RADIAL DESIGNS
Level: 5-8
Duration: One 55 minute class period
Historical Overview: Cambodian Art
Materials:
-pencils
-crayons
-watered down, black tempera paint
-rulers
-manila or white paper
Directions:
1. What do a dart board, a starfish, a ferris wheel, and a flower have in common? For one thing, they are all good examples of radial designs. Radial designs are
generated outward from a center point creating a circular pattern or design.
2. Find the center of your paper and mark it with a pencil dot.
3. Next, use your ruler to draw (very lightly) one line from your dot to the center top of the paper and another line to the center bottom. Then, make a line that goes from your center dot to the edge of each side of your paper. Next, draw a line from the top left side of your paper to the bottom right-and another one from the top right to the bottom left side of your paper. These lines will serve as guidelines as you build up your design.
4. Starting at your center dot; begin to create shapes that will radiate toward the
edges of your paper. For example, suppose you choose a triangle as your first shape. To make it radiate from the center, you would also make an identical triangle opposite your first one and then a triangle on each side. Notice that your design has changed to a square when it is complete.
5. Continue to build up your design one shape at a time. You will be surprised at how many times it changes.
6. When you are done with your design, go over it in crayon. Press very hard and try to avoid using dark colors. You can make new patterns with color now by filling in some shapes with dots and others with stripes or wavy lines.
7. When you are done, brush the tempera over your design, painting evenly in rows and being careful not to repaint any areas.