Adinkara - The art of symbolic printmaking!

Featured in Times-Republican!

I had an amazing trip back home in India. Met all my family and friends and caught up on changes I missed in last few years. Shared so many laughter’s and tears that were held back for so much time. Embraced new members and felt emptiness for loved ones I lost.

I also took the opportunity to take my daughters to visit Taj Mahal, Qutub Minar, Red fort and India gate which are famous historical monuments. The art, sculptors, paintings and carvings were simply beautiful and told the story of events that made history.

Art has been used in all the cultures throughout the world to keep history alive and retell the stories of triumph and defeats.

This month’s project is also influenced by one such wonderful art from Ghana, Africa. This art has been used for ages to tell a story and express thoughts and feelings. It’s called Adinkra or symbolic printmaking.

People in Ghana decorate the cloth by using a black dye made of bark. This dye is called Adinkra aduru. Using the dye, they draw lines on the cloth to divide it into squares. Symbols are carved on calabash gourds and then used as stamps onto the fabric.

The Adinkra symbols express various themes that relate to the history, beliefs and philosophy of the Asante people. They mostly have rich proverbial meaning since proverbs play an important role in the Asante culture. The use of Proverbs is considered as a mark of wisdom. Other Adinkra symbols depict historical events, human behavior and attitudes, animal behavior, plant life forms and shapes of objects.

The designing is done according to the message the wearer or owner of the cloth intends to convey to the participants of the event.

You can tell your own story using

Adinkra symbols or by creating your own designs in this super fun and creative way. We printed symbols on canvas bags.

What you'll need:

• Pieces of Styrofoam (the kind meat is packaged on works great)

• A dull pencil

• Various colors of paints or ink (metallic paint for the muslin and block printing ink for the bags)

• Something to make the prints on- example- paper, strips of muslin, canvas bag

• Paint brush or rubber brayer to apply the ink or paint

1. Create a design using or symbol on a piece of Styrofoam with a pen.

2. Trace over it using some pressure with the dull pencil.

3. Cover the Styrofoam with the paint or ink, be careful not to get the paint down into the design, only gently cover the surface.

4. Flip the Styrofoam over and press onto surface of paper, muslin, or whatever you are printing on.

5. Pull up the Styrofoam and check out your design.

6. Repeat this process and many times as desired with different colors and surfaces.

Very special thanks to Emma Unsworth for sharing her creative art project. She is a senior at Kent State University majoring in art education. She loves  traveling and experiencing new cultures and hopes to bring these experiences and inspirations into her future classroom. She has a passion for kids and art making and is excited to start career with both of them!

Attached is a YouTube video she made during her travel to Africa. Enjoy:))

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYWH5XfbQlw

 

  

Thanks for visiting and have a colorful day!!















Back to school art project - 5 simple steps in right direction as a family!

Featured in Times-Republican

Summer vacation is almost over. Stores are so filled with back to school supplies, clothes and new decors. Not to mention … It's school time again!

A new school year is also the beginning of a period defined by mixed emotions for everyone; exciting yet crazy days full with conflicting schedules, getting homework done while keeping up with demanding extracurricular activities, and the famous pick and drop kid’s scenario. I tell you, if we mothers get paid for driving around our kids…we will be so rich!

So, it’s time to bid a not so desirable farewell to those lazy laid back mornings, that comforting cup of tea with a lavish book reading and say hello to chaotic beginning to the day, followed by super chaotic evenings.

On a positive note, life offers us a fresh start every moment and back to school with new everything around is a wonderful opportunity to talk to our kids about aspirations and small things that can make big changes in our lives. Tell them about our dreams that came true and dreams that we are still working on…times when we felt proud and times when we almost gave up on things. Stories of our success and failures can empower them and make them relate with events in their lives and apply.

I am so scared of swimming. My daughters are so fishes. They dream of swimming like Michael Phelps and make us proud. They tell me all the time, mom, its ok come and try. It’s nothing. It’s so comforting. We will teach you. I tell them it’s so easy for you and so hard for me…because it’s all in the mind.

The other day she had to do her vault and bars routine in her new gym for first time. She was so nervous. She came to me and she said it looks hard mom…and I said like swimming for me. It’s all in the mind mom, right? I am going to do this, will you learn swimming. I said yes! And she went and gave it her best. Now, bars, beams or vaults…bring it on! She rocks them all…

As for me I am going to enroll for swimming lessons.

This month’s art project is make a list of 5 things you and kids want to accomplish together in coming year, 5 simple steps in right direction as a family.

What you will need

• Chart or cardboard
• Construction paper
• Stencils (optional)

• Pencil

• Scissors

• Paints

• Sponges

• Markers

• Glue

Using pencil draw 5 shapes on construction paper. Cut them using scissors. Stick them on chart using glue. To cover the remaining area, dip the tip of sponge in paint and pat gently on the paper. You can use same sponge for all the colors. Just go from lighter to darker for beautiful overlapping effect.

Make a pizzazz artwork for the family room using inspirational words, craft supplies, stickers, sequence etc. Express your style stating your family goals.

It’s never too late for anyone to be what they could have been! Push each other, be each others strength and keep up with the good work!

Thanks for visiting and have a colorful day:)

Back to school workshop, Project Journey!

My older daughter is going to start kindergarten and I was thinking of a back to school project for her..... something that she will enjoy through out the year.

There you go...how about a folder. Simple and sweet!

Then another thought came to my mind...how about I make it a tradition...

Every year when she moves to a higher class she can create her own sweet lill folder, using her creativity, writing her sweet name with her own lill hands, those lovely hand prints and a picture catching that perfect innocent smile.

I can use it to save those lill lovely projects and potraits she is going to create in the year.

She drew my picture few days back, my teeth are sticking out soooo...... much...I asked her do I really look like this....she said with a sweet smile...yaa, when you are happy!
No wall art from anywhere can ever match this innocent thought and sketch.

They are going to change every year....and we are going to miss these lovely beautiful moments......I am happy...I can have a keepsake for each year, and those beautiful memories to relish later, are gonna be so priceless.
A special folder for each year..a tradition...a journey...a lifetime memory!