Ephemeral art
Session 3 - Ephemeral art
We are learning to:
create art with loose parts (natural materials, e.g. leaves, sticks and rocks, or materials around the home)
I will know I'm successful if:
I can create an ephemeral artwork in my home or outdoors
Share your work
We'd love you to share your ephemeral art. Take a photo of your art and upload using the 'Share my photos' button. Please note that you must be a NSW Department of Education student to use the form to share your pictures. All pictures will be linked to your Student Portal. Photos will be shared in our gallery.
What you need
natural materials collected from the ground, e.g. leaves, rocks, sticks, petals, bark, gumnuts, seeds or banksia cones
something to take a photo of your artwork (phone/iPad/tablet or camera)
If you can't get outside use materials from around your home, such as:
dried chick peas, lentils, pasta, rice
toothpicks, pegs, bread ties
You could make a box out a cereal box to collect your materials in. This would help keep your workspace and home tidy if you work on your art indoors!
Please don't pull things off trees as they may be an animal's food or shelter.
Please ask your parents/carers for permission before collecting outside or using materials from the kitchen.
Ephemeral art
Ephemeral art is temporary. It is usually created outdoors with natural materials, such as leaves, sticks, rocks and seed pods. If you can't get outdoors, you can also create ephemeral art with items from around your home, such as dried pasta, lentils and toothpicks.
Ephemeral art is here today... changed tomorrow.
Visit What is ephemeral art? to learn more about ephemeral art and some famous artists.
Andy Goldsworthy is a famous ephemeral artist. A google image search reveals some amazing inspiration for your artwork. If you'd like to learn more about Andy Goldsworthy, we've included two YouTube videos made by art teachers.
Shona Wilson is an Australian artist. She rearranges natural materials to form art. Her ephemeral art gallery is inspiring. Download her amazing One a Day Book full of ephemeral art. We challenge you to create one artwork a day and collect them in a book (digital or print).
Ephemeral art can be a shape or pattern, such as Andy Goldsworthy's work, or it can create a picture or scene. We can't wait to see what you create!
Here are some artworks made by one of our teachers. You can use loose parts (natural materials) to create pictures.
Can you make an artwork of an animal?
Look at the materials our teacher used to make this owl. Use natural materials or materials from your home to make an animal.
You could make an owl too, or any animal that you love.
You can add a border of sticks around your artwork to frame it.
Look at how our teacher created a tree.
What materials did she use?
Can you make a tree artwork?
For an extra challenge, put an animal on your tree. Our teacher made a koala. You could make a koala, or a lizard, or a bird.
Elements of Art and Principles of Design
Elements of art and principles of design are the fundamental parts that make up an artwork. Artworks may contain some or all of them. Knowing these can improve your artworks. Here are some that can be found in nature.
Try to include at least one of these in your ephemeral art.
Line
The path of a point moving through space. Lines can be straight or curved.
Shape
An enclosed area of space.
Shape can be:
geometric, e.g. squares, triangles or rectangles
organic, e.g. free form or curved
Texture
The way objects feel or look like they would feel, such as:
rough
smooth
sticky
furry
silky
Colour
The way an object reflects or emits light.
Colours have:
name (hue)
lightness/darkness (value)
brightness (intensity)
Colours can be warm or cool and have tint, tone and shade.
Pattern
Repetition, such as:
lines
shapes
colours
Contrast
Arrangement of opposite elements and effects, such as:
light and dark
smooth and rough
large and small