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

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. Decorate this adorable Teddy Bear Finger Puppet for animated fun!

Figure A

Figure B

Supplies Used: Cardstock, Colored Pencils, Colored Pens, Glue, Ribbon, Scissors, Yarn

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

1. Die-cut the Teddy Bear Finger Puppet shape in two shades of brown. Colors would be for the body, face and ears.
2. One of these die-cuts will be left whole (dark brown) 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 Bear's body would be beneath the face and ears.
3. Tape a piece of black construction paper behind the hole in the face representing the "eyes" and "nose."
4. Take the light brown Bear die-cut and trim away the face and ears. Adhere the face and ears to the dark brown Bear (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 light brown paper would only need to cover the "head" part of the die-cut when cutting.
     
5. Additional detail may be added with the use of colored pencils. Create red rosy cheeks and color to the ears. Add a blue ribbon to dress the Bear (see Main Photo).