Decorative Dream Dots

Paint with dots—yes, just dots—to design a decorative plate. Australian Aboriginal painters use the same technique in their art.

• 1.

  Find out more about the dot paintings of Australia’s Aboriginal people. This art form, which has its roots in the ancient "Dream Time" journeys, is still used today. Most dot paintings contain patterns of natural forms such as animals. Use this technique to decorate a plate that makes a wonderful gift!

• 2.

  Trace around a clear glass plate with Crayola® Erasable Colored Pencils on paper. Inside the outline, sketch one or more Australian creatures (koala or kangaroo, perhaps). Create a simple pattern for your plate by repeating the drawing, for example, or use it for a border. With Erasable Colored Pencils, it’s easy to make changes and correct mistakes!

• 3.

  Lay your drawing on newspaper. Place your plate over your drawing, face down. You will paint ONLY the underside of the plate.

• 4.

  Use cotton swabs to apply dots of Crayola Portfolio Acrylic Paint on the glass. Use your pattern as a guide. Keep your dots smooth and round by changing cotton swabs often.

• 5.

  Experiment with other colors and patterns to fill the areas around the animal forms. Fill the entire underside of your plate with dots of color.

• 6.

  Air-dry the plate overnight before you lift it.

Benefits

• Children examine the themes, techniques, and meanings of Australian Aboriginal art.
• Children gather information about Australian animals.
• Children decorate the back of a glass plate with a dot painting suitable for a gift or display.

Adaptations

• Create an Aboriginal-style dot painting on paper, fabric, wood, or other surfaces.
• Research Aboriginal X-ray paintings for an alternative art form. Why do they have this name?
• Research and plan an imaginary trip to Australia. Keep an imaginary daily diary. If possible, ask someone from Australia to talk with your class about this fascinating continent.