Fine Arts: Visual Arts

Standard 1: Understanding and Applying Media, Techniques and Processes

• K-4 - Students use different media, techniques and processes to communicate ideas, experiences and stories.
• 5-8 - Students intentionally take advantage of the qualities and characteristics of art media, techniques and processes to enhance communication of their experiences and ideas.

Standard 3: Choosing and Evaluating a Range of Subject Matter, Symbols and Ideas

• K-4 - Students select and use subject matter, symbols and ideas to communicate meaning.
• 5-8 - Students integrate visual, spatial and temporal concepts with content to communicate intended meaning in their artworks.

Source: National Standards for Arts Education

Although each Ellison die-cut is attractive on its own, a layered Troll that has been "dressed" in a variety of patterned clothing and hair color, adds variety and personality to a bulletin board.

Layering, or embellishing, is not as complicated as it might look. It is just a matter of leaving one die-cut whole and trimming away parts of other die-cuts and adhering them on top of the whole die-cut.

Figure A

Figure B

Supplies Used: Cardstock, Colored Pens, Double-Sided Tape, Glue, Scissors

The teacher will die-cut the materials for student use prior to the lesson.

1. Die-cut the Troll shape in five different colors. Colors would be for the skin, hair, clothes and eyes.
2. One of these die-cuts will be left whole (green skin color) and the other die-cuts will be cut (Figure A).
   • TIP: To determine which die-cut will remain whole, look at the shape as if it were real. The part that remains whole is the part that would be farthest away. For example, the troll's body would be beneath the clothes and hair.
3. Tape a piece of black construction paper behind the hole in the face representing the "eyes."
4. Take the dark purple Troll die-cuts and trim away the body. Adhere the dark purple body to the green Troll die-cut. Take the light purple Troll die-cut and trim away highlights on the body. Adhere the light purple highlights to the dark purple body and complete the clothing.
5. Take the red die-cut and trim away the hair and tongue. Adhere the hair and tongue to the dressed Troll die-cut (Figure B).
   • TIP: When only a small part of a die-cut is used in layering, the paper only needs to cover the part of the die that will be layered. In this case, the red paper would only need to cover the "head" part of the die-cut when cutting.
     
6. Additional detail may be added with the use of colored pencils. Create red rosy cheeks and add green highlights to the arms, legs and face (see Main Photo).