: Form, Space, Unity, Emphasis, Balance

Objectives
The learner will:

• Employ learned Elements and Principles of Design in the construction of a Japanese Lantern

• Correctly measure and construct paper panels

• Incorporate tessellation patterns in an overall design.

State Standards
The learner will:

• A2 learn appropriate vocabulary related to their study of art.

• A3 know about styles of art from their own and other parts of the world.

• C6 develop the craft and skills to produce quality art.

• J3 learn ways different cultures think about art.

INSTRUCTION/MOTIVATION:

Overview and demonstration of the batik process

Demonstration on Construction of panels

Discussion of Japanese Beauty

Discuss different types of Lanterns

Examples of past student work

Computer Demo on Tessellmania

Tasha O.

Cris P.

DAYS: 15

PREP:

Buy Bamboo Sticks At Walmart
Cut Tag board Strips ¼" x 12"
Cut 6x12 matboard templates for panels
Reserve Computer Lab
Photocopy Escher information
Break up Batik Wax – hammer, screwdriver, and plastic bag
Gather extension cords
Gather ice cream buckets

INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES:

DVD: Crystal Productions Tessellations DVD
VHS: Tessellations: How to Create Them [VHS]
Video: The Fantastic World of M. C. Escher

Escher Posters

• Magic Mirror by M.C. Escher

• Day and Night by M.C. Escher

• Reptiles by M. C. Escher

• Circle Limit IV by M.C. Escher

• Sky and Water by M.C. Escher

Handout on Slide and Rotation Tessellations
Color Wheels
Examples of Batiked cloth
Art From Many Hands by Schuman
Batik: designs, materials, technique by NEA

Scholastic Art, November 2000 – for Information folder
Tessellations Posters
Tesselmania Computer Program

WEBSITES:

• IAD's Tessellation Page - Information, history, pictures, and artists.

• M. C. Escher Website

• Totally Tessellated! History of mosaic tessellations,

• World of M.C. Escher and Gallery

• Artcyclopedia: Work by M. C. Escher on the Internet.

• M. C. Escher National Gallery of Art.

Books

Tessellations: The History and Making of Symmetrical Designs - The underlying math concepts and vocabulary of tesselations are difficult to teach. This book translates the concepts into understandable language. For visual learners, the illustrations make tessellation-making much easier.

Designing Tessellations : The Secrets of Interlocking Patterns - The first few chapters are devoted to developing quilt tessellation patterns but the last few chapters are dedicated to M.C. Escher's work. The book teaches more and more intricate patterns so the reader can see how Escher developed his tessellations. The book is full of illustrations and step-by-step drawings.

Questions for Discussion:

What is a tessellation? Point out a positive shape and a negative shape. Can you make you eyes switch between the positive and the negative shapes? How are the Positive and negative shapes the same?

STUDIO PROCEDURE:

2 Days in the Computer lab exploring Tesselmania.

Print one final color copy for 50 points. Grade will also be based on use of class time and a completed tessellation color printout.

INFORMATION FOLDER

1. Use the 2x2 (5 x 5 cm) inch note card and pencil to create a template.

2. Cut along your drawn lines.

3. Use the slide or rotate technique.

4. Tape the cut pieces in place. This is your template for the information folder.

5. Fold a colored 12x18 (30.5 x 46 cm) construction paper in half.

6. Use a gel pen to trace the template to create a tessellated pattern.

7. Using white glue, secured the Escher information sheets inside the folded construction paper.

Information folder is worth 25 points.

Short quiz on tessellations and M.C. Escher will be worth 25 points.

BATIK-WAX AND DYE PROCESS

1. Use the 5x5 (12.7 x 12.7 cm) inch note card to produce a tessellation to be used on the cloth.

2. Trace the 6x12 (15.25 x 30.5 cm) mat board template 4 times onto the 18x24 (46 x 61 cm) paper-these will be the panels.

3. Trace the tessellation pattern onto 18x 24 (46 x 61 cm) drawing paper.

4. Based on the color theory discussed in class, choose two colors plus white.

5. Color the 12 x18 (30.5 x 46 cm) patterned sheet with crayons, limited to the chosen colors above.

6. Iron the coffee filter flat.

7. Trace the mat board templates onto the coffee filters and cut them out. Tape the filters over the drawing. This will be used strictly as a guide.

8. Using the 5x5 (12.7 x 12.7 cm) note card, trace the pattern onto the filter panels with a colored pencil. Remove the tape from the filters.

9. Place the filters onto the wax paper.

10. Using the work area, set up for waxing, Dip the brush into the melted wax. Put the wax onto the filters in the areas to be white.

11. Remove the cloth from the wax paper and put it into the first color. This will be the lightest color of the two chosen. Stir the cloth several times during the class period.

12. Put on Rubber Gloves.

13. Take the cloth out of the first dye and gently squeeze excess dye out over the bucket.

14. Place the cloth onto extra paper and then onto newspaper. Put it onto the Drying Rack, let them completely dry.

15. Place the filters onto the wax paper. Move to the waxing work area. Dip the brush into the melted wax and brush onto the area that is to remain the first dye color.

16. Remove the wax paper and place the cloth into the second dye color bucket. Stir several times.

17. Put on Rubber Gloves.

18. Take the cloth out of the dye and gently squeeze excess dye out over the bucket.

19. Place the cloth onto extra paper and then onto newspaper. Put it onto the drying rack, let them completely dry.

20. Place the cloth onto the wax paper. Move to the waxing work area. Wax the areas that are to remain the second wax color. This will mean you are waxing the rest of the cloth. Yes, the whole thing. Touch up areas that have excessive cracking or chipped off wax.

21. Remove the wax paper and gentle "wad-up" the cloth. This will create fine line cracks. Undo the cloth and place it in the bucket of black dye. Stir several times.

22. Put on Rubber Gloves.

23. Take the cloth out of the black dye and gently squeeze excess dye out over the bucket.

24. Place the cloth onto extra paper and then onto newspaper. Put it onto the drying rack, let them completely dry.

25. ***You are done with the dying process.

BATIK-COMPLETION PROCESS

1. In the iron and let it warm up.

2. Place 3 sheets of newsprint onto the "Ironing Board"

3. Place the filter onto these papers and cover the filter with one sheet of newsprint—making a sandwich.

4. Iron the top newsprint paper until the paper looks wet. Do Not iron over any "wet" areas. Change the papers frequently. Have another student help with this.

5. When all the wax is removed from the filter, iron the cloth without papers to remove any wrinkles.

6. Repeat this process for each filter panel.

LANTERN CONSTRUCTION PROCESS

1. Using the white glue, secure the thin strips of tagboard to the flat edges of the panels.

2. All the strips have been cut to 12" so they will need to be trimmed to fit.

3. Spread a small amount of glue onto the thin strips place on all 4 edges of each panel. This procedure will give stability to the lantern.

4. Let the panels dry completely.

5. Put a large section of folded newspapers on your table work area.

6. Place 2 panels on top of each other, making sure the tessellations match.

7. Measure and mark down each long side of the panels at 1".

8. Using a metal awl "drill" a hole completely through the panels at each 1" mark. Repeat this process of matching and drilling holes until all 4 panels are complete.

9. Put the newspapers away.

10. Gather a needle and 3 feet of black Embroidery Floss. Thread the needle.

11. Take 2 matched panels, place and hold them together with the printed edges on the outside.

12. The holes should be lined up. Start the whipstitch from the bottom and work your way up. Leave 6" to 8" hanging from the bottom. Do not cut any floss off of the top.

13. To connect the third panel, place the new panel inside to inside with one of the attached panels. (make sure the tessellation matches)

14. Again, the holes should line up and you can repeat the whipstitch to the top. Leave the same amount of floss as before.

15. The final panel is stitched together just as the last one was attached. This one must be attached on both sides to make a complete lantern.

***Option: Repeat the whipstitch on all side but go in the opposite direction for a crisscrossed look. The top ends should be tied together.

Hanging lantern:

Make 4 tassels; Secure them with Gold Embroidery Floss.

If the length of extra floss is long enough, put all 4 strings together and tie. If not, you must tie and cut them short. Add a desired length of floss through a top hole in each corner. Tie one end to the lantern and pull all 4 strings together and tie. Make sure it hangs balanced.

Table Top Lantern:

Choose 4 or 8 bamboo sticks. If 4 are chosen, they will be placed directly in the corners. If 8 are chosen, they will be placed on either side of the corners. Use white glue to connect the sticks to the lantern. You must make sure the bamboo sticks are at the same length coming out the bottom of the lantern. This insures that the lantern will sit evenly balanced. Do not use too much glue. For more control you may choose to only glue the sticks to one side at a time.

Lanterns

TESSELLATION - all lines converge and shapes fit together

3 plan was used for cloth

2 plan made but not used

1 or used

COLOR - Analogous colors

3 Analogous color scheme used, colors balances, repeats and forms pattern

2 Analogous color scheme used, satisfactory balance and pattern

1 Analogous color scheme not used, poor balance and pattern

BATIK PROCESS

3 Waxing accurately - white clearly visible, create crackle

Dying - 2 colors plus white and black

Ironing - Completely removed wax

2 Satisfactory but missing some steps

1 Missed the process

STITCHING

3 Good stitching, stitches are placed evenly.

2 Stitching needs to be improved, may be inconsistent or uneven.

1 Stitching is incomplete.

CRAFTSMANSHIP

3 Excellent craftsmanship, most elements appear to be addressed.

2 Good craftsmanship, but some elements need more consideration.

1 Craftsmanship needs improvement in many places.

RULES OF BEHAVIOR

3 followed directions the first time given without teacher intervention, and followed classroom rules

2 Satisfactory used of time, had to be reminded of classroom rules

1 Needed constant reminder to work and had to be reminded of classroom rules

_________BATIK 100 POINTS

_________TESSELLMANIA COLOR PRINT 50 POINTS

_________INFORMATION FOLDER 25 POINTS

________ ESCHER QUIZ 25 POINTS

© Copyright 2003 Connie Ferguson