Making Reliefs

This is the last weekend before we start back to school so this project is a bit of a reflection. However, the process of making reliefs is transferable to many topics such as documenting the transformations that happen in the Fall! Our son initiated making various reliefs and models based on his observations. Was there something this summer that piqued your interests- whether it was planting and watching a garden grow or a flower on your sill, a trip to an aquarium or observing a building or home in your neighbourhood be constructed? Give it a go- we would love to see your work!

Materials

Camera (optional for capturing inspirations*)

Paper, pencil, eraser
Relief or Model materials (clay, popsicle sticks, building blocks etc. We went with plasticine as inspired by the work of Barbara Reid http://www.barbarareid.ca/home.html.)

Depending on your material choice, we always find these items helpful too:

Smock
Craft tray

Directions

Use a nature walk, a trip to a museum, science centre, historical site etc. as inspiration. Here is a bit of ours:

Sketch or plan out your idea.

Create your relief or model out of a material of your choice.

I loved it when I asked the kids if they needed any help with kneading and my daughter replied, “We will start you off with little ball and see how you do!”

Be sure to test out your tools prior to use!

Here is his sister’s interpretation!

Here is a model of a dinosaur in K’Nex that our eldest son made after he saw a Science Centre’s exhibit, transferring his knowledge to a different material and construction process.