KNOW MORE

Art and Craft

GRADE 6

LEARNER’S BOOK

Marshall Ndiwa

Joseph Wangila

Thomas Chunguli

This book belongs to

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Storymoja

PO Box 264 – 00606

Sarit Centre, Nairobi, Kenya.

Storymoja books are published by No Boundaries Ltd., an ethical

indigenous company formed by a collective of writers committed to

promoting African writing of world-class standards.

Edited by Mathew Sang and Jane Mathenge

Design and layout by Serah Muchai

Cover design by Erick Mathenge

First published in 2022 as a Storymoja imprint by No Boundaries Ltd.,

PO Box 264 – 00606, Sarit Centre, Nairobi, Kenya.

ISBN 978-9966-62-367-6

utilised in any form by any means electronic or mechanical – including

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Every effort has been made to trace all copyright holders, but if any

has been inadvertently overlooked, the publishers will be pleased to

make the necessary arrangements at the first opportunity.

Contents

Picture making --------------------------------------------- 1

1.1 Drawing ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1

1.2 Painting ------------------------------------------------------------------------17

1.3 Montage -----------------------------------------------------------------------26

Indigenous kenyan crafts ------------------------------- 32

2.1 Basketry -----------------------------------------------------------------------32

2.2 Leatherwork -----------------------------------------------------------------44

2.3 Pottery ------------------------------------------------------------------------50

2.4 Sculpture -----------------------------------------------------------------------57

Design, mixed media and technology ------------- 66

3.1 Graphic design ---------------------------------------------------------------66

3.2 Paper craft --------------------------------------------------------------------76

3.3 Simple animation ------------------------------------------------------------92

3.4 Photography ---------------------------------------------------------------- 101

Presentation and exhibition -------------------------108

4.1 Mounting and display ----------------------------------------------------- 108

4.2 Exhibition skills ------------------------------------------------------------- 116

PICTURE MAKING

1.1 Drawing

Drawing is an act of making pictures on a surface using pencils, crayons,

charcoal or any other soft media. In Grade 5, you learnt how to draw still-

life compositions using techniques such as cross hatching and crayon etching

techniques. In Grade 6, you will learn how to draw using the stippling

technique.

Stippling is the process of using dots to draw a picture or shade a drawing.

Stippling technique

Key words

• stippling • texture • proportion • balance • overlapping

Activity 1: Observing pictures shaded using the stippling

technique

What to do

1. Study the pictures below.

a) What has been used to show texture on the objects?

b) How have the light and dark areas been created?

c) What is the difference in the shading between the object and the

shadow in each picture?

d) From which direction does light fall on the objects?

2. Share your observations with the class and get feedback from the teacher.

Activity 2: Observing virtual samples of pictures shaded using

the stippling technique

What to do

1. Your teacher will show you a video clip on samples shaded using the

stippling technique.You can also use this link: https://tinyurl.com/3sdfmj4n

2. Discuss what you have observed in the video clip.Talk about the following:

a) What can you use to stipple?

b) Name two things one should remember when using the stippling

technique to shade a drawing.

c) How do you contrast the light and dark areas using dots?

d) When shading using the stippling technique, which areas do you start

with?

Let us learn

a) Drawing is the act of making forms on a surface using anything that

leaves a mark. Drawing tools include pencils, pens, crayons, charcoal and

sharp objects. We can also draw using digital devices such as computers

and tablets.

b) A stipple is a dot.When stippling, the drawing tool is used to create a

picture using dots.

c) The dots used in the stippling technique can be of the same size or of

different sizes.

d) The concentration of the dots

shows the direction from which

the light is falling on the object.

This helps to contrast the light

and the dark areas as shown in

the picture alongside.

Shading an imaginative composition by stippling

Activity 3: Shading by stippling

What you need: a pencil, charcoal or any other material for drawing and

a drawing paper

What to do

1. Draw an outline of a pot, gourd and a calabash as shown below.

2. After you have drawn your composition, identify the direction from which

the light is falling on the objects. Start by making light dots from the left

side that is closer to the light. Increase the concentration of dots as you

move to the right as shown below.

3. Also use dots to show the shadows on the inside part of the items.Your

composition will look like the one shown below.

4. Display your work to the class. How can the composition be improved?

What do you like about the work done by your classmates? How they

can be improved?

5. Clean your working area and store your materials well for future use.

Wash your hands using clean water and soap.

Let us learn

a) When drawing objects that overlap, you start with the objects that are

at the front and then move to the back.You should only draw the parts

of the objects that you can see.

b) In a composition, the objects at the front appear to be below the objects

that are at the back. In the composition below, the gourd appears to be

below the pot.

Take home activity

1. Arrange a composition of three small items found at home. Examples

of such items could be fruits or utensils such as cups or plates.

2. Draw sketches of the items as arranged in the composition.

3. Shade your composition using the stippling technique to show light and

dark areas.

4. Discuss the composition with your parents or guardians.

5. Show your classmates the composition in the next lesson. Discuss what

you like about the composition and how it can be improved.

Texture, balance and proportion

When creating 2D artworks of art, always emphasise on texture, balance

and proportion.

Texture

Texture is an element of art used to describe the way an object or a surface

feels when touched. It also refers to the visual feel of a piece of artwork,

such as a painting. Texture can be perceived physically through touch or

visually through the sense of sight. It can be smooth, rough, soft and so on.

Activity 4: Studying the use of dots to show texture

Study the pictures below. Dots have been used to show different types of

texture in each picture.

a) Describe the texture in each picture.

b) How have dots been used to show texture in each case?

Varying the concentration of dots in a picture helps to show the rough and

smooth areas in an object or form.

Remember

Always respect everyone’s views and listen while other learners are

contributing to the discussion.

Balance

Activity 5: Balance in a composition

Study the pictures below.They show different types of visual balance in a

composition.

C D

Describe how balance has been created in each picture.

Visual weight is a measure of how much something attracts your eye. For

instance, a red object attracts the eye more than a yellow object. Red colour

is therefore considered to have a higher visual weight.

Balance –This is the equal distribution of visual weight in a composition so

that all the elements such as colour, size, shape and texture appear stable.

Balance is important in any composition because it creates stability in

the drawing. In a composition that is balanced, the visual weight of all the

elements appear stable, meaning one side does not appear heavier than

the other.There are various types of balance in compositions.They include

the following:

a) Symmetrical balance – In this case, the shape, size, colour and

texture in the composition are the same on each side of the central

axis. See the picture that follows.

central axis

b) Asymmetrical balance – In asymmetrical balance, the sizes of the

forms on each side of the central axis are not the same. However, they

create some level of balance because they interact in a way that makes

the visual weight on each side of the central axis appear stable. See

the example below.

central axis

c) Radial balance – In this case, the dots are arranged equally around

a central point as shown below.

The following are examples of factors that affect visual balance in a

composition.

a) Colour – Objects with darker colours seem heavier than those with

lighter colours.Always consider colour when trying to achieve balance

in a composition. Include vibrant colours in your composition to balance

out larger elements with lighter colours. See the pictures below.Which

bottle appears lighter than the other?

b) Size – Larger shapes appear heavier than smaller shapes. See the

examples below. Always consider the size of the elements in your

composition. Ensure they are visually balanced in your composition.

c) Texture – An object that has texture appears heavier than an object

with no texture as shown below. You can use texture to achieve visual

balance in your composition.

d) Shape – Some shapes such as squares appear heavier than others such

as circles. This is because a square appears more stable than a circle

which appears to display movement. Which of the following shapes

appears heavier than other?

Proportion

Proportion – Proportion is the relationship of the size of one element when

compared to another. When proportions of elements in a composition are

incorrect, the resulting image appears unrealistic.

Activity 6: Good and bad proportion

Study the pictures below. They show good and bad proportions in a

composition.

A B

Good proportion Bad proportion

a) Why do you think picture A shows good proportion?

b) Why do you think picture B shows bad proportion?

Share and discuss your observations with your friends. Get feedback from

the teacher on how you can achieve good proportion in a composition.

Take home activity

1. With guidance from your parent or guardian, draw a composition with

overlapping objects of different sizes. Ensure you apply the elements and

the principles of good art, that is, texture, balance and proportion.

2. Use the stippling technique to shade your composition.

3. Show your friends the composition and inform them about the following:

a) How you used dots to create texture.

b) How you achieved balance in your composition.

c) How you ensured that the elements in the composition are proportional.

Overlapping of objects

Overlapping occurs when some objects cover parts of other objects in a

composition.

Activity 7: Creating a composition through overlapping

What you need: pencil, eraser and drawing book

What to do

1. Observe the following in the composition below.

a) The positioning of the three objects in the composition.

b) The size, shape and texture of each object.

c) The proportion of each object in relation to the other objects in the

composition.

2. Draw and shade the composition. Follow the steps below.

a) Start by sketching the lemon which is at the front of the other objects

in the composition on the previous page.

b) Draw an outline of the watermelon. Remember to only draw the

parts of the watermelon that you can see.The objects at the back

are placed higher within the picture so that they appear further away

from the viewer. Objects at the front of the composition are placed

lower within the picture frame. See the example below.

c) Draw the capsicum on the right side of the watermelon and the

lemon. Only draw the parts of the capsicum that you can see.

d) Determine the direction from which light is falling on the objects in

the composition.

Light source

e) Use the stippling technique to shade the composition. Show the light

and dark areas on the composition. The shadows (on the ground)

from the objects in the composition extend away from the direction

of light. See the example below.

f) Display and talk about your work with your friends.Tell your friends

what you like about your composition. Let them tell you what they

like about your composition.

g) Clean your working area and store your materials well for future

use. Wash your hands using soap and clean water.

Remember

Wash your hands with soap and clean water before and after handling

learning materials. This will prevent you from contracting diseases

caused by harmful organisms such as bacteria and viruses.

Community service learning activity

1. Form an art club at home with your friends.

2. In your club, discuss types of pictures that can be used for decoration.

3. Draw pictures using the stippling technique.

4. Use the pictures to decorate a children’s home in your locality.

Imaginative compositions

An imaginative composition is a work of art that an artist creates based on

their imagination, observation or personal experiences.The compositions

can be based on varied themes such as nature, human forms, politics, religion

objects and so on.This requires imagination and creative skills from the artist.

Key words

imaginative composition

Activity 1: Observing samples of imaginative compositions

What to do

1. Your teacher will show you samples of imaginative compositions.

2. Study what the artists have drawn. Where do you think they got the

idea for the compositions from?

3. Discuss your views and observations with your friends. Get feedback

from the teacher.

Activity 2: Studying imaginative compositions

Study the pictures below.

a) What do you think was the artist’s imagination in each picture?

b) Imagine you are visiting the most beautiful place in the world. What

picture comes to your mind?

c) Discuss with your friends how you can express what is on your mind

using pictures.

Activity 3: Drawing an imaginative composition

What you need: a pencil, eraser, a drawing book or paper

What to do

1. Imagine a composition that is made of a twig, two leaves and a fruit. You

can do this by observing fruit trees at home, school or in magazines.

2. Draw an outline of the composition on paper or in your drawing book.

Ensure the two leaves, the twig and the fruit are proportional and

balanced.

3. After outlining, determine the direction from which light falls on the

composition.

4. Shade the composition using the stippling technique. While shading,

ensure that areas that are close to the light source have fewer dots. The

areas that are further away from the light source should have a higher

concentration of dots. See the following example.

Remember

Increase the concentration of dots as you move away from the light source.

Use fewer dots to show smooth texture and a higher concentration of

dots to show rough texture.

5. Study your friend’s work and point out what you like about the work.

Remember

Be kind to your classmates when giving them feedback.

6. Clean up your working area and store your learning materials well.

Wash your hands using soap and clean water.

Take home activity

Look around your home area and observe the fruit trees. Study how the

fruits, twigs and leaves are placed in relation to each other. If there are no

fruit trees around your home, look for pictures of the same and study them

carefully. Draw a composition of a twig, leaves and a fruit from any of the

trees you have observed.

Discuss your drawing with your parents or guardians.Tell them how you

have ensured all elements in your drawing are balanced and in proportion.

Show them how you have achieved the different textures on the twig, leaves

and fruit.

Community service learning activity

1. Practise drawing imaginative compositions with your friends. Shade the

pictures using the stippling technique.

2. Use the pictures to decorate a children’s home or an old people’s home

in your community.

Quick reminder

The stippling technique is one of the ways you can use to create

interesting compositions. In this technique, the concentration of dots

is varied to show light and dark effects. Dots are also used to show

different textures.

When drawing, it is always important to ensure that forms are balanced

and proportional to make the composition realistic.

1.2 Painting

Painting involves applying paint on a surface such as wood, stone, paper

and clay to create a picture.

Activity 1: Identifying tools and resources used in painting

Study the picture below.

a) What are the children doing?

b) What materials and tools are they using?

c) Which of the materials and tools can be made locally?

Share your observations with the class and get feedback from the teacher.

Let us learn

1. Common painting materials and tools include the following:

Paint brushes

Sponge

Palette

Ink

Paints

Painting knives

or spatula

2. Common painting surfaces include the following:

Paper

Cloth

Canvas

Wooden board

Key words

• painting • subject matter • pictorial composition

• proportion • tonal value • centre of interest

Remember

a) The environment is a source of painting tools and materials.We should

always take good care of it.

b) Always reuse and recycle learning resources such as paper as much

as possible to conserve the environment.You can also make a sponge

for painitng using an old mattress.

Important considerations when painting

Let us learn

When creating a pictorial composition, the artist has to consider the following:

a) subject matter b) centre of interest

c) proportionality d) tonal value.

Subject matter

Subject matter refers to the topic or the main focus of an artwork.

Examples include people, landscape and arrangement of objects (still-life).

Activity 2: Identifying the subject matter in a painting

Study the picture below and discuss the questions that follow.

a) What is the main idea that the artist is expressing?

b) What makes you think that is the main idea the artist is trying to

express?

c) Is it easy to tell what the artist is expressing? Why do you think so?

Share your observations with friends. Get feedback from the teacher.

Centre of interest

The centre of interest in a pictorial composition is what catches the

viewer’s attention when they look at the picture. This is also referred to as

the focal point. It captures the attention of the viewer and makes them

curious about the picture.

Activity 3: Identifying the centre of interest in a painting

Study the pictures below.

a) Talk about the ﬁrst thing that catches your attention in each picture.

b) Discuss why the particular form or object in the composition catches

your attention.

c) Share your observations with friends and get feedback from the teacher.

Let us learn

You can create a centre of interest in a painting doing the following:

a) Placing the important element at the centre of the picture frame. In

Picture B above, the water body, the plam trees and the house have been

placed at the centre because that is where the focus is.

b) Using bright colours in the composition to attract the attention of the

viewer to an object. For instance, in Picture A, the artist used a red colour

to attract the viewer’s attention to the boat.

c) Contrasting or creating attention on some elements. In both pictures,

the artists used colour contrast to distinguish the sky from the water

bodies.

Proportion

Proportion in a pictorial composition is the relationship in size of one

element compared to another. If some parts of the drawing are too big or

too small, then the image is described as being out of proportion. In the

picture shown below, the fruit is bigger than the tree.The picture is therefore

out of proportion.

For a pictorial composition to look realistic, the objects should be proportional

and balanced.

Activity 4: Proportionality in forms within a pictorial

composition

Study the pictures below and discuss the questions that follow.

a) In which picture has proportionality been observed by the artist?

b) Which picture has some elements out of proportion? Give reasons for

your answer.

c) Share your observations with friends. Be respectful when responding to

others.

Tonal value on forms in a painting

Tonal value refers to the lightness or darkness of the colours

used in an artwork. This is the contrast between the colours used.

A painting that does not have good contrast in colour tones ends up being

ﬂat or dull. Good contrast in colour makes a painting attractive. In the picture

below, the artist created different tonal values by increasing the lightness

of each colour in every stage towards the right.

Activity 5: Observing the use of tonal value on forms in a

painting

Study the following pictures with your friend.

a) Describe the lightness or darkness of the colours used in the paintings.

b) Which of the two paintings do you ﬁnd attractive? Give reasons why

you ﬁnd one painting more attractive compared to the other yet they

are presenting the same idea.

c) How does the lightness or darkness of colour affect the quality of a

painting?

d) Share your observations and responses with friends.

Let us learn

To create tonal value in a painting, the artist varies the colour tones from

dark to light.This is done by adding more black to create a darker value or

adding more white to achieve a lighter tonal value.

Imaginative pictorial composition on a sports activity

Activity 6: Creating an imaginative composition

What you need: pencil, drawing book, paint brushes, paint and clean

water

What to do

1. Draw a sketch of you and your friend playing your favourite sports game.

When drawing, consider the subject matter and the centre of interest.

See the example below.

2. Paint your drawing using suitable and attractive colours. Follow the

steps below.

a) Select appropriate colours depending on the elements in the drawing

for example, green for the grass and blue for the sky. Paint the

illustration as shown in the picture that follows. At this stage, the

picture does not have colour tones. See the picture that follows.

b) Vary the colour tones based on the source of the light. Areas further

from the light will have darker tones while those close to the source

of light will have lighter tones. Ensure there is a smooth blend of the

tones from one shade to the next.

3. Talk to your friends about the painting.

a) Why did you chose the colours you have used?

b) How did you achieved proportionality in the elements?

c) How did you ensured the tonal value in your colours is good.

4. Give feedback to your friends about their paintings.

Remember

Always be kind when giving your views about the work of your classmates.

5. Clean your working area, the paint brushes and the palette. Leave your

painting tools to dry before storing them and the other materials for

future use.

6. Wash your hands using soap and clean water.

Take home activity

1. With guidance from your parents or guardians, look around your home

and identify something that you would like to express in a painting.

2. Sketch your drawing and paint it.

3. Discuss your painting with your parents or guardians:

a) Tell them why you chose the subject matter you have expressed in

your painting.

b) Explain to them the centre of interest in your painting.

c) Talk about how you have ensured that your painting has correct

proportions and the right colour tones.

Remember

a) Reuse materials where possible. This helps to conserve the

environment.

b) Always clean up your working area after the activity.

c) Wash your hands with clean water and soap before and after every

activity.This will prevent you from getting infections.

Community service learning activity

1. In your art club at home, think of some ideas you would like to express

through imaginative compositions for the Pre-primary section of your

school.

2. Express your ideas through paintings.

3. Choose the best painting and hang them in the Pre-primary classroom

at your school.

1.3 Montage

In art, a montage is a composition made from cutting and pasting pictures

from different places on a surface to make one composition.A montage can

be used to create a theme or present an idea. Grade 4, you learnt how to

make montage compositions based on health and nutrition. In Grade 6, you

will create pictorial compositions on the theme of wildlife.

Key words

• montage • characteristics of montage • mounting

Pictorial compositions

Activity 1: Observing montage compositions

What to do

Study the picture below with your friends. Four different picture cut outs

were put together to form one seamless image.

a) Which theme is expressed in the picture?

b) How has the artist balanced the picture cut outs to create one image?

c) How has the artist made the composition look attractive?

Share your observations with friends and get feedback from the teacher.

Activity 2: Observing virtual montage compositions

What to do

1. Your teacher will show you a video clip of different montage compositions.

You can also use this link: https://tinyurl.com/2p9fn567

2. Observe the following in the video clip:

a) The theme in each composition.

b) How the artists utilise space when creating a montage composition.

3. Share your observations with friends. Get feedback from the teacher.

Let us learn

Below are the main characteristics of montage compositions:

a) Many related cut out pictures are put together on one surface.

b) The components and edges of cut outs are blended together to

form one seamless picture.

c) The cut out pictures are overlapped in a realistic and creative manner.

Activity 3: Discussing the characteristics of montage pictorial

compositions

Study the montage composition below.

a) What features do you observe in the composition?

b) How has the artist ensured that the composition appears as a single

seamless image?

c) How has the artist used space when creating the picture?

Let us learn

1. When creating a montage, consider the following factors:

a) The subject matter – The pictures used must express the theme

or main idea in the composition.

b) Balance of forms – The images used should balance well on the

space to create an attractive composition.

c) Overlapping –The overlapping edges of the cut out pictures should

blend in a realistic manner to create a neat ﬂow in the composition.

2. Sources of pictures to use in montage compositions include old magazines,

calendars and newspapers.

3. When creating montage compositions, it is important to maintain neatness

by:

a) applying the glue neatly

b) placing the various images in an orderly and creative manner.

Activity 4: Creating a montage composition of wild animals

What you need: cut out pictures of wild animals, Manila paper, cutting

tools such as scissors and glue

What to do

1. Create a montage composition based on wild animals. Decide on the

theme of your composition. An example would be animals at the drinking

hole.

2. Collect picture cut outs of the animals you will use in your composition.

Cut out related photographs from newspapers, magazines and old

calendars. Ensure the pictures are well cut to achieve a neat composition

Below are examples of picture cut outs used in this activity.

3. Arrange the picture cut outs on a mounting surface such as a Manila

paper. Make sure the overlaps create a neat ﬂow of the image and space

has been well utilised as shown in the picture that follows.

5. Once you have achieved the desired balance, apply glue on each picture

cut out and paste them on the mounting surface to create your montage.

Your pictorial composition is ready!

6. Display your pictorial composition.Which characteristics of a montage

did you observe when creating the composition? How is your montage

composition different from that of your friend?

Remember

Always exercise caution when using cutting tools to avoid injuries.

Take home activity

1. With guidance from from your parents or guardians, create a montage

of the animals found at home.

2. Discuss the composition you have created. What do you like about the

composition?

3. Show your classmates the composition in the next lesson and give each

other feedback on what you like about the compositions and how they

can be made look better.

Let us learn

There are different surfaces which you can use when mounting a montage

composition.They include Manila paper, art paper, soft boards and walls.

Community service learning activity

1. In your community art club, create a montage composition of the wild

animals found in your county.

2. Using the composition as visual aid, explain to the local community why

it is important to take care of wild animals.

3. Educate the community on the beneﬁts of wild animals to the county.

Quick reminder

You can create interesting montage compositions.To create the pictorial

composition, cut out pictures are neatly arranged and then glued onto a

mounting surface.The overlapping edges are arranged to create a neat ﬂow

of the pictures to create an attractive composition.

2.1 Basketry

Coil and stitch technique

Basketry is the technique of weaving items such as baskets and mats using

methods such as coiling and stitching, twining, plaiting and wickerwork. Below

are examples of basketry items made using various methods.

Coiling and stitching

Plain weaving

Twining

Wicker work

a) Which basketry method is common in your community?

b) Name the locally available materials that you can use to make the

items.

Let us learn

There are various techniques that you can use to make basketry items.

In Grade 4, you learnt how to weave functional circular items with plant

INDIGENOUS KENYAN CRAFTS

ﬁbres using the traditional twining technique. In the traditional twining

technique, two sets of yarns or threads are intertwined around warps

to create an item. In Grade 5, you made basketry items using the plain

and twine technique. In Grade 6, you will learn about the coil and stitch

technique.This technique involves making basketry items by coiling ﬂexible

materials like banana ﬁbre or plastic papers and bundling them together.

The coils are then stitched together using a thread and a needle. See the

examples in the activity below.

Activity 1: Observing items made using the coil and stitch

technique

What to do

Study the pictures below.Answer the questions that follow.

a) How are the items in the pictures used?

b) What materials have been used to make the items?

c) Describe how each item is made.

Activity 2: Observing virtual samples of items made using the

coil and stitch technique

What to do

1. Your teacher will show you a video clip on basketry items made using

the coil and stitch technique.You can also use this link: https://tinyurl.

com/57cd93jc

2. Watch the video clip and answer the following questions:

a) What process is used to make the items?

b) What materials are used to make the items?

c) What tools are used to make the items?

Activity 3: Identifying natural and man-made materials for

making basketry items using the coil and stitch

technique

What to do

1. Below are examples of natural and man-made materials that can be

used in making basketry items. Identify the materials.

2. Which other natural and man-made materials can be used to make

basketry items?

Natural

materials

Wattle sticks

Sisal ﬁbre Banana ﬁbre

Rafﬁa

Man-made

materials

Plastic papers (reusable such as bread wrapping)

Fabric strip Rayon ﬁbre

The materials used for basketry items should be strong and ﬂexible. The

materials should also be easy to clean.

Activity 4: Collecting natural and man-made materials for

making basketry items using the coil and stitch

technique

What to do

1. Identify the materials for making basketry items that you can collect

from your local environment.

2. Collect the natural and man-made materials for making basketry items

using the coil and stitch technique.

3. In your exercise book, draw a table like the one shown below. Write

the names of the materials you have collected in the correct columns.

Natural materials Man-made materials

4. Store the materials you have collected for use in the next activity.

Remember

Wash your hands with soap and clean water after collecting weaving

materials from the environment.

Take home activity

1. With your parents or guardians discuss other materials found at home

that you can use for basketry.

2. Collect the materials you ﬁnd at home and take them to school for the

next activity.

Activity 5: Preparing materials for making a ﬂoor mat

What you need: natural or man-made materials used in basketry, a

cutting tool such as a knife or blade, dye, clean water, basins or buckets

and soap

Preparing man-made materials

What to do

Examples of man-made materials include fabric, reusable plastic bags and

ﬁbre from synthetic sacks.

a) Clean the materials using water and soap.

b) Tear the material into long thin strips. You can also use scissors to

split stiff fabric into strips.

c) If the fabric strips you are using need to be dyed, soak them in a

container with dye for about 30 minutes.

d) After dyeing your strips, rinse the excess dye from the strips and

hang them in the sun to dry.

Preparing natural materials

a) Harvest the sisal leaves or parts of the banana stems.

Sisal leaves

Parts of a banana stem

b) Crush the sisal leaves or parts of the banana stem using blunt object.

Then scrap off the ﬂeshy part using a blunt knife. See the examples

that follow.

Remember

Wear plastic gloves to protect your hands from burns and stains caused

by sisal juice.

Reuse materials such as old fabrics, plastic papers and ﬁbres from old

sacks.This helps to conserve our environment.

(i) Scrapping sisal leaf

(ii) Scrapping off the ﬂeshy part

of banana stem

c) Rinse the ﬁbres in water and hang them out to dry well.

d) After drying, your ﬁbres will look like the ones shown in the pictures

below.

(i) Sisal ﬁbre

(ii) Banana ﬁbre

Preparation of coils

1. Using the ﬁbre or the strips you have prepared, make coils by plaiting.

Follow the steps below:

a) Gather the ends of the ﬁbre or the fabric strips and tie them together.

See the picture that follows.

b) Start plaiting the ﬁbre to make a rope as shown in the picture below.

Follow the same procedure if you are using other ﬁbres like fabric

strips or reusable plastic bags.

c) Keep adding the ﬁbres or strips until you get the length of coil you

require.

2. You can also make the ropes using two strips of ﬁbre or fabric as shown

in the following picture.

3. Store the ropes you have prepared and the other materials safely for

use in the next activity.

4. Clean the working area.Wash your hands with soap and clean water.

Let us learn

a) Always clean the materials you are reusing before making the coils.

Cleaning makes the materials easy to work with. It also ensures the

materials are clean of any harmful organisms.

b) Let the materials and the dye dry completely before making the ropes.

Always wear protective gloves when handling dye to avoid staining your

hands.

c) There are two types of ropes that can be made as shown below.

Plaited rope

Rolled ropes

Weaving a ﬂoor mat using the coil and stitch technique

Below are examples of circular ﬂoor mats made using the coil and stitch

technique.You are going to make such mats using the steps given in the

activity that follows.

Activity 6: Weaving a ﬂoor mat

What you need: the ropes that you prepared, big eye needle and yarn

or thin strings

What to do

1. Hold one end of the coil as you bend it in a spiral manner.Tuck the end

into the centre of the coil as shown below.This forms the core.

core

2. To achieve a strong core, pass a big eye needle through the ﬁrst couple

of coils, then pass it through again at right angles to the ﬁrst pass as

shown below.

3. Using a needle and thread, join the ropes as shown in the picture below.

Remember to pull the thread tightly to prevent the coils from becoming

loose.

4. Continue coiling and stitching the ropes in a spiral pattern as shown in

the picture below.

5. Watch a video on how to add more rope by trimming the edges of the

new rope and the coiled rope to achieve wedge-shaped ends using this

link: https://tinyurl.com/2p9aj72j. Add more rope to the mat and stitch

them tightly.

6. Ensure the coiling and stitching is neat and uniform in order to create

an attractive mat.

Remember

Always be careful when using cutting tools or sharp tools such as scissors

or needles to avoid cutting or pricking yourself or other learners.

Activity 7: Finishing and neatening the woven ﬂoor mat

What you need: the ﬂoor mat you made, needle and thread, a pair of

scissors, and a piece of cloth

What to do

1. A ﬁnished mat should have well-trimmed edges and neat joints.Trim the

edges of your mat neatly by cutting off the loose ﬁbres.

2. Stitch round the edge using a needle and thread. Bind around the edge

using a piece of cloth as shown below.

4. Show your friend the mat you have made and observe the mat your

friend made. What do you like about the mats? What can you do to

make the mats better?

5. Store your materials well and clean up the working area.You can use

the mats at home as door mats.

6. Wash your hands with clean water and soap after ﬁnishing and neatening

your mat.

Community service learning activity

1. With your friends in the art club, make attractive ﬂoor mats of different

colours and shapes.

2. Donate the mats to a children’s ward in a local hospital.

3. Some of the mats can be sold to the local community. The money from

the sales can be used to help needy learners at school or the elderly.

4. Ensure the materials you use are durable, can easily be cleaned and are

not slippery.

Quick reminder

Coil and stitch technique can be used to make items in basketry such

as ﬂoor mats and baskets. You have learnt how to make a ﬂoor mat using

the coil and stitch technique.You can use locally available materials such as

plant ﬁbres or fabric to make basketry items.

The materials used in basketry should be of high quality for durability.To

improve the quality of the materials, clean the fabric or ﬁbre well and ensure

they are completely dry before making the ropes.

2.2 Leatherwork

In Kenya, various communities use items made of leather. Leather is obtained

from hides and skins. We use leather to make items such as wristbands,

sandals, hats, wallets, purses and belts, among others. In Grade 5, you learnt

how to make a pencil case using leather. In Grade 6, you will learn how

make a beaded wristband using leather.

Key words

• leather • hides and skins • line patterns • awl

Beaded leather wrist band

Activity 1: Observing leather wristbands decorated using

beads

What to do

Study the items shown in the pictures below.

CBA

a) What items can you see in the pictures?

b) Which materials are used to make them?

c) What type of decoration is on each item?

Activity 2: Observing virtual samples of leather wristbands

What to do

1. Your teacher will show you a video clip on how to make leather wristbands.

Use this link to watch the video: https://tinyurl.com/58w53pdn

2. Observe the following from the video clip:

a) The materials used to make the beaded leather wristbands.

b) The tools used to make the beaded wristbands.

c) The process of making the beaded wristbands.

Take home activity

a) With the guidance of your parents or guardians, identify items at home

that are made of leather.

b) Ask your parents or guardians whether they have old leather items that

they are not planning to use. Collect the items for use in making leather

strips.

Activity 3: Sorting and preparing used leather

What you need: used leather items, leather cutting tools (such as a

skiving knife or leather shears), a hammer, an awl, a pencil and a ruler

Material Usage

Skiving knives

Skiving knives are used to cut leather

into the desired sizes.

Leather

Leather will be used to make the

wristbands.

Hammer

A hammer is used to drive a nail into

the leather when making holes.

Material Usage

Awl

An awl is a pointed tool used to make

small holes on leather when stitching.

A nail can also be used if an awl is not

available.

Leather shears

Leather shears are used to cut leather.

A pair of scissors or knife can also be

used.

What to do

1. Collect old leather items such as jackets, wallets, shoes, belts, purses or

handbags.

2. Sort the pieces of leather you have collected.At this stage, check whether

the leather has stains or marks.The ones which do not have marks or

stains are of the best quality.

3. Soak a piece of cloth in soapy water and use it to clean the leather. Let

it dry.

4. Using a ruler and pencil, mark a rectangle of about 15 cm by 7 cm on

a piece of paper. Draw the design that you would like to ﬁnally have on

the wrist band. See the example below.

5. Draw a rectangle of about 15 cm by 7 cm a piece of leather. Using leather

shears or any other suitable cutting tool, cut out the rectangular leather

strip.

6. Use a sharp small nail to trace the design or pattern on the paper to

the piece of leather as shown below.

7. Using an awl, make holes along the lines that form the pattern as shown

in the picture below. Also, make a bigger hole on the left side of the

leather for securing the wristband. You can also use a small nail or a

hammer to make the holes if you do not have an awl.

8. After making the holes, trim the excess piece of leather so that you have

a thin strip for fastening the wristband as shown below.

9. Store the strip of leather you have prepared and the other materials

safely for use in the next activity.

10. Clean up your working area. Wash your hands with soap and water.

Activity 4: Making a leather wristband and decorating it by

beading

What to do

1. Using a needle and thread, sew beads of different colours along the line

patterns you marked on the leather strip.To achieve a strong stitching,

push a strong nylon thread through the opening of the bead and push

it down the leather through the holes you had made. Push the needle

from the back of the leather to the front again to form the ﬁrst stitch.

Add a few more beads to the thread and make another stitch. Keep the

beads in line with the marks you made on the leather.

2. Your wristband is ready!

3. Tie the wristband around your hand. Fasten it using the thin strips of

leather at each end.

4. Show your friends the wristband you made. Discuss what you like about

your work.

5. Use the following criteria to evaluate each other’s work:

a) Did your friend use a strong stitching technique?

b) Did your friend use a pattern of wavy, zigzag and straight line?

c) Did your friend use three colours of beads?

d) Did your friend use the correct materials for making the beaded

wristband?

e) Did your friend make the correct size of wristband?

Community service learning activity

1. Using the remaining pieces of old leather items, make friendship wristbands.

Decorate the wristbands using different beads.

2. Visit a children’s home and donate the beaded leather wristbands you

made.

3. You can also teach the children in your community how to make the

leather wristbands.

Quick reminder

You can make various items using leather. The strength, thickness and

ﬂexibility of leather varies. It is important to always go for the best quality

leather to make durable items. Depending on the item you are making, the

steps of making a leather item include the following:

a) Collecting and cleaning pieces of leather.

b) Creating designs of the items you want to make.This will help you

have a clear picture of what the end product will look like. It also

ensures you have the right dimensions.

c) Cutting the leather.

d) Punching holes.

e) Sewing and ﬁnishing.

2.3 Pottery

In Grade 4, you learnt how to make pottery items using the pinch technique.

You also learnt various methods of decorating pottery items such as incising,

painting and embedding. In Grade 5, you learnt how to make pottery items

using the coil method. In Grade 6, you will learn how to make pottery items

using the slab technique.The slab technique involves working with clay

that has been ﬂattened using a rolling pin.The ﬂattened clay is then cut into

similar shapes and sizes and then joined to form the item.

Key words

• slab technique • geometric forms • piercing • embedding

Slab technique

Activity 1: Observing pottery items

What to do

Study the items in the pictures below.The items are made of clay using the

slab technique.

a) How do you think the items were made?

b) What are the items used for?

c) What other items can you make using the slab technique?

Activity 2: Observing virtual samples of items made using

slab technique

What to do

1. You teacher will guide you to search online for pictures or videos of

pottery items made using the slab technique.You can also use this link:

https://tinyurl.com/2bcv8dv2

2. Observe the following as you watch the video clip:

a) The tools and materials used in the slab technique.

b) How the uniformity of the slabs is achieved.

c) The shapes of the items made using the slab technique.

3. Tell a friend what you observed.

Let us learn

There are many common items that are made through pottery.They include

pots, jars, cups, plates and ﬂower vases.

Activity 3: Geometric forms

Study the pictures below.

a) Name the geometric shape shown in each picture.

b) Identify common pottery items that have such geometric shapes.

c) How can you model such items using clay?

Take home activity

With the guidance of your parents or guardians, identify pottery items at

home that have various geometric shapes.

Let us learn

Most pottery items have geometric shapes. Items such as cups, jars and

ﬂower vases may have cylindrical or cuboid shapes.

Items that have cube, cuboid, cylindrical, pyramidal or cone shapes are

normally modelled using the slab technique.

Activity 4: Modelling geometric shapes using the slab

technique

In this activity, you are going to make a container using the slab technique.The

container will be in form of a cube.All sides of a cube have equal dimensions.

What you need: clay, a rolling pin, cutting tool such as a knife, a sharp

object such as a toothpick for making decorative marks and small pebbles

for embedding

What to do

1. Identify a smooth surface to work on.This could be a bench, table or

a counter. Cover the surface of the working area with a damp cloth.

This will prevent the clay from sticking to the dry surface and keep the

consistency of the clay suitable for modelling. Remove impurities such

as roots, small pebbles, leaves and other organic matter from the clay

before kneading it.This will help avoid cracks and uneven surfaces on the

modelled items. Knead the clay as shown in the picture below to make

it soft for modelling.

2. Roll the clay into a slab using a rolling pin.Your slab should be of even

thickness throughout.To achieve this, put wooden battens or the guides

on both sides of the clay as shown in the picture below.The battens are

made of wood.

Battens

3. Depending on the size of the container you want to make, measure your

dimensions on paper to create a paper template of the desired size.Trace

your paper template on the clay as shown in the picture below. Leave

the clay to stiffen.

4. Cut out ﬁve square pieces from the clay as shown in the picture below.

5. Using a sharp cutting tool, make piercings on the square pieces as shown

below. Use a shape of your choice.

6. Embed beads, inedible seeds, buttons or coloured stones on the squares.

See the example below and allow them to dry.

7. Lay the slabs so that the embedded sides are on the lower side. Score

the edges of the slabs by making small cut marks as shown in the picture

below.You can do this using a sharp tool such as a toothpick, stick or

needle.

8. Prepare slip by mixing clay with water to make a thick solution.You will

use the slip to join the slabs.Apply the slip to the scored areas as shown

in the picture below.

9. Start by joining the ﬁrst slab side to the base slab. Use the slip to join

the edges that are in contact. Smooth the edges using your ﬁngers.

Remember

You score and slip the edges when joining pieces of clay that are a bit

dry. If the pieces you are joining are equally wet, or moist, you can join

the edges together and smooth them as shown below

As the pieces of clay dry, they will shrink the clay particles will draw

nearer to each other, creating a strong joint.

Do not join a wet clay piece to a drier clay piece because the wet clay

piece will shrink more than the drier clay piece and may crack away

from the dry piece.

10. Do the same with all the other side pieces until you have a complete

shape like the one shown below

11. Use a wooden modelling tool to smooth the edges as shown below.This

ensures you have a ﬁrmly joined container

12. Leave your container for a few days to dry.

13. Wash your hands with clean water and soap after ﬁnishing the activity.

Clean your working area and store the materials and tools well for

future use.

14. Once the container is completely dry, display and talk about it with your

friends.

Community service learning activity

During your free time, make ﬂower pots and vases with your friends. Use

the slab technique. Decorate the items using a combination of embedding

and piercing techniques. Plant ﬂowers on the vases and use them to enhance

your learning environment.

Quick reminder

You can make various items such as containers, ﬂower vases or ﬂower pots

using the slab technique.When using the slab technique, the edges of the

forms must be ﬁrmly joined together to prevent them from falling apart.

You can use methods such as embedding and piercing to decorate your

modelled items and make them more attractive.

2.4 Sculpture

Carving

Sculpture is the art of creating 3D objects from materials such as wood,

stone or metal. There are various techniques that are used to create

sculpture. They include carving, metal casting and modelling. In Grade 5,

you learnt how to carve a ladle using soft wood. In Grade 6, you will learn

how to carve and decorate a shallow bowl.

Key words

• carving • incising • texturing

Activity 1: Identifying indigenous decorated carved wooden

containers

What to do

Observe the items in the pictures below.

a) Which items can you see in the pictures?

b) What material has been used to make the items?

c) Which tools do you think were used to make the items?

d) What technique was used to decorate each item?

Activity 2: Observing virtual samples of carved items

What to do

Your teacher will show you a video of samples of carved items.You can

watch the video using this link: https://tinyurl.com/4zm36f26

Watch the video and discuss the following questions:

a) Which tools used in carving wood?

b) What type of wood is used to create wood carvings?

c) Describe the process of carving wood.

Let us learn

1. Carving involves scrapping away parts of a material such as wood or

stone to make an item.

2. You can use softwood or hardwood to make carved wooden items.

However, softwoods are easier to carve than hardwoods.

3. The decision on which wood to use for a carving depends on the functions

of the item to be carved. Items made from hardwood are more durable.

4. Some basic tools for carving wood include the following:

a) Carving knives

Used for cutting and smoothing

wood.

b) Chisel

Used for cutting out the

unwanted wood.

c) Gouges

Short bent gouge

V-gouge

Used for gouging out unwanted

wood and for curving the edges.

d) Coping saw

A small saw used to cut off

chunks of wood.

e) Smoothing plane

Used for removing very ﬁne

shavings on wood to leave a

smooth ﬁnish.

f) Wood scrapper

Used to smooth imperfections

like knots on wood. It can be

used in place of sandpaper.

Take home activity

With the guidance of your parents or guardians, identify wooden items at

home. Ask them to tell you some of the traditional tools used in carving

the items.

Carving a shallow bowl from wood

In the following activity, you will create a shallow wooden bowl like the one

shown in the picture below.

Activity 3: Carving a shallow bowl from wood

What you need: a block of wood which is about 20 cm by 14 cm by 8

cm, a carving knife, a saw, a chisel, a gouge and smoothing tools (such as a

plane, scrapper or sanding paper).

What to do

1. Prepare the wood by cutting off the unnecessary portions using a saw.

Use the plane or a wood scrapper to smoothen the surfaces of the wood.

2. Draw the design of the bowl you would like to carve on the wood surface

using a pencil. See the example below.

3. Use a chisel to remove unwanted wood outside the outline of the bowl

to give it shape.

4. Secure the bowl in a corner or in between pieces of wood. Use a gouge

to cut out the unwanted wood inside the outline of the bowl.This part

will form the inside of the bowl. See the picture below.

5. Once you have achieved the desired depth, use a carving knife to

smoothen the inside of the bowl.You can do this by gently scrapping off

any unwanted wood.

6. Smooth the bowl using sand paper or a wood scrapper as shown in the

picture that follows.

7. Store your bowl well for use in the next activity.

Remember

1. Be careful when using sharp cutting tools such as a chisel, gouge, saw

and carving knife to avoid hurting yourself or others.

2. Use pieces of wood that are lying around instead of cutting trees

unnecessarily. Cutting trees will lead to environmental issues such as

drought.

3. We should take care of our environment by conserving and planting

more trees.

Activity 4: Decorating a wooden bowl

There are various methods that you can use to decorate the wooden bowl

you made.The methods include incising and texturing.

Texturing

What you need: a pencil, sand paper, a hammer and a nail with a round

head, vegetable oil and a piece of cloth

A hammer A round head nail

What to do

1. In this activity, you will add texture to your bowl using a hammer and

a nail with a round head. Draw the design that you would like to use in

decorating your wooden item as shown below.

2. Place the bowl on a stable surface. Place the tip of the blunt nail on the

surface of the bowl and hit gently with a hammer or a piece of wood

to create texture as shown below.

3. Smoothen any rough edges using a sand paper. Then rub some vegetable

oil on the surface using a piece of cloth to create an excellent ﬁnish and

to protect the wood from scratches.You can also use a sharp carving

knife to create texture on a wooden bowl by simply curving out patterns.

4. Display your bowl. Walk round the class to observe what other learners

have created. Give feedback to your classmates. Remember to always

be polite when giving feedback.

5. Clean up your working area. Clean the tools, dry them and store them

well.Wash your hands with clean water and soap.

Incising

What you need: a pencil, a v-gouge, vegetable oil and a piece of cloth

What to do

1. Draw the design that you would like to use in decorating your wooden

item.

2. Using the right tool such as the v-gouge, or a carving knife, gently and

slowly carve out the design along the outline by scraping off the wood

inside the design outline.

3. Rub some vegetable oil on the bowl using a piece of cloth to create an

smooth ﬁnish.This will also prevent the wood from scratching easily.

4. Display your bowl and talk about it with your friends.

a) What do you like about the decorated bowls?

b) What other methods can one use to decorate wooden bowls?

5. Clean up your working area. Clean the tools, dry them and store them

well.Wash your hands with clean water and soap.

Remember

Handle sharp tools with care to avoid accidents while using them.

Community service learning activity

1. During your free time, carve small containers using materials from your

local environment.

2. Donate the items to the old people in the community.You can also sell

some of the items to the community members. Use the money you earn

to help the needy.

Quick reminder

You can make wooden items such as bowls through curving.This is a way

of appreciating our indigenous crafts.You can use softwood to make curved

items. Softwood is easier to curve while hardwood is long lasting. There

are various ways of decorating wooden items.They include texturing and

incising.These techniques make your carved item look attractive.

3.1 Graphic design

Stencil printing

Stencil printing is a method of transferring a pattern made on a medium

such as cardboard or metal onto a surface such as paper or cloth by passing

ink through the open areas of the pattern.

The medium on which the pattern is cut is called a stencil.The pattern on

the stencil is called the motif.

Key words

• design • graphics • motif • stencil

• substrate • printing • embellish • calligraphy

Activity 1: Observing samples of stencil printed mixed media

cards

What to do

Study the pictures below showing examples of stencil printed cards.

DESIGN, MIXED MEDIA AND

TECHNOLOGY

a) What is on the front of the cards?

b) What type of lettering is on the cards?

c) What pictures are on the cards?

Activity 2: Observing virtual samples of stencil printed cards

What to do

1. Your teacher will show you a video clip on how stencil printed cards are

made.You watch the video using this link: https://tinyurl.com/46hjacrt

2. Observe the following from the video clip and ﬁnd out:

a) The process of making stencil printed cards.

b) The materials used to make the cards.

c) How the pictures on the cards are created.

d) The decorative features added to the cards to make them attractive.

e) The type of lettering used on the cards.

Let us learn

1. A stencil is a material with a cut out pattern, picture or word on it. The

pattern, picture or word on the stencil is called a motif. See the example

below.

Stencil

Motif

2. Stencil printing is a method of transferring patterns, pictures or words

from a stencil onto surfaces or materials such as paper, fabric, walls and

so on.This is done by placing the stencil on the medium to be printed

and then brushing, spraying, dabbing or squeezing ink or paint onto the

open spaces on the stencil.

3. A stencil can be used many times to make the same pattern, picture or

words on materials or surfaces.

Materials and tools used in stencil printing

Activity 3: Identifying materials and tools used in stencil

printing

Study the pictures below and answer the questions that follow.

From the pictures, identify the following:

a) The tools used to create motifs for stencil printing.

b) The materials or surfaces onto which the motifs are printed.

c) The tools and materials that are available in your local environment.

d) The tools and materials that you can improvise.

Activity 4: Collecting materials used in stencil printing

What to do

1. In this activity, you will collect materials for stencil printing from the

local environment.

2. Look around the local environment for materials that you can use to

cut out stencils. Such materials include sheets of plastic, cardboard and

wood.

3. Identify materials that can be used to decorate or embellish stencil

printed items such as buttons, beads and inedible seeds.

4. Collect the materials for use in the next activity.

Let us learn

1. Stencils are made from thin sheets of materials such as plastic, cardboard,

metal or wood.

2. Some of the suitable materials or surfaces onto which to print the images

in stencil printing include fabrics, paper and walls.

3. The inks or paints used should be suitable for the surface or material

you are going to print on.

Take home activity

Identify and observe seasonal cards such as greeting cards and birthday

cards at home.Talk about the images, decorations and the lettering on the

cards with your parents, guardians or siblings.

Activity 5: Designing motifs and creating stencils

In this activity, you will design a simple motif that can be used on a birthday

card. You will then use the motif to print a message in a stencil.

What you need: stencil material such as old cardboards or plastic

sheeting, a cutting tool, pencil, ruler and eraser

What to do

1. Design your message on a piece of paper as shown in the picture that

follows. Use simple lettering with a message. Ensure the size of your

message will ﬁt well on the fabric that you wish to print on. Your image

should be about 15 cm length and 10 cm width for it to ﬁt on the card.

2. Place the paper with the image on top of the manila paper. Secure it well

with tape to keep it stable as shown in the picture that follows.

4. Trace the image onto the stencil material using a sharp black pen. Ensure

the outlines are visible.Your image will look like the one in the picture

that follows.

5. Use a sharp cutting tool to cut out the image on the stencil. Be careful

not to cut out parts that need to remain on the stencil. Once you have

ﬁnished cutting out your image on the stencil material, your stencil will

be ready for use.

6. Clean up your working area and store the tools and the remaining

materials for future use.

Remember

a) Always be careful when using cutting tools to avoid hurting yourself

or other learners.

b) Share your materials with the learners who do not have any.

Stencil printing and embellishing the card

In the activity that follows, you will use the stencil you created in Activity 5

to print the motif on fabric. You will then use the printed fabric to decorate

the birthday card. Afterwards, you will use materials such as dried ﬂowers,

pieces of small sticks and small buttons to decorate the card. This will create

a mixed media card since different materials will be used to make and

decorate it.

Activity 6: Stencil printing and embelishing

What you need: the stencil you created, suitable paints or inks to be used

on fabric, a sponge or brush, dried ﬂowers, small sticks, buttons, Manila

paper and glue

What to do

1. Place your stencil upside down on the fabric you will be printing on and

secure it with a tape to keep it stable. Make sure the image ﬁts on it well

and neatly on the fabric as shown below.

3. Using a paintbrush or a sponge, apply paint or ink onto the image on

the stencil as shown in the picture below. Ensure the ink is thick enough

to avoid soaking the fabric which may lead to mixing of colours.

4. After applying paint or ink, your image will look like the one in the picture

that follows. You can use colours of your choice. Leave the printed fabric

for about 10 minutes to allow the image on the fabric to dry well.

5. Once the image on the fabric dries up, carefully lift the stencil while

taking care not to ruin the image you have created. The message on

the fabric will be revealed as shown below.Your fabric is ready for use.

6. Using a pair of scissors or any other suitable cutting tool, trim the excess

fabric to have a neat shape as shown in the pictures below.

7. From a Manila paper or any stiff paper that you can ﬁnd, draw a rectangle

of about 21 cm x 30 cm and cut it out. Fold the paper into two equal

parts along the width.This will create a blank card with a front part,

back part and the inside part as shown in the picture that follows.

8. Apply glue on the fabric as shown in Picture A and stick it on the face

of the card as shown in Picture B.

A B

9. Using adhesive, ﬁx some embellishments such as dried ﬂowers, sticks or

buttons on the card as shown in the picture below.This will make the

card more attractive.

9. Use a pen, pencil, brush, pen or sharp stick to write a suitable message

inside the card. Use simple calligraphy text as shown in the picture below

to make the lettering attractive.

You can dip a sharp stick into paint or ink and use it to write an carligraphic

message.

10. Your card is ready! Exchange your cards with your friends and observe

the following:

a) How the card is decorated.

b) The type of lettering used on the cards.

11. Clean up the working area and store all the remaining materials and

tools safely for future use. Wash your hands with clean water and soap.

Community service learning activity

1. With your friends in the Art Club, prepare seasonal cards of your choice.

Consider the relevance of your cards to the people in your area and to

the season.

2. Embellish the cards using materials from the local environment.

3. Sell the cards to members of your local community. Use the money you

get to help the less fortunate members in the community.

Quick reminder

Seasonal cards are important especially during celebrations. There are

various ways that you can use to make seasonal cards.You can make a

seasonal card through stencil printing using locally available materials.

Before stencil printing, you design a motif which is the picture or the

pattern or the picture that will appear on the card.Also, to make a good

card, designing it on paper is important because it allows you to have a

clear picture of the size of the card and how it will look like.

3.2 Paper craft

Paper ﬂowers

Paper craft is the art of making items such as cards, bags and ﬂowers

using paper. In Grade 4 you learnt how to make a book jacket using paper.

In Grade 6 you will use paper to make ﬂowers.

Key words

• paper ﬂower • paper craft • technique • embellish

Activity 1: Observing samples of paper ﬂowers

What to do

Study the pictures below.

a) What techniques are used to make the paper ﬂowers?

b) What materials are used to make each ﬂower?

c) Which type of embelishments are used on the ﬂowers?

Activity 2: Observing virtual samples of paper ﬂowers

What to do

1. Your teacher will show you a video clip on paper ﬂowers.You can also

watch the video using this link: https://tinyurl.com/yf9ped8y

2. Watch the video clip and describe:

a) the type of paper used to make the paper ﬂowers

b) the techniques used to make the paper ﬂowers.

Let us learn

1. There are different types and quality of paper. Examples include crêpe,

tissue paper, manila paper, catridge and ridged paper.

Tissue paper Ridged paper Manila paper

Crêpe paper Catridge paper

2. The type of ﬂower design to be made determines the size and type of

paper to be used.

3. You can reuse old magazines, newspapers and old exercise books to

make paper ﬂowers.

4. Paper ﬂowers can be used as substitutes to natural ﬂowers in weddings,

parties and other ceremonies or events.

Activity 3: Materials for making paper ﬂowers

What to do

In this activity, you will collect different types of materials that you can use

to make paper ﬂowers from your local environment.

1. Collect different types of clean but used paper from the classroom and

the school compound. Collect papers of different colours.

2. Collect items that you can use to decorate or embellish your paper

ﬂowers. Such items include beads, inedible seeds, coloured sand, buttons,

dried ﬂowers and pieces of colourful fabric.

3. Store your materials well for the next activity.

Remember

1. Only collect materials that are dry and clean to avoid infections

caused by germs.

2. Wash your hands with clean water and soap after handling materials

from the environment.This will prevent you ftom infections caused by

germs.

Making paper ﬂowers using different techniques

You can make paper ﬂowers through various techniques. These include

folding, pleating, cutting, twisting and pasting.

Activity 4: Making a paper ﬂower through folding

What you need: light paper in different colours, a pair of scissors and

adhesive

What to do

The following steps will guide you in making a paper ﬂower by folding.You

will then decorate the paper ﬂower by sticking a piece of fabric.

Step 1: Get a square piece of

paper.

Step 2: Fold the paper diagonally in

half to form a triangular shape.

Step 3: Fold the triangle again into

half to form a smaller triangle.

Step 4: Fold the paper yet again into

half to form a much smaller triangle.

Step 5: Rotate the folded paper so

that the longest side is vertically

positioned and the solid corner is

at the bottom.

Step 6: Fold the short side towards the

triangle’s long side.

Step 7: Cut along the fold.

Step 8: Draw an arc from the top

right corner of the triangle. The arc

should end close to the lower tip of

the triangle. Cut along the arc.

Step 9: Unfold the paper to reveal the ﬂower. Decorate the ﬂower by

sticking a circular item such as a piece of fabric or a button in the middle

using glue as shown below.

2. Make more ﬂowers like the ones shown below using different colours of

paper.

Take home activity

1. With the guidance of your parents or guardians, make paper ﬂowers

using the folding technique.

2. Show your friends the ﬂowers you made.

3. Talk about your ﬂowers. What do you like about them?

Activity 5: Making paper ﬂowers through pleating

In this activity, you will make a paper ﬂower like the one below using the

pleating technique.

What you need: coloured paper, a pair of scissors, a ruler and adhesive

What to do

Follow the steps below to make the paper ﬂower through pleating.

Step 1: Use a ruler to draw verical

lines on the paper at regular

intervals.

Step 2: Pleat the paper along the

lines you drew while alternating

the direction of folding.

Step 3: Pleat as many pieces of

paper as you need.

Step 4: Glue together the edges of

the pleated pieces of paper.

Step 5: Continue joining the pleated

pieces in a circular manner.

Step 6: Finish joing the pleated

paper by joining the folds into a

complete circle.

Step 7: Cut out a piece of fabric

of your desired shape and stick

it at the centre of the circle using

adhesive.

Step 8: Your ﬂower is complete.

Take home activity

1. At your free time, make paper ﬂowers with guidance from your parent

or guardian. Use the pleating technique.

2. Use the paper ﬂowers to decorate your home.

Activity 6: Making a paper ﬂower through cutting

What you need: coloured paper, straws, a cutting tool (such a pair of

scissors or razor), glue and sticky tape

What to do

Follow the steps below to make a paper ﬂower by cutting.

Step 1: Cut out thin strips of coloured

paper. You can use the same colour of

paper or different colours.

Step 2: Using glue, join the ends

of each strip together.

Step 3: Glue the strips to a centre piece

such as a circular paper cut out.

Step 4: Glue a straw to the back

of the ﬂower.

Step 5: Secure the straw with tape. Step 6:Your ﬂower will look like

the ones shown below. Make

similar ﬂowers using papers of

different colours.

Take home activity

1. With guidance from your parents or guardians, make paper leaves

through cutting. Follow the steps below.

Step 1: Get a coloured paper. Step 2: Fold the paper in half.

Step 3: Unfold the paper and cut

through the middle crease.

Step 4: Pick one half from Step 3

and fold it into two.

Step 5: Starting from the left bottom

corner, make a short straight cut of

about 2cm before cutting an arc that

ends at the top left corner as shown

in the pictures below.

Step 6: Unfold the paper.You will

have a paper leaf like the one

shown below.

2. Show your friends the paper leaves you made and talk about what you

like about them.

Activity 7: Making paper ﬂowers through twisting

What you need: coloured paper, pencil, a pair of scissors and a straw or

a stick

What to do

Follow the steps below to make paper ﬂowers through twisting.

Step 1: Get a square piece of paper.

Draw concentric rings on the paper.

Step 2: Cut along the concentric

rings using scissors or any other

suitable cutting tool as shown

below.

Step 3:Twist the paper along the cut

lines from the end to the inside using

a stick or a straw.

Step 4: Carefully remove the

stick or a straw to expose the

rose ﬂower created.

Step 5: Glue the ﬂower to a circular base.

Take home activity

1. With the guidance of your parents or guardians, create rose ﬂowers like

the ones shown below. Use different colours and types of paper.

2. Fix the rose ﬂowers onto sticks and use them to decorate your home.

A B C

Embellishing a paper ﬂower with different items

Activity 8: Embellishing paper ﬂowers

1. Study the pictures below and identify the embellishments used. Have you

used any of the embellishments before to decorate your paper ﬂowers?

A B

2. Use the embellishments you have indentiﬁed to decorate the ﬂowers

you made in activities 4 - 7. Follow the instructions below.

a) You can use different items to embellish the paper ﬂowers you made.

Such items include buttons, inedible seeds, beads, coloured sand, other

paper decorations and pieces of fabric.This is done by simply sticking

the items on the ﬂowers using adhesive. Buttons can be sewn carefully

onto the paper.

Beads Buttons

Pieces of fabric

Seeds

b) You can also use coloured sand to create some parts of the paper ﬂower

such as strips, strokes, lines and petals.This is done by drawing the part

with glue then sprinkling coloured sand on it.The paper is then shaken

to remove the excess sand.

Let us learn

To make coloured sand for embelishing the ﬂowers, put 3 to 4 drops of food

colouring in a bag of 100 grams of ordinary white sand. Shake the sand to

mix it well with the colour then dry it in the sun.

Activity 9: Making a container for holding paper ﬂowers

What you need: stiff paper, a pair of scissors, pencil, glue, ruler, papers of

different colours

To make the bottom part of the paper container, follow the steps below:

1. Cut out a rectangular paper 21 x 29.7 cm.

29.7 cm

21 cm

2. Fold the paper in half on the vertical axis. Once clear crease has formed,

unfold the paper as shown below.

3. Fold the right and the left sides to the centre crease as shown in the

picture below. Unfold the paper.

4. Fold and crease the paper again along the horizontal axis and unfold it

as shown below.

5. Fold the bottom and the top corners of the paper so that they meet at

the centre as shown below.

6. Fold the right and the left bottom corners to meet the ﬁrst vertical line

as shown below.

7. Fold the top right and left corners to the vertical creases as shown below.

8. Hold the lower ﬂap and fold it downwards to form a crease in the broken

line marked in the picture below.

9. Hold the upper ﬂap and fold it upwards to form a crease.

10. Now open the box by lifting up all the 4 sides as shown below. Crease

the bottom edges to make the container strong.

11. Cut out geometric shapes for embellishing your paper container as

shown below. Apply adhesive on the shapes and stick them on your

paper container to make it attractive.

Community service learning activity

With your friends in the Art Club, visit a children’s home in your locality.

Carry enough materials and tools for making paper ﬂowers.

1. Show the children how to make paper ﬂowers using the folding, pleating,

twisting, cutting and pasting techniques.

2. Demonstrate to the children how to embellish the paper ﬂowers using

locally available materials such as buttons from old clothes, dried leaves

or inedible seeds.

3. Show them how to make paper containers for holding their paper ﬂowers.

Quick reminder

You have learnt how to make paper ﬂowers using techniques such as folding,

pleating, twisting, cutting and pasting.Through these techniques, you

can make ﬂowers for decorations.

Using coloured paper is better because the ﬂowers will be more attractive.

You also embellished the paper ﬂowers you made using materials such as

beads, buttons, coloured sand and inedible seeds.

Reusing paper and the embellishment materials helps to conserve the

environment which is a source of materials used in Art and Craft.

3.3 Simple animation

Flip book animation

A ﬂip book is a booklet with a series of related images which gradually

change from one page to the next so that when the pages are ﬂipped in

quick succession, the images appear to simulate motion.

Key words

• ﬂip book • animation • sequence • frame • rate

Activity 1: Studying pictures of closely related actions

What you need: pictures showing a series of closely related actions

What to do

Study the pictures below then answer the questions that follow.

1 2 3 4

6 7

a) What is happening in the pictures?

b) What is the difference in motion between the 1

and 2

pictures?

c) Describe the difference between consecutive pictures, for example:

and 2

, 2

and 3

, 3

and 4

, and so on to the end.

d) What is the difference between the ﬁrst and the last picture?

Activity 2: Observing digital samples

What to do

1. Your teacher will show you a video clip on ﬂip book animations. Use this

link to watch the video: https://tinyurl.com/yckf5v2f

2. Observe the following from the video clip:

a) The materials used to make the ﬂip book.

b) The arrangement of images.

c) The speed at which the pages are being ﬂipped in order to simulate

motion in the images.

d) The difference in the actions from one image to the next.

Let us learn

1. Animation is the manipulation of drawn images or ﬁgures to make them

appear as if they are moving or carrying out an action such as running,

walking or jumping.

2. The images seem to be moving because of the following reasons:

a) The pages or images are being ﬂipped at a high frequency.

b) The images follow each other closely in a sequence.

3. A 2D animation is an art where movement is created in a two-dimensional

space. It includes characters or objects and backgrounds.You can create

2D animations by drawing a series of images on paper.When the images

are ﬂipped rapidly, they create an illusion of movement.

4. In animation, frequency is the number of images used in the animation

to create a slow and smooth change from one page to another when

pages are ﬂipped rapidly. A frame, which is represented by page, contains

the image to be displayed at a unique time in the animation.

5. The sequence is the series of images that create the illusion of motion

when ﬂip book is ﬂipped rapidly.

Making a ﬂip book

The bouncing ball ﬂip book

Activity 3: Observing virtual samples of bouncing ball ﬂip

book

What to do

1. Your teacher will show you a video clip on how to make a simple ﬂip

book.You can use this link: https://tinyurl.com/ynu5kebk

2. Observe the following in the video:

a) The materials used to create the ﬂip book.

b) The sequencing of the images – how does the creator make when

drawing the images for the bouncing ball ﬂip book?

c) The use of light when sequencing the images on the pages.

Activity 4: Drawing a bouncing ball ﬂip book

What you need: a stack of cards or heavy papers, a pencil and a source

of light

What to do

In this activity, you will create an animation of a ball that drops, squashes

and lifts up. Before drawing, watch a video of a bouncing ball using this link:

https://tinyurl.com/4yyduk4e

Follow the steps below to draw a bouncing ball ﬂip book.

a) Draw a ﬂoor line about 2.5 cm

from the bottom edge of the

paper. This will represent the

ground. Sketch the ball about 1

cm from the top of the paper.

(Mark this as Frame 1.)

b) Draw a frame right after the

ﬁrst frame. Again, the light

images of the other frames will

guide you on how to position

the ball.

(Mark this as Frame 2.)

c) Draw the action just before the

ball hits the ground. The light

images of the ﬁrst and second

images will guide you on where

to place the ball.

(Mark this as Frame 3.)

d) Draw the position of the ball on

the ground ready to bounce back.

You can see the light image of the

ﬁrst position of the ball to guide

you on how to position the ball

in this frame.

(Mark this as Frame 4.)

e) Add a squashed ball frame right

after the ball hits the ground.This

will give the ball some bounce as

it goes back up.

(Mark this as Frame 5.)

f) Add a stretched ball frame after it

is squashed on hitting the ground

and starting to bounce right up.

(Mark this as Frame 6.)

g) Add a frame after the ball

bounces up after hitting the

ground.

(Mark this as Frame 7.)

h) As the ball nears the top

position, the motion gets

slower due to gravity. So add

a frame just before the top to

smooth the action.

(Mark this as Frame 8.)

4. Clean up all the rough images to leave a clean sheet of images.

5. Keep the frames you have created for the next activity where you will

simulate the motion of a bouncing ball.

Activity 5: Manipulation of the bouncing ball ﬂip book to

create an animation

What you need: the clean frames you created

What to do

1. Arrange the frames in sequence from the ﬁrst to the last and bind the

side that you will hold using a stapler as shown below.

You can also bind the papers using thread or paper clip as shown in the

pictures that follows.

Using thread Using paper clip

2. Firmly hold the frames with one hand and ﬂip through the pages quickly

with the other hand.What happens to the ball as you ﬂip through the

frames rapidly?

3. Slow down the speed of ﬂipping. Does the motion of the bouncing ball

change?

4. Talk about your observations with your friends and get feedback from

the teacher.

Let us learn

1. The images are drawn or painted on paper using pencils, paper and

painting tools.

2. The more frames one has in between the ﬁrst position and ﬁnal position,

the slower and smoother the action appears.

Activity 6: The walking stick ﬁgure ﬂip book

Study the ﬁgures in the picture below.

Describe:

a) the sequence of the images

b) the frequency of the images.

Activity 7: Creating a ﬂip book for a walking stick ﬁgure

Follow the steps below to create a ﬂip book for a walking stick ﬁgure.

What you need: a pencil, plain papers, a ruler, a stapler and staple pins,

eraser and adhesive such as glue

What to do

1. Create a ﬂip book that you will use to manipulate a walking stick ﬁgure.

Follow the steps below:

a) Gather the papers together.They should be adequate for the number

of frames you have and should be of a similar size. Use recycled

papers as long as they do not have writings.

b) Put the papers together and fold them in half as shown below.

c) Using a cutting tool such as a pair of scissors, cut through the folded

centre as shown below.

d) Draw the stick ﬁgures on the paper to create the frames. See the

examples below. Imagine your leg movement when walking or ask

a friend to demonstrate the walking action.

e) Once you have ﬁnished drawing, arrange the frames from the ﬁrst

one to the last and bind them using a stapler, thread or paper clip.

f) Hold the pages ﬁrmly with one hand and ﬂip them quickly with the

other hand.

g) Show your friends how the stick ﬁgures in the ﬂip book appear to

be in a motion.

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Remember

a) It is good to listen to others when they are giving you feedback about

the ﬂip book animations.

b) It is important to be kind and respectful when giving others feedback

about their ﬂip book animations.

Community service learning activity

1. Teach the children in your neighbourhood how to create ﬂip books.

2. Practise creating simple ﬂip books during your free time based on

everyday activities. Remember to share your materials with the children

who may not have any.

3. When you go back to school, share with your classmates how you

performed the activity and what you learnt.

Quick reminder

You have learnt how to create 2D animations.You have learnt that a 2D

animation is an art where movement is created in a two-dimensional space.

You can create 2D animations by drawing a series of images on paper.

When the images are ﬂipped rapidly, they create an illusion of movement.

When creating 2D animations, it is important to ensure that the sequence

of images is consistent and accurate.This leads to a consistent and clear

transition from one image to the next to create the impression of a single

moving object. Using a higher number of frames creates a slower change

and makes the images blend into a smoother movement upon ﬂipping the

pages rapidly.

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3.4 Photography

In Grade 5, you learnt about taking photographs on PCI themes.You applied

various elements of photography such as focus, good lighting, view point

composition, framing and image quality, among others. In Grade 6, you will

learn how to take creative photographs based on sceneries.

Key words

• scenery • elements of photography • focus

• background • centre of interest • view point

• framing • composition

Sceneries

A scenery is the feature of landscape existing in a certain area.You can

take photographs of sceneries such as a grassland, ﬂowers in a garden, a

park or lakeshore.

Activity 1: Observing sceneries

What to do

Study the photograph below and answer the questions that follow.

a) What draws or attracts your eye to the photograph?

b) From what position was the photograph taken?

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c) How have the different forms in the photograph been placed in the

frame?

d) What is the focus in the photograph?

e) How is the quality of the photograph?

Elements of photography

There are some basic elements in photography which ensure the photographer

manages to take a perfect photograph.

Activity 2: Studying elements of photography

Study the photographs below. Identify and discuss what mistakes the

photographer may have made in each case. Hints have been provided.

Picture Hint

Lighting

Focus

Composition

Background

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Activity 3: Framing

Photographs should be well placed within the frame. Framing makes

photographs interesting to look at. To achieve good framing, ensure the

subject is placed at the centre and all parts are captured within the frame.

In which of the following pictures has the mountain been well framed?

Activity 4: View point

View point refers to the position a photograph is taken from. It shows

the main thing on the photograph. There are several view points that a

photographer can use when capturing images using a camera.

Worm’s eye view –This is a view of an object from a position below it, as

though the photographer were a worm. It makes the object look tall, strong

and mighty. See the example below.

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Bird’s eye view – This is a view of an object from an elevated position. It

appears as though the photographer were a bird. It is the opposite of the

worm’s eye view. Photographers use this view when taking photographs

using drones for example during events like weddings. See the example below.

Eye level view – The eye-level view is an angle of view when the camera

is held at the same level as the eye. This forms direct view between the

photographer and the subject.The eye level view is typically the way we

regard subjects in our daily lives.

105

1. Study the pictures below and match them with the correct view points.

Picture View point

Worm’s eye view

Bird’s eye view

Eye level view

2. Explain where the photographer was positioned when taking the

picture in each case.

Take home activity

a) Look at photographs at home.You can look at photographs in newspapers,

magazines or photo albums.

b) Analyse the photographs using the elements covered in this section on

good photography.

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Activity 5: Taking photographs of local sceneries

What you need:a digital camera or digital device that is camera-enabled

such as a smartphone

What to do

1. Your teacher will take you to the area surrounding the school. Observe

the environment to determine the areas of interest to photograph.

2. The teacher will demonstrate how to use the camera or digital device

to take good photographs.

3. Take photographs of the sceneries while observing all the elements of

good photography.

4. With your friend, discuss the photographs you have taken in terms of:

a) focus

b) framing

c) view point

d) background

e) quality of image

5. Which elements do you need to improve on?

6. Store the photographs in a folder in your digital portfolio for future

reference.

Community service learning activity

a) With the help of your teacher, parent and guardian, walk around your

school’s neighbourhood and document cases of environmental pollution

or degradation through photographs.

b) Use the photographs you have taken to explain the effects of environmental

pollution and degradation in the local community.

c) Educate the community on the beneﬁts of conserving the environment.

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Quick reminder

The elements of photography include the following:

Focus – Focus quality is the sharpness or clarity of images in a photograph.

An image that is sharp is said to be in focus.

Framing –This is how the forms have been placed within the picture’s frame.

The objects in the photograph should be well placed in the frame so that

they are clear.

Centre of interest – The centre of interest also known as the focal point

in a photograph is the feature which the viewer is ﬁrst attracted to.When

you create a photograph of a landscape, look for a predominant feature

to be your centre of interest.

Background – Background in photography is the scene behind the image

you are focusing on.

View point – View point is the position in which a photographer takes a

photograph from.

Quality of image – Image quality refers to how an image looks like. High

quality images are usually pleasing to the eye.You can take photographs

of high quality by ensuring that you capture the original scene clearly and

accurately.

Composition – Composition is how the elements of a photograph are

arranged within a frame.A composition can be made up of many different

elements, or only a few.

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4.1 Mounting and display

Mounting is one of the ways of preparing artworks for exhibition. In Grade

5, you learnt how to mount artworks using the window mounting technique.

In Grade 6, you will learn how to make wooden picture frames with mitre

joints.You will then use the frames to mount your 2D artwork. A mitre

joint is made by two pieces of wood or any other material at right angle

as shown in the picture below.

Mitre joints can be made from different materials. Fabricators use metal

to make mitre joints when making window frames. Carpenters use wood

to make mitre joints as they make furniture.

Key words

• mounting • mitre joint • mat • frame • marketing strategy

Activity 1: Studying actual samples of mitre joints

What to do

Study the pictures shown below.

PRESENTATION AND EXHIBITION

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a) What do you notice about the angles of the joints?

b) Name some items that have mitre joints.

Making a wooden picture frame using mitre joints

A frame enables you to present your artworks in a beautiful way. Mounting

and framing protects your work from physical damage and dust. It also

makes the pictures look appealing. A frame is a protective and beautifying

edge placed around a picture. It makes displaying a work of art safer and

easier. Below is a picture of a wooden frame.

Activity 2: Crafting a wooden picture frame

What you need: measuring tools,a sample mitre joint,wood glue, slender

pieces of wood (some waste materials can be found from a workshops), a

hammer, nails, sand paper, varnish, a brush and cutting tools

What to do

1. Using recycled pieces of wood, measure and cut out four pieces of wood.

Two should be 30 cm in length and two should be 20cm in length.

110

2. Put the sticks together as shown below to form a frame so that you can

decide to measure and cut the frames.

3. Using a protractor, measure 45 degrees angles at the edge of each piece

of wood and draw guiding lines as shown in the picture below. Your

teacher will guide you in which direction they should run.

4. Cut along the lines you have drawn using a saw.

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5. Use a sandpaper to smooth the bits of wood you have sawn.

6. Join the pieces of wood together to form a mitre joint.You can use wood

glue.

7. Once your frame is dry, ﬁx the joints together using a hammer and small

nails. Smooth the frame using a sand paper.

8. Apply varnish to your frame and let it dry.

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9. Put your frame aside to dry and tidy up your work station.Wash your

hands using soap and clean water.

Activity 3: Mat mounting and framing a picture

What you need: a picture of your choice (you can select good pictures

from the artworks you did before), a mat board (you can use cardboard

from a used carton), a ruler, a knife, coloured pencils, tape and a pencil

What to do

In this activity, you will mat mount an art wok using matting technique.You

will also frame the picture using the frame you made.

1. From your portfolio, select an artwork that you would like to frame.

Attach the picture onto a surface like cardboard or plywood.The process

of attaching something onto another is called mounting. Mounting your

picture will make it strong and prevents it from folding or bending.To do

this, apply glue onto the back of the picture.

2. Place the picture on a piece of cardboard.Your picture is now mounted.

3. Your frame measures 30 cm by 20 cm. Measure these dimensions on

your mounted picture and mark the dimensions.

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4. Use a cutting tool to cut your mounted picture. Be guided by the marks

you made in (3) above. Be careful when using sharp cutting tools to

avoid injuries.

5. Measure out the same dimensions, 30 cm inches by 20 cm on another

piece of cardboard and cut it out.

6. Draw a border of about 3 cm running from the edges of the piece that

you cut out.

3 cm

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7. Cut along this new border and detach the mat.

8. Apply glue at the back of the mat and place it carefully on the picture.

9. Get the frame that you made. Glue the back side of the frame and place

it carefully on the mat mounted picture. Leave it for about an hour to

dry.

10. Display and talk about your work with your friends. Give each other

positive feedback, for example what you like about the work and how

it can be improved.

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Let us learn

Some pictures have a material surrounding the edges.This is called a mat

or matting and is often made of cardboard. We use mats to make pictures

look beautiful.

Community service learning activity

1. Your teacher will organise for an art exhibition where you will display

your mounted artworks.

2. Display your mounted artworks and sell them to make money.

3. Use the money to buy story books for the community library.

Take home activity

1. Collect materials that you can use to mat and frame pictures.

2. Mount, mat and frame a picture at home with the guidance of your

parent or guardian.

Quick reminder

Mounting is a way of preparing artwork for presentation and exhibition

display. Mounting is done by applying artwork to a larger and harder material

than the drawing paper. The material surrounding the edges of an artwork

is called a mat or matting.We use mats to make pictures look attractive.

They also make artworks stable when displaying during an exhibition.

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4.2 Exhibition skills

Exhibition of 2D and 3D works of art

Activity 1: Studying art exhibitions

What to do

1. Study the pictures below.

2. Which of the pictures contains 2D art? Give a reason for your answer.

3. Which of the pictures contains 3D art? Give a reason for your answer.

Let us learn

A two-dimensional work of art is one which appears to be ﬂat.You can only

see or measure its length and width.You cannot see or measure its thickness

or height. They include paintings, drawings, prints and photographs.

Painting Drawing

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Photograph

A three-dimensional artwork is one that has not only length and width but

appears to have hight and depth as well. Such works do not appear to be

ﬂat. Below are examples of 3D artworks.

An art exhibition is the display of 2D and 3D objects of art where people

can see them.An exhibition can be held so that one sells art items or simply

for people to admire them.An art exhibition may also convey a message on

issues or themes such as health, education or leisure activities. Exhibitions

last for a short time. However, there are special shops that sell works of art.

We call such shops art galleries.These are open throughout.Art is also

displayed in museums which hold some of the most expensive works of art,

some costing billions of shillings.

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Types of exhibitions

(a) Solo exhibition

Solo means alone. A solo exhibition is held by an artist and only the art

of that particular artist is displayed.

(b) Collective exhibition

A collective exhibition is held for a group of artists who display their

works. Quite often, the artists may be displaying work on a common

theme.

Some galleries, museums and exhibitors have exhibitions online. This

means that many people can see the art and even buy it without leaving

their homes.

Activity 2: Visiting an online art exhibition

What to do

Have you ever attended an art exhibition? Your teacher will guide you to

attend an online art exhibition.

1. Visit the website https://www.artsteps.com/

2. You shall see a number of art exhibitions that have been posted.With

your teacher’s guidance, click on ‘Exhibitions’.

3. Observe the various works of art, discuss and answer the following

questions:

a) How did the artists mount the artworks?

b) Are the works of art 2D or 3D?

c) Do the works show a particular type of art? (for example, photographs,

paintings or sculptures).

d) Look at the frames. Do they have mitre joints?

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Displaying 2D and 3D artwork using the elements of

presentation and exhibition

Activity 3: Displaying 2D and 3D works of art

What you need: Your best work, lighting, display surfaces and décor.

What to do

1. Get all your works of art and categorise them into 2D and 3D art.

Ensure that your work is neat, clean and presentable. Dust or wipe your

works of art carefully depending on the material that they are made

of. Further, divide the 2D art into groups such as paintings and stipple

drawings.Take note of the number of items.

2. Your teacher will show you a room that you can use for your art

exhibition. Ensure that the room is clean and dust-free.

3. Ensure that the windows are all open to let in natural light (light that

we get from nature such as sunlight).You can also use artiﬁcial lighting

such as electric bulbs to add to the natural light.

4. Decorate the exhibition room. For example you can use carpets to

make the ﬂoor appealing.You can also use lighting to make the room

attractive.Avoid too much decorations.You want people’s attention on

the arworks and not on the decorations.

5. You had taken note of the numbers of your different works of art. Using

this, decide which display surfaces you can use. Be creative.Art is about

creativity.You can use, for example, small upright logs as pedestals (display

surfaces on which something is placed) for pottery.

6. Look at the space that you have been assigned.Think of how to place

your display surfaces. Leave enough space so that viewers can move

about freely. Arrange your display surfaces according to the categories

of art that you intend to display.

7. Decorate your display surfaces. Use table cloths for tables and for

pedestals that may not look presentable. If you are using a log of wood,

it would be best to leave it uncovered to achieve a natural beautifying

effect.

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8. Now place your art on the display surfaces according to their categories

and label them correctly for example what the artwork shows. Have a

member of the group stand by each category to explain the work to

viewers.

9. Once you have determined that everything is in order and everyone is

at their right place, you can open the exhibition to visitors.

10. Take note of their comments and share them at the end of the exhibition.

11. Take photographs of the exhibition using digital devices like smartphones.

12. Once the exhibition is over, carefully store your works of art. Clean up

the room and remember to switch off the lights.Wash your hands with

soap and clean water.

Let us learn

In order to have a good exhibition, there are a number of things we should

consider. Below are three of them which are important.

Lighting

Lighting in exhibitions is very important. It brings out small details in your

work making it more attractive. Lighting may be natural (such as light from a

ﬁre or sunlight) or artiﬁcial (bulbs).When lighting is good, it attracts people

to come and see the works displayed. Having extra lighting for an exhibition

is better than having less lighting. 3D artwork, for instance sculpture, should

be lit in different angles so that all the sides can be seen.

Spacing

Spacing is also important. If the works of art are placed too close, then the

work will not look beautiful.The viewer will ﬁnd it difﬁcult moving to the

next piece.

Display surfaces

Your display surfaces should be well thought out.You need to ensure that

they are neat and appealing. However, they should not distract the viewer

from the art. Be imaginative. Use, for example, a standing log as a pedestal

(stand) for sculptures or pottery.

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Marketing strategies for works of art

When you pick an artwork for sale from your collection, the selected artwork

in marketing is referred to as the product. In order to sell your artwork, you

must convince the buyer to purchase your product by telling them why your

product is good for them. By doing this, you are marketing your product.

The different ways you use while trying to convince your customers are

called marketing strategies. A strategy is a plan. If you choose to sell

your product to a speciﬁc group of people, we call this the target market.

There are many ways of marketing products.You can advertise, make

posters, make announcements or sing songs about the product.

Activity 4: Marketing artworks

What you need: manilla paper, writing paper and pencils

What to do

1. Make a list of the works of art that you intend to sell. Put them in

categories such as paintings, drawings and sculptures. Select one of the

works of art to be your star item, the one from which you expect to

make the most amount of money.

Learners selecting their artworks

2. Write a brief description for each work of art.

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3. Pricing is part of marketing strategies.You may need to settle on prices

for each of the items. Do not make the prices too high or too low.Your

teacher will guide you on how to price your artworks. Put these prices

on your list of works of art to which you have added brief descriptions.

4. Take photographs of the items you intend to sell.Your teacher will post

them in the social media along with the list of items and details of the

exhibition.

5. Remember that you are holding this exhibition to raise money to visit a

museum.Think of what to tell your target market and very importantly,

how to talk to them in a convincing way.

a) talk to the buyers

b) make posters of your artworks and post them where many people

walk by such as markets, bus stops and places of worship.

c) reach the target market by writing letters informing them about the

exhibition and the sale.

You need to tell your market (your buyers) about the beneﬁts of coming

to your exhibition and of buying your artworks.

6. Keep reminding your target market about the exhibition. However, do

not overdo it so that we become a nuisance to them.

7. Keep reviewing your activities to see what you need to change, stop or

continue doing.

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Take home activity

1. Take home one of your works of art.

2. Sit down and write a marketing strategy for selling it. Your strategy

should have:

a) your target market

b) a price for the product (artwork)

c) how you want to market your product.

3. Sell them and take the money you make to your teacher. Agree as a

class on how you can use the money to help someone in need.

Community service learning activity

1. In the Art Club, work together to make 2D and 3D artworks.

2. Display and talk about your work during your school’s Art Exhibition

Day.

3. Sell your artworks to raise money for an educational tour to a museum.