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Students will create a paper diorama that illustrates a personal scene from their memory or imagination.
Students will create a paper diorama that illustrates a personal scene from their memory or imagination.
Objectives:
Objectives:
Students will learn about paper dioramas, including the Japanese art of “Tatebanko”
Students will explore the medium of paper art; such as tunnel book construction, paper dioramas, and shadow boxes
Students will use various ‘paper art’ skills and techniques (such as scoring, creasing, use of tabs etc..)
Students will use various techniques to create the illusion of deep space within their artwork
Students will create a personal artwork based on a scene from a story or poem
Materials Used:
Materials Used:
A shallow box (I will provide you one, but you are welcome to bring one you like better)
Paper:
Stiff paper that will hold up well if the only one used (like watercolor paper)
Scrapbook papers, tissue papers, construction paper...anything you would like
White Glue & Hot Glue
Scissors, exacto and mat
Cardboard, poster board or chipboard for support as needed
Watercolor paint, acrylics, markers, colored pencils, sharpies...anything you would like to use
Tatebanko
Tatebanko
Japanese Art of Paper Dioramas
We can look at the art of Tatebanko from Japan, to get ideas on how to make a paper diorama. How to make layers, how to attach them and how to create the illusion of deep space.
Notice all of the tabs attached to the cut-outs.
Notice all of the tabs attached to the cut-outs.
This is a vintage craft/game where you could cut out the printed sheet to make a diorama.
The tabs are where you attach the pieces to the walls, floor or ceiling of the scene. When you can use multiple sides, it gives your work more stability.
Same with the box to the right. See how the different layers/sections are attached with tabs to the sides of the box.
Inspiration Art
Inspiration Art
Inspiration Artists
Inspiration Artists
Kelly Pousette had a fear of the forest, but her paper cut dioramas helped her find joy in the wild.
A children’s book illustrator who uses paper cut pieces and dioramas to create magical, whimsical stories and scenes. Primarily self-taught, she experiments with both traditional and nontraditional techniques, incorporating mixed media. Her images often include woodland creatures and mirror the wild natural world around her.
Step 1: Brainstorm
Step 1: Brainstorm
Check out the list to the right of fairy tales/poems/stories.
Open your sketchbook and brainstorm:
Fairy Tales
Poems
Stories
Books
Childhood Memories
List at least 10 fairy tales/poems/stories (from the list/internet, your memory or elsewhere...could be your own story!) that you are interested in exploring with your personal artwork.
Beside each of your choices, choose/indicate the scene from the story/poem/memory that you are most interested in visually representing.
Lists of Fairy Tales, Poems & Stories you can use:
Lists of Fairy Tales, Poems & Stories you can use:
Step 2: Play with your Ideas
Step 2: Play with your Ideas
When illustrators or artists take inspiration from someone else's work (like a classic story), they work with the ideas but create a new way of visualizing the idea. (See some examples of famous fairy tale illustrators above) They do this through using: their own style of drawing, choices of colors, mood, viewer's perspective and even changing some of the elements (like characters, setting or important symbols). The story is already out there....why would someone be interested in seeing it again? How can you make it your own??
You MUST NOT use an copyrighted or licensed character in your work. ie. Disney, Tim Burton, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, Batman... These are all creations of another artist who had a different vision of a classic story line. This is your chance to come up with your own version.
Large collection of children's book illustrators/artists, with portfolio of work, links to their websites, etc...
Choose 3 ideas from your initial list of 10
How do you plan to make it your own? Make some decisions and plan them out...usually one will stand out afterwards.
Describe each of the 3 scenes...(the Who, What, When, Where and Why?) where is it, what type of environment, who is there, who will be there soon, what kind of feeling does the scene have, what kind of action or activity is going on, why is this all happening??
Draw out a small sketch (at least 3in X 4in) for each story/scene idea, exploring how you could visually express your ideas within the borders of your box. You can draw 3 different story scenes OR 3 different scenes from 1 story/idea.
Take photos of your work and submit them on Google Classroom for a grade.
Inspiration Fairytale Illustrators:
Inspiration Fairytale Illustrators:
Very wide range of style incl. Sculpture
Step 3: Plan the Layers
Step 3: Plan the Layers
Now choose the best idea from your 3 options
In your sketchbook, plan out in detail the full scene you wish to illustrate.
You will need to utilize the foreground, midground and background of the interior of your box. This is how you will create the illusion of deep space inside your scene.
This should take at least a full class period worth of work - you need to plan out each physical layer. (See examples of "layers" below)
When you have completely planned out all sections of your box, take photos of your work and submit them for a grade on Google Classroom.
Step 4: Begin Work
Step 4: Begin Work
Once you have everything planned, start drawing out each of your individual pieces on your choice of materials: chipboard, watercolor paper, cardboard etc...
Think about things like how you will attach things into the box (with tabs etc.)
Utilize the resources below and ask me any questions you may have.
Alternate/Advanced Options
Alternate/Advanced Options
Past Student Work
Past Student Work
Rubric & Reflect
Rubric & Reflect
Some reflection questions:
What story or memory did you choose to represent in your artwork, and why was it meaningful to you?
How did using layers and paper techniques help you create the illusion of depth and space?
What challenges did you face during the construction process, and how did you solve them?
In what ways did studying the Japanese art of Tatebanko influence your design and approach?
How did your artistic choices (color, texture, composition) help communicate your scene’s mood or message?
If you were to create another layered box artwork, what would you do differently and why?
How did documenting your progress with photos impact your work or decision-making?
What new skills or techniques did you learn during this project that you’d like to use again?
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