TEC 204

ART AND CRAFT FOR PRE-SCHOOL

LECTURER DR. G. KINYUA

COURSE OUTLINE

● Nature of Art and Craft for children

● History of Art and Craft

● Role of Art and Craft in child’s growth and development.

● Artistic development stages in a child

● Role of Art and Craft in the child’s creative expression

development
● Practical applications; drawing, painting, pattern making, paper
craft mosaic and college, modeling, construction, pottery/ceramic,
weaving and basketry, puppetry, ornament making, carving and
sculpture.
● Traditional and contemporary Art and Craft in Kenya

● Appreciation of Art and Craft.

NATURE OF ART AND CRAFT FOR CHILDREN

What is Art? - Art refers to the visual means of conveying a

message. It is the skill of creating works of beauty that result from

self expression. It is the skill of creating form using tools and

materials creatively. The artist may express his emotions, mood,

certain experiences and or new ideas. The object created through

work of art does not have to be functional: it may simply have an

aesthetic value, i.e. convey beauty.

What is Craft? - Refers to various skills changing working materials

from their original state in such a way that they end up as functional

objects i.e. objects which can be used in performing a duty.

In both definitions, the word creativity is the key.

What is Creativity? Is the art of being imaginative, inventive and

original? It is the creation of a form in a unique and very fresh way

(original)
History of Art and Craft.

Art and Craft were taught and practiced by our ancestors since the

creation of mankind. In the period before 14 th century A.D. the word

creativity meant to create something out of nothing. It was like magic

e.g. the creation of earth (by God).

Between 14th century and the industrialization, the term creativity was

changed to mean work done by geniuses i.e. special mental

endowment, exalted intellectual power, instinctive and extraordinary

imaginative, creative or inventive capacity.

These are individuals capable of making unique and new things in

this world. It was believed to be the work of divine power i.e. people

thought they possessed divine power. So from 14 th to industrial

revolution i.e. 18th creativity was seen as the work of geniuses e.g.

creating or composing music e.g. Rephael Mozart – gifted in music

and others e.g. Beetover who were genius. John Sebastian Buch

composers of music Painters e.g. – painted Mona Lisa (1452 – 1519)

a painting close to life but with deliberate distortions. Leonardo da

Vinci – was the best architect of those days. Michelangelo – painted

sculptor creation of Adam.

Musicians and Artists were held as specially gifted people even today

this feeling has not changed much. In most African societies

Blacksmiths were also held in high regard because of their power to

create weapons and farming tools. People believed they

communicated with the ‘gods’. Their skills were passed down family

lineage.

Art throughout History has been motivated by 3 factors: Mysticism

involving magic Social and religious beliefs and Instincts.

CAVE ART

Cave art practices were motivated by a desire to express emotions.

Early man believed in a supernatural power that controlled the

universe. The basis of the religious belief of early man was fear of

the unseen and the need to pay reverence to the supernatural power.

They draw their animal prey shot with an arrow believing they had

gained power over it. They used soot, ochre (soil), vegetable dyes,

and animal fat. Cave art included sculpture made by stones, bones,

ivory and clay. Some were used for hunting and as domestic
implements. Countries like West Africa, East Africa, Australia,

France, Spain the USA etc. have records of cave art.

Greeks paid attention to beauty of human forms and most of their Art

was in sculpture form. They were very religious but taught their

people to seek solutions through logic. They believed that solutions

to world problems were through mathematical formulae philosophy.

Architecture was also important and used to build temples for their

gods.

Egyptians - the cradle of human civilization. They perfected their

arts I the building of pyramids, temples, boats and writing with

papyrus. Their art was decorative symbolic Egyptian Art was inspired

by reverence to the dead as they believed that the dead continued life

with them. African Art promotes social life, the people’s religious and

political ideas which resulted in unsophisticated traditional art

products. The African musician, poet or dancer conveys his emotions

through the arts, thus interpreting life in diverse forms, religious,

social and ceremonial.

Art and Craft were taught and practiced by our ancestors since the

creation of mankind. In the period before 14 th century A.D. the word

creativity meant to create something out of nothing. It was like magic

e.g. the creation of earth (by God).

Between 14th century and the industrialization, the term creativity was

changed to mean work done by geniuses i.e. special mental

endowment, exalted intellectual power, instinctive and extraordinary

imaginative, creative or inventive capacity.

These are individuals capable of making unique and new things in

this world. It was believed to be the work of divine power i.e. people

thought they possessed divine power. So from 14 th to industrial

revolution i.e. 18th creativity was seen as the work of geniuses e.g.

creating or composing music e.g. Rephael Mozart – gifted in music

and others e.g. Beetover who were genius. John Sebastian Buch

composers of music Painters e.g. – painted Mona Lisa (1452 – 1519)

a painting close to life but with deliberate distortions. Leonardo d

Vincei – was the best architect of those days. Michelangelo – painted

sculptor creation of Adam

Musicians and Artists were held as specially gifted people evan today

this feeling has not changed much. In most African societies

Blacksmiths were also held in high regard because of their power to

create weapons and farming tools. People believed they

communicated with the ‘gods’. Their skills were passed down family

lineage.

Creativity varies from one individual to another. We are all creative

but some people are more creative than others.

Creativity varies from one individual to another. We are all creative

but some people are more creative than others.

Role of Art and Craft in Child’s growth and development.

Art and Craft are taught because of the following reasons:-

1. Art and Craft are taught so that each child may develop his/her

own creative power. Although we acknowledge the fact that all

children are creative, we have to give them practice in the use

of their brains to be able to creatively develop original ideas in

whatever they do.

2. Art and Craft being practical train children to co-ordinate their

senses e.g. while eyes visually note the structure, hands feel

the texture.
3. Art and Craft train children to be aware of the existence, beauty

and structure of their environment e.g. flowers, trees, birds,

animals, houses etc. and all these things have some effect on

our lives as we depend on them directly or indirectly.

4. Participation in Art and Craft activities helps children to acquire

and improve a socially acceptable sense of discipline which is a

major requirement in any field. During Art and Craft, children

work within specified periods of time and they have to obey

rules and follow instructions given by their teachers. These

conditions help in strengthening (children’s) sense of discipline.

5. Group work, a method usually used in teaching Art and Craft

help children to learn to share things with others. They learn to

co-operate and help other children to solve problems. They

also learn to appreciate other people’s ideas and methods of

working. The children finally learns to appreciate own and

other people’s values.

6. Art is a strong medium of self-expression. It is a visual

language through which children can learn to express their

emotions, moods and feelings.

 7. Art and Craft help children to control their muscles, especially

those of the hands as they struggle to produce a work of art

and craft. They learn to produce neat work, a quality

applicable in many other fields. Self confidence and self-

reliance are also enhanced, qualities that mould the child to be

a good and reliable citizen.

8. Art and Craft are among the few subjects that offer room for

pleasure and mental relaxation. They also offer the child

freedom in decision making as she/he makes selection of

colours, shapes and materials during Art and Craft activities.

N/B In the context of early childhood education, Art usually refers to

the creative process as applied to 2 dimensional graphic arts e.g.

painting, drawing, print making and 3 dimensional modeling, using

clay, plasticine, dough and sculpture. Art and craft has been part of

early childhood education since earliest beginnings. Young children

seem to be strongly attracted to art activities because:-

(i) They can express themselves non-verbally.

(ii) They find satisfying sensory experiences in Art and Craft

activities
 (iii) They are given opportunities to experiment with a variety of

materials.

(iv) They are allowed to work in a free, uninhibited environment.

(v) They can socialize and share working materials with other

children

(vi) They can develop their vocabulary as they learn new words.

BASIC PRINCIPLES OF CREATIVE ACTIVITIES.

1. All children re born creative. Creativity is in every individual child

although it varies in degree. It is not a gift of the chosen few.

2. There is a relationship between creativity and intelligence. The

highly creative are intelligent but it is not true that highly intelligent

people are creative.

3. All areas of school curriculum may be used to develop creativity in

children i.e. All pre-school subjects can be used to develop

creativity.

4. Creativity is both a process and a product. As a process, it

involves unique ways of doing things e.g. drawing, painting,

 dancing, singing, dribbling the ball in football etc. A product is

work that has been produced exhibited in shows and displays.

5. All creative abilities and processes cannot be developed at once,

but can be developed over a period of time or after several

lessons.

6. Creativity cannot be taught directly. It is a concept (idea) one

creates from the environment e.g. Art, music, painting i.e. it is

learnt from nature called talent.

7. Effective creative expression must be based on sound knowledge

of procedures and skills. Creativity involves knowledge and ability

to say it, do it, set it and write it.

8. Excessiveness, rigidity and conformity destroy creativity.

9. Imaginations develop creativity and encourage it.

10. Giving challenges help to develop creativity, for example, when

the teacher asks children to draw their nuclear family, each child

has to organize the picture.

11. Giving freedom to the child to use materials of their choice is a

step towards creativity.

Every child is born with creative potential. Potential to be developed

by the environment. This modern belief is where we get the rationale

that children should be given opportunities to draw and do any other

Art and craft work in schools. This is the reason why Art and craft is

included in the curriculum. But are all lessons equal? That is, Maths,

social skills, Science, Language, P.E., Music etc.

AREAS TO COVER IN ART AND CRAFT

1. Theory of Art and Crafts

▪ Elements

▪ Principles of Art

2. Drawing

▪ From observation

▪ From memory

▪ From imagination
3. Painting – use of colours, brush or crayons.

4. Print making

▪ Leaf printing

▪ Stalk printing

▪ Potato printing

▪ Finger printing

▪ Spraying printing

5. Pattern making

6. Tie and dye

7. Batik

8. Mosaic

9. Collage
 10. Modeling

11. Carving

12. Weaving

13. Puppetry

Why teach Art and Craft – Role of Art and Craft in Child’s growth

and development.

Art and Craft are taught because of the following reasons:-

1. Art and Craft are taught so that each child may develop his/her

own creative power. Although we acknowledge the fact that all

children are creative, we have to give them practice in the use

of their brains to be able to creatively develop original ideas in

whatever they do.

2. Art and Craft being practical train children to co-ordinate their

senses e.g. while eyes visually note the structure, hands feel

the texture.

3. Art and Craft train children to be aware of the existence, beauty

and structure of their environment e.g. flowers, trees, birds,

 animals, houses etc. and all these things have some effect on

our lives as we depend on them directly or indirectly.

4. Participation in Art and Craft activities helps children to acquire

and improve a socially acceptable sense of discipline which is a

major requirement in any field. During Art and Craft, children

work within specified periods of time and they have to obey

rules and follow instructions given by their teachers. These

conditions help in strengthening (children’s) sense of discipline.

5. Group work, a method usually used in teaching Art and Craft

help children to learn to share things with others. They learn to

co-operate and help other children to solve problems. They

also learn to appreciate other people’s ideas and methods of

working. The children finally learns to appreciate own and

other people’s values.

6. Art is a strong medium of self-expression. It is a visual

language through which children can learn to express their

emotions, moods and feelings.

7. Art and Craft help children to control their muscles, especially

those of the hands as they struggle to produce a work of art

 and craft. They learn to produce neat work, a quality applicable

in many other fields.

8. Self- confidence and self-reliance are also enhanced, qualities

that mould the child to be a good and reliable citizen.

9. Art and Craft are among the few subjects that offer room for

pleasure and mental relaxation. They also offer the child

freedom in decision making as she/he makes selection of

colours, shapes and materials during Art and Craft activities.

N/B In the context of early childhood education, Art usually refers to

the creative process as applied to 2 dimensional graphic arts e.g.

painting, drawing, print making and 3 dimensional modeling, using

clay, plasticine, dough and sculpture. Art and craft has been part of

early childhood education since earliest beginnings. Young children

seem to be strongly attracted to art activities because:-

i) They can express themselves non-verbally.

ii) They find satisfying sensory experiences in Art and Craft

activities.
 iii) They are given opportunities to experiment with a variety of

materials.

iv) They are allowed to work in a free, uninhibited environment.

v) They can socialize and share working materials with other

children.

vi) They can develop their vocabulary as they learn new words.

ELEMENTS OF ART

These are expressed on flat surfaces.

i) Dots and lines

ii) Shape

iii) Colour

iv) Texture

v) Value/tone
It is important to understand each of these elements because

understanding influences the way they are used in picture making

and in design works.

Dot A dot is a point made on a surface e.g. mark (full stop) in

mathematics it is a point where two lines cross. In Art, it is a position

or an object moving in space. It could also be regarded as a

vanishing point of objects receding into space. A dot is used in art to

create line, define form, express movement and symbolize distance.

Dots can be used in art and design to make from. They can be used

to create lightness or darkness in a picture.

Line A Line in most cases is used to mean or mark made on a

surface to joint two or more points. It is a thin continuous mark which

may be drawn, scratched, curved, etched, painted or woven. Line in

art and design may be drawn as broken, short, and angular as

curved. A line is a continuous dot or a series of dots next to each

other.

A line begins with a dot and ends with one. Lines vary in character –

broken, thick or thin, long or short, zigzag or wavy, straight or curved.

They may be horizontal, vertical or diagonal. In art lines are used to:-
-Enclose shapes

-Define form

-Suggest movement

-Create depth

-Create mood; express feelings e.g. depth and ideas.

In art and design, we use lines to represent the pictures we draw e.g.

you use a line to show the diagrams of a human being. You may

draw just the head. We use line to;

- Define form

-Define movement

-Create illusion of depth, mood and ideas, line can be used to

-Define shape.

ii) Shape Shape as an element of Art and design is a visual

area which has defined boundaries. The area may be

defined by lines, colour and texture.

There are basically two types of shapes of objects:

 - Organic shapes

- Geometric shapes

- Organic shapes are derived from organic objects

These are natural objects e.g. plants, animals, rocks, clouds, or water

waves. They are irregular in character and because of this they

appear pleasant to look at. Due to their irregularity, they look like

they are in motion, they also look like they expand and my draw our

attention to a particular direction.

- Geometric shapes are constructed by man for a specific

purpose. Man uses instruments e.g. rulers, a pair of

compasses, set squares, protractors, T squares etc.

Because they are man-made, they are assigned specific

names e.g. circles, squares, Triangles, rectangles, semi-

circles, Hexagons etc. All these shapes (geometric) have

regular dimensions which can be measured and drawn in

various scales. How do we use shapes in Art and Craft?

Organic shapes do the following:-

- Represent objects in two dimensions.

 - Create illusion to depict the feeling of depth

- Suggest movement and

- Express feelings and imaginations represents depth.

The line that creates shape loses importance as the eye may stop to

recognize it as a line; it gets absorbed and becomes part o the shape.

iii) Texture

This is an element of art that defines the roughness or smoothness of

a surface. It is the quality of surface we see on objects. There are

two ways through which people experience texture. These are by

touching and seeing. When the surface quality is experienced by

seeing and recognizing on a work of art, it is referred to as visual

texture. Visual texture is a feeling of roughness or smoothness on a

surface which is represented by drawing or painting. It is seen and

interpreted as rough or smooth, yet it is real.

Uses of Texture

Texture is used in Art to:

- Define shape
 - Highlight form

- Create illusions of space and depth

- Make a surface appear lively and interesting.

- Create visual harmony.

iV) Value/Tone

- Value refers to the degree of lightness or darkness of a

surface. It depends on the amount of light a surface is able

to reflect. The areas that receive light directly are lighter

areas while those that do not receive light are darker.

ELEMENTS OF THREE (3) DIMENSIONAL ART (SCULPTURES)

When producing three dimensional (3D) art one has to use the

following basics:-

(i) Solids

(ii) Voids

(iii) Planes
 (iv) Contours.

SOLIDS

Is the area of 3 dimensional form which occupies space and projects

out. Solids in a sculpture are the areas occupied by the main body

mass “including its short and high projections. If you are modeling a

cow, the horns, tail i.e. the high or low projections are the solids.

VOIDS

These are areas of a 3 dimensional form (sculpture) not occupies by

anything. These are holes that pass through the sculpture or the

depressions in the sculpture surrounded by raised solids. A void can

be a hole in between solids.

Planes

It is the flat area on the surface of a sculpture. This surface may also

be uniformly carved or totally flat. It may have no projections or

depressions.

Contours

These are the lines found at the place where the two planes meet i.e.

at the junctions of planes.

Texture

Refers to the surface quality of a substance e.g. sculpture. We

experience texture on the surface of sculpture by seeing, touching

and feeling the hardness, softness, smoothness or roughness of a

surface.

Colour

In sculpture, colour plays very little role as it is not as emphasized as

in painting. Sculpture is 3 dimensional and therefore there is very

little control over light, which is essential for seeing colour. The

strength of a sculpture will lie on the solids and voids and how light or

dark areas are created when light falls on it.

DRAWING

It is the art of creating a picture or image

Picture

Is the image of the real thing e.g. a photograph.

It represents an object, idea, events or experiences.

One can create imaginative pictures.

What is Drawing?

It is the art of making marks on a surface. To make the marks we

use the following:-

- Pencil

- Charcoal

- Chalk

- Sharp objects

- Fingers

- Wet objects like biros, ink pens, paint brushes

- Hard and sharp objects e.g. knives.

There are three sources of content in drawing

OBSERVATION

Observation. E.g. flowers, plants, human beings, landscape, artificial

articles e.g. glasses, tables etc.

(a)– human figure – (human being poses)

 - Portrait drawing (chest upward) like passport. i.e. from head

neck and chest. The characteristics of the person drawn

must appear on the portrait

(b)Landscape Make a view finder

The eye sees the surface (landscape) through the window. The view

finder is used to see the landscape and choose a spot to draw.

Landscape is divided into three parts. Foreground, middleground and

background.

(c) Still life

This is an arrangement of objects for the purposes of drawing and

painting. The objects may be organized on the table e.g. fruits on a

tray or in a basket, a flower vase, pots. The objects being drawn are

not in motion.

2. MEMORY

This is drawing pictures from what we can remember. The mind may

bring back memory of people, objects, events, activities that were

experienced sometime in the past.

- Events, wedding, birthday party, accident

 - Happenings e.g. eclipse, earthquake

We tend to draw things we like or fear.

IMAGINATION - not real.

This is drawing from something you are thinking and giving it a form

(image) e.g. drawing the devil. Imagination means the act of creating

new images or ideas by combining previous experience. It is the act

of forming mental images of what has never been experienced. It is a

method of stretching the ability of people to think and take their mind

to the unknown, bring the unknown to reality i.e. thinking outside the

box, freeing the mind.

PAINTING

Painting is the art of using colour to describe form, express ideas,

feelings and mood. It is the smearing of paint onto a surface to

create an image or picture. The colour that we use may be wet e.g.

paint on a brush, pallete knife or finger painting.

In painting, a colour is mixed up to the point we think it best to be

used. One can darken colours for dark areas by adding dark colour,

or lighten it by using a lighter colour.

We can paint from:-

(i) – observation

- Human figure

- Landscape

- Still life

- Memory

- Imagination.

e.g. ceremony at home, bullfighting, cock fighting

MOSAIC

This is a decorative design made up of broken cubes of glass or

stone, fixed firmly in cement or plaster. The tessarae (small coloured

pieces) is arranged to form beautiful pictures. Other materials that

could be used to make mosaic are paper of different colours, texture,

shapes, seeds, tree bark e.g. banana fibres and cloth. Here the

secret is that only one kind of material is used to form a picture e.g.

mosaic in banana fibres, glass, stone etc.

Process
 (i) Draw a picture or design on a board or hard surface

(ii) Get papers of different colours, texture and shape.

(iii) Cut them into a variety of pieces.

(iv) Arrange the pieces into the picture/design

(v) Paste the pieces onto the surface using glue/paste

(vi) Cover or fill in all areas in paper.

(vii) Leave it to dry.

(viii) Trim it ready for display.

You could make pictures of animals, birds, human beings, landscape

or events.

COLLAGE

Collage is a French word which refers to a pictorial composition

created out of different textured materials e.g. paper, cloth, seeds,

wood, wool, egg shells, feathers, etc. It is a design made from a

variety of materials by pasting them onto a surface. These materials

are arranged in such a way that they produce a picture.

Process
 - Sketch the design on hardboard.

- Collect the materials you plan to use to create the collage.

- Place arrange them on the surface of the design.

Value refers to areas receiving more light. We use pencils, ink, paint,
charcoal, crayons, dyes and colours to show the darker and light
areas. Value can be created on a surface by the following two main
techniques:-

▪ Shading

▪ Tinting

Shading refers to the process of darkening a surface or colour by

adding a darker medium. It means reducing the ability of the surface
to reflect light.

Tinting refers to the process of lightening a medium by adding white.

The media that can be tinted are those that are found in liquid form
e.g. inks, dyes and paints.
Uses of Value

▪ Model form, to make it give solidity to an object

▪ Create illusion of depth, atmospheric effect and perspective

▪ Suggest movement

(v) The world around us is full of a variety of colours. Both natural

and man-made objects are made in very beautiful colours e.g.
Houses, cars, birds, cloths, plants, animals etc.

Colour is an element of art that is perceived only by the sense of

sight. The sense of sight is able to perceive colour because of
light. In total darkness, it is impossible to see colour.

Colour as reflected from pigments has 3 main properties:-

▪ Hue

▪ Intensity

▪ Value

Hue

This property makes colours appear different from each other.

It is the property that enables us to label colours as blue, green,
orange, red and violet. Hue sometimes is used to mean odour.
It enables us to locate colour on the colour wheel. It also
indicates whether an odour is warm or cool. Pigment colours
have 3 basic hues – red, blue and yellow. They are also called
primary colours because they cannot be obtained by mixing any
other colours but can be mixed in various desired proportions to
get other colours. Any two when mixed in desired proportions
form a secondary colour. If the 3 are mixed (primary) in equal
proportions, they result in grey colours.

Colour Triangle

Red

Yellow Blue

(iii) Colour circle (wheel). Showing primary and secondary

colours.

ORANG
E

red
Yellow Green

Purple

Blue
 There are two sources of colour:-

(i) The Primary source of colour is light (Hue) (Shade)

- Here colour is the sensation produced in the eye by

rays of light, a mixture of all the colours of the
spectrum. The spectrum is the coloured band into
which a beam of light is split when passed through a
prism. Seven colours can be seen in this band. These
are the Rainbow colours. ROYGBIV. Red, Orange,
Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet. These are the
seven hues of light.

(ii) The Secondary Source of Colour is:

▪ Pigment: These are the colours used in art and design. They are
found in form of dyes, inks, paints, powder and tablets. Pigment
is a material one can touch. It is the colouring matter which gives
colours to objects.

All colours are classified under four main categories:

(i) PRIMARY COLOURS

These are pure original colours which cannot be obtained by

mixing any other colours. They are RED, BLUE, and YELLOW.

(ii) SECONDARY COLOURS

These are the colours which are obtained by mixing any two
primary colours in equal proportions i.e.
 Red + Yellow = Orange

Red + Blue = Purple or Violet

Blue + Yellow = Green

(iii) TERTIARY COLOURS

These are the colours which are obtained by mixing any two
secondary colours, i.e.

Violet + Orange = Dark Brown

Green + Violet = Olive

Green + Orange = Light Brown

Tertiary colours can also be made by mixing one primary colour

with one secondary colour:-

Yellow + Purple = Light Brown

Red + Green = Dark brown

These colours depend on the proportions of the mixed

secondary colours.

(iv) NEUTRAL COLOURS

The colours referred to as neutral are black, white and grey.

They are the colours used to neutralize or change tones of
other colours, e.g. red + white = Pink. On the other hand, black
is used to subdue the brilliance of other colours e.g. Red +
black is maroon. Grey is a mixture of white + black. Theory of
colour perspective: Some colours recede while others obtrude
(come forward).

(v) COOL COLOURS

 Express a pacified cool situation e.g. blue, green and purple.
They appear restful and do not seem to disturb the eyes. They
tend to recede away from the viewer and are used to suggest
distance. The sky and the hills are away painted in pale blue to
suggest that they are far away.

(vi) WARM COLOURS

These are brilliant, conspicuous, cheerful and stimulating. They

project and tend to advance towards the viewer. These are
red, yellow and orange. They seem warm because they are
associated with sources of heat such as fire and sun.

(vii) HARMONIOUS COLOURS

These are colours that have very close relationship and create
a harmonious atmosphere e.g. red and orange, blue and
purple, green and yellow, purple and green, blue and green.
Orange contains some red and purple has some blue. They
are next to each other on the colour wheel.

(viii) COMPLEMENTARY COLOURS

These are colours which enhance the quality of each other.

These colours lie opposite each other in the colour wheel.
They are clashing in appearance e.g. yellow and purple, red
and green, blue and orange.

Any two of these complementary colours intensify each other

when placed next to each other, e.g. green and red if placed
next, red will appear brighter and green greener.

USE OF COLOUR

It is used to:

(i) Describe form: Colour is used to enclose shapes using a brush or

pen; the shapes are changed to particular forms.
(ii) Model form: e.g. a circular shape which appears flat can be
painted in such a sphere. The shape is modeled by applying
different shades light dark and a tint of colours until it appears to
have volume.

(iii) Colour can create an illusion of depth in space

This is done in landscape painting where distance between near

objects and those in the background often appears distinct with
strong colours while those far away in the horizontal are less
distinct and colours are faint.

(iv) Colour should be used to suggest movement in a composition

It catches attention and directs it to the more important aspect of

the picture. Eyes follow the path of the colour to the centre of
interest.

(v) Colour should be used to express ideas, feelings and

imaginations. Thoughts and feelings hidden within people through
painting. Colour should be used to symbolize them. Colour
should be used in various tones to create mood.

(vi) Colour has power to arouse emotions: Colour has an emotive

effect. Red can convey a feeling of excitement or anger, yellow is
stimulating and gives a hint of joy and sunlight, green is soothing
and blue soothing or depressing. By introducing a yellow colour
scheme one can convey a sense of stimulation.

PROPERTIES OF COLOUR

(i) HUE: is the first property of colours. It makes colours appear

different from each other. It is the property that enables us
label colours as blue, green, organge or yellow. Sometimes the
 term hue is used to mean colour. Hues are categorized as cool
or warm.

(ii) VALUE: Is the second property of colour. Value refers to

lightness and darkness of a surface colour/surface. The lighter
values are called tints while the darker ones are called shades.
White is added to make the value of a colour lighter while black
is added to make it darker.

(iii) INTENSITY: The third property of colour is intensity a colour.

Colour intensity is also referred to as colour chroma. The
intensity of a colour is also affected by the area surrounding the
colour.

PRINCIPLES OF TWO DIMENSIONAL ART AND DESIGN

These are the guidelines that enable us to create a picture or a

design that is pleasing to look at. They guide the selection and use of
the elements to create a composition which is beautiful and
interesting.

They are:-

1. BALANCE: Refers to a state of equilibrium between elements

used in a composition. Elements such as line, shape, texture, value
and colour have to be used in such a way that each of them is
visually balance by an element of its type. Balance helps in the
creation of harmony between elements. It creates a feeling that the
visual weight of elements is distributed in most parts of the
composition.

Types of balances. These are three:-

▪ Symmetrical balance

▪ Asymmetrical balance
▪ Radial balance

(a)Symmetrical Balance

It is also known as formal balance. It is the type of visual balance

in which there is an imaginary line that passes through the middle
known as the axis which passes through the composition. The
axis divides the composition visually into 2 equal parts. The
elements on one side of the axis are identical to those on the
other. Most natural objects e.g. animals have a body mass that is
symmetrically balanced. It gives a feeling of stability uniformity
and monotony.

(b)Asymmetrical balance

Also known as informal balance or active balance. This one has

an axis too. However in this type of balance the weights and
attractions on each side of the axis are balanced by the elements
which are not identical. These elements are organized to create
visual tensions and a feeling of activity. Asymmetrical balance
sets the eye in motion and arouses the curiously to explore the
composition in order to find out what holds it in equilibrium. It
suggests movement and expresses a feeling of excitement. The
composition appears active.

Radial Balance – comes from the word radius.

Radius is a straight line which runs from the centre to the outer line
surrounding a circle or sphere. Here elements radiate from the
centre in the same way spokes off a bicycle do from the centre to the
outer rim. In this type of balance, the elements spread out from the
centre like a fan. The centre becomes a potential focal point which
may be emphasized or not. Radial balance spreads from the cente.

Normally radial balance is used to make Logos, letterheads etc.

2. DOMINANCE

Refers to something being conspicuous, bold, big and attractive so

that it stands out i.e. dominates the scene. The dominant forms or
element s should attract and dominate the attention of viewers’
interest to the viewers.

The elements could be visible in terms of size or colours or shape.

Dominance can be created using the following:-

(i) Using contrast e.g. (bright colours) (bolds and delicates lines)

Large with small forms:

(ii) Grouping forms i.e. important parts of a composition together

so that they stand out.

(iv) Use unexpected element in a composition.

(v) Have only one dominant form.

3. PROPORTION

Is the relationship of parts of a given form or composition. The

principle of proportion requires that the parts of a given form or a
composition be related in such a way that they appear visually
pleasing. E.g. the human figure should be proportional – trunk, head
and limbs should be proportional.

The space covered in the composition by the pictures is called

positive space while the rest is (unusual) negative space.

4. RHYTHM AND MOVEMENT

It is defined as a flowing movement having a regularly repeated

pattern. It is repeating shapes, colours, lines, forms and patterns.
There are 3 techniques of creating rhythm and movement in a
picture.

i) Repetition

ii) Alternation

iii) Progression

Rhythm and movement are used to attract, lead and hold attention of
the viewers. They are also used to express the character of a
composition by showing movement which is slow, vigorous or violent.

In art and design, rhythm is created by the way the elements are
organized to produce repeated curves, textural effects and colour
shades. Rhythm and movement exist in nature around us.

5. PERSPECTIVE

It is the illusion of depth or distance in a picture. The road seems

narrow as it goes further away from the viewer. Perspective cheats
the eye to think that it is actually real that the road is narrow at the
farthest end.

6. HARMONY AND UNITY

This is the unit of elements in a composition where they seem to

agree to work together. It is the total appearance of a composition
that makes it appear as a single unit. Unity is created through using
all the principles of art and design so that awareness is achieved.
Painting can be used to create harmony in a picture when colours are
chosen wisely.

ACTIVITIES IN ART AND CRAFT

DRAWING

Refers to the making of marks on a surface to create images

through a variety of techniques, for example rubbing, sliding,
smearing, scratching, painting and many others. It is the art of
representing objects on a surface using pencils, charcoal etc. we
draw objects we see and think of.

TYPES OF DRAWINGS

(i) Drawing from observation

(ii) Drawing from memory

(iii) Drawing from imagination

(i) Drawing from Imagination

▪ Still life observation – drawing objects arranged on a

surface e.g. on a table – fruits, trays, baskets, flowers,
pots, bottles etc.

(ii) Drawing Human figure

▪ Portrait drawing

(iii) Landscape drawing

▪ Animals

▪ Land and all in it

(iv) Drawing from Nature

 ▪ All found in the environment e.g. trees, flowers, fruits
etc.

(v) Drawing from memory

▪ Drawing objects you have seen before

▪ Drawing objects from what you can remember e.g.

events like weddings, a visit from factory, game
reserve dancers at Bomas of Kenya Sports day etc.

Assignment

1. Draw an event that you found most interesting

2. Make a picture of a variety of fruits arranged on a tray. Shade

the above drawings in pencils only.

Materials for modeling

- Clay

- Plasticine

- Wax

- Dough

- Dung

- Water

- Bucket
 - Spatula for scooping out

- Wooden knives

- Wooden bats for gently beating the clay

- Broken pieces of calabashes for smoothening

Techniques for modeling

- Balls

- Slabs

- Pinch

- Coil

Pinch method

- Prepare clay (or buy)

- Once ready, get a bit of it and roll it into a ball

- Using two thumbs, push then into the ball and move around the

ball pushing it outwards. Let it retain he round shape

Go on pinching and pushing until you have a round container. Add a

mouth to the round shape forming a pot.

Decorate the pot

Dry it under shape. This may take like a weak.

Ball method

- Prepare many balls of clay

- Get many ball to form the base and join them

- Continue adding more balls to make the walls

- Make the mouth

- Smoothen it

- Leave it to dry under shade

- Fire

Coil method

This involves the use of rolled up clay, built successfully upon each

other to create the required shape. The coils may be scratched

where there are joints to strengthen them.

Process

- Prepare the clay into rolls – long

- Have a surface e.g. table you want to use to place it.

- Coil it around until you come up with a pot or a dish.

- Smoothen the surface with a little water and a piece of

calabash.

- Keep it under shade to dry.

Assignment

Make a sculpture from soap (bar soap)

ASSESSMENT AND GRADING THE WORK OF CHILDREN

A work of art should be evaluated soon i.e. after the activity/lesson

What to look for

1. Interpretation of the theme or topic -10 marks

- clever children will add details

- check for the added details

- representation put in the picture i.e. elements, lines

- - shading (dots) use of lives

- Value

- Colour

- Texture
 2. Skillfulness of the execution- 10 marks

- How much has the child put in

- Use of colour

- Neatness

Remember each child works in a unique way

3. Composition of use of space- 20 marks

How is space used?

Use of positive and negative spaces. A good composition should

balance them.

4. Use of format- 30 marks

There are vertical, horizontal and radial formats

5. Use of elements- 10 marks

Shading

Texture – value/dark and light/shading/dots.

Colour – harmony contrast.

6. Use of principles- 10 marks

Use of dominance – how has the child used the principles of

dominance? Which figure has more dominance in a family?

-Proportion

Has the child taken care of the objects as compared to nature?

-Movement - Do the pictures show any movement

7. Finish- 10 marks

- Is it neatly finished? That is trimming, mounting, neatness, is it

interesting?
- Use glue to paste them onto the board, one by one.
- Cover the entire surface (picture) and the background
- Wait for it to dry.
- Trim and display the work.

Pattern Design

It is a technique of producing decorations on a surface thus,

adding beauty to it. Patterns can be put on any flat surface. E.g.
(2D).

- Walls
- Skins(leather)
- Ceiling Board
- Wooden tables
- Wooden doors/door frame
- Sacks
- Cloth lessons etc.

Patterns can also be put on (3D) surfaces e.g. pots, gourds,

carvings, shoes, earings, bangles, chest of drawers.

Materials used to make Patterns by drawing-

- Pencils/pencils/brushes
- Ink
- Chalk
- Dye
- Paint

By Carving – on flat surfaces :-

Pattern knives,

Pattern knives,

Chisel

Hammer

Shoe knife

Blades

By Modelling Patterns

- Clay
- Plasticine
 By Printing Patterns

Using ink and paints, leaves, leave stalk, cut potatoes, shoe soles,
wood blocks, tree barks etc.

Techniques of making patterns

- Painting
- Drawing
- Printing
- Modeling
- (edging) etching
- Weaving
- Knitting
- Crocheting
- Pasting and spraying.

Process of Drawing Patterns

There are two types of patterns

1. All over patterns

2. Boarder patterns

Border patterns are made to enclose a design e.g. on

- Chimney

- Picture frame
- Flower vase
- Pots
- Tables (tops)
 - Door frames

Process

- Get a piece of paper and decide the size of the design

- Draw a line around the margin forming a border.

B border pattern

All over pattern

Assignment
 1. All over pattern
2. Border pattern
3. Printed pattern
4. Mosaic
5. Collage

PRINT MAKING

To print means to place an object with ink or wet paint on a surface

press it lift off the block. The mark made on the surface is the print.
So it is actually using a block to press on a surface ad this makes a
mark. Surfaces that can be printed have to be uniformly flat e.g. wall,
paper, ground, cloth. We can print with any object. We have to mix
paint or ink and apply on the block we wish to use to print. In art and
craft (Design) we need to organize the prints to create decorations on
the intended surface. We print patterns, pictures and letters. Objects
used to print are:-

- Human body parts e.g. fingers, thumb, hands, feet etc.

- Objects from the environment e.g. maize combs leaves, bottle
tops etc.
- Other modified objects e.g. Banana stalk, pumpkin, pawpaw
stalk, sisal leaves, sorghum, maize, potatoes, sweet potatoes
etc.
- Seeds
- Rubber
- Stone
- Cassava
- Cassava
- Arrow root
- Clay an be printed on before it dries

When printing, the image left on the paper produces a negative of the
object or original image.
 Negative5 Negative 6

Block Negative print

Block Printing

Process

1.Select the block e.g. potatoe and cut into halves

2. Sketch the design on it

3. Using a biro or colored pen/pencil sketch the pattern on the

surface you intend to print.

4. Use a sharp knife to scoop the unwanted areas out

5. Mix paint/ink/dye and apply it on the block

6. Divide your paper into equal squares

7. Print on each square or marked area pressing gently

8. Your may jump one square to alternate with a different colour.

9. Fill the paper with the patterns of your choice

10. Leave it to dry

11. Trim and mount it for display

STENCIL PRINTING – uses art out of stencil process

1. Get two pieces of paper, similar in colour

2. Sketch the design you want on one paper
3. Select the areas you wish to remove
4. Cut out the areas you wish to remove.
5. Spread the paper (if it has whole holes)
6. Open the paper ( with hole) it shows, cut out patterns
7. Using the art cut paper now known as stencil, place, it on the
other paper.
8. Mix the paint into a thick liquid.
9. Using a brush spread paint onto the paper with cut art areas
(both papers as they are together)
10. Let it dry and lift the stencil paper
11. You now have the designs you want on the paper that
was underneath
12. Display the work

To make a durable stencil use silk. This is called Screen Printing.

RESIST TECHNIQUE

This is a method of making decorations on a surface (fabric) by

blocking certain areas of that fabric from getting the dye. There are
two types of resist method.

1) Batik
2) Tie and dye

BATIC

In this method, decorations or pictorial images are created by

using molten wax to block the areas that are not intended to
receive the dye.

Materials and tools

- Fabrick
- Pencil
- Wax (bees wax)
- Can/Tin for melting the wax
- Water/Basin
- Stove (to head the wax)
- Brush or piece o wood/metal rod
- Sufuria

Process

- Get a piece of plain material (while/yellow) of a required size.

- Spread it on a table
- Sketch the decorating design
- Heat the wax in a can by dipping the can into boiling water. Do
not head the wax directly on fire as it is highly inflammable.
- Heat the wax until it is molten and hot.
- Apply it (the wax ) on the area where the dye should not
appear. ( the area to resist the dye.
- Let it dry
- Fold and crack it, so that the cracked area can get the dye
- Prepare cold dye bath
- Put/dip the fabric into the dye bath
- Remove it and dry it (for 2 days) under shade
- Remove the wax by ironing the fabric between newspapers.
The newspaper absorbs the wax
- Continue issuing until no more wax is absorbed by the
newspaper.
- Diploma the material in hot salty water to fix the dye
- Dry it under shade iron it to fix the dye again.

TIE AND DYE

This is another dye resist method. The selected parts of a fabric

are tied with strings in order to resist the dye. The tying is done
very tightly so that no dye can sep through. The fabric is than
dipped in the dye bath.

Materials and tools for tie and dye

- Fabric
- Strings (sisal or manila)
- Sufuria
 - Stove
- Water
- Salt
- Dye
- Basins
- Bottle top
- Seeds
- Pebbles

Process

- Get a fabric of the needed size

- Using a pencil sketch the patterns on it
- Tie tightly the areas you want not to get the dye i.e. the area
intended to remain the original colour of the material ( to resist
the dye)
- Dip the fabric into dye bath
- Keep it in, turning it for about twenty minutes
- Remove the fabric and rinse in cold salty water, until the water
is lean. The salty water fixes the dye.
- Hang it to dry under shade.
- Once dry untie the knots.
- Press with hot iron, this also help to fix the dye

PAPER CRAFT

Paper craft is a technique of converting ordinary paper into 3

dimensional form by folding and cutting the strength of the paper
in use become strong at the folds. It can stand on its own as a :-

- Cone - bird
- Ball - animal wild or domestic
- Tree - box
- Star - Aero plane
- Fan - boat
- Kite

Materials and Tools

- Paper
- Scissors/razor blades
- Straws
- Glue
- Cotton threads
- Twigs

Articles that can be made

Geometric forms

Cuges

Funnels

Psyramids

Speres

Cones

Materials to be Used

Manilla

Strings

Scissors

Pencil

Process
- Select paper to use
- Make a sketch on the paper
- Fold the paper
- Cut out the areas you intend to cut
- If you need to fold again, do fold it

WEAVING

This is a process by which an article on fabric is formed by

interlacing a set of vertical threads with a set of horizontal ones.
The vertical threads are referred to as warps, with the horizontal
one are wefts. The warps and weft threads cross each other at
90%.

When teaching children weaving, paper could be used.

Process

i) Get two pieces of the same size of paper of different

colours. The paper could also be of a different texture.
ii) Cut them one vertically straight leaving one margin
iii) Cut the other one horizontally straight learning one draw the
margin and cut. Make marks where cutting will end. Cut
from the other end.
 iv) Put the warp on a flat table vertically.
v) Get the weft and place it horizontally

Process (Method)

- Get two papers

- Measure them to required size and cut into strips
- Do the interlacing up to the end
- Stick the edges and dsplay

N.B. Thread, e.g. sisal and nylon strings can be used.

Materials

- Table mats, floor mats

- Baskets
- Bags
- Caps
- Jewelry
- Decorative items and wall hangings

CARVING

Carrying means to make a form by cutting or chopping away parts

of a given material. It is the technique of chopping of the materials
bit by bit until one is left with the shape they are satisfied with. It is
the creating of a form by removing or adding parts of the material
bite by bit.
 (a)Block

There are two approaches to carving.

1) Carrying on the round three dimensional 3D

2) Relief carrying
1. Curving on the round is the technique where the artist curves all
sides of the object until the form the person wants is arrive at.
2. Relief curving is two dimensional. The forms in a relief carving
(sculpture) are composed on lines and shapes, linked y
contours. A relief is a projection or depression of design from a
flat surface.

Process (Sculpture on the Round Carving)

- Get wood block, clay stone or bar soap

- Make a sketch on paper of what you want
- Sketch it on the block
- Strat chopping away the material using a chisel, knife blade,
axe, mallet tct
- -Polish using a file, sand paper or broken pieces of glass
- Mount it ready for display.

Relief Carving

- Cut a block (wood, soap clay, soapstone)

- Sketch on paper, later
- Sketch the image on the surface of block
- Carve the decorations (images) using chisel, Knife or blade
- Polish and display
Where to apply relief carving

- Doors/ door frames

- Walls
- Furniture (coffee tables, stools, Bedframe.