Project #10

Thankful Placemats
due date: 11/19/12

The Project:

You will be making festive placemats for Thanksgiving with this one.

Some of my thoughts:
If there are multiple family members participating in this one, each child could make one or two for the set.
If there is only one making the placemats, then you could consider making a full set. Make a couple a day and take a few days to complete the set.
Of course, you don't have to make a set, one person could be the special placemat recipient!

Another thought is that you could laminate them with clear contact paper (found in various stores in the U.S.). You could also take them to an office or teacher supply store to have them laminate the mats for you. If you choose the latter, do not use glitter or any other product other than paper for your design, as they may choose not to laminate them for you because it could harm their machine.


Elements of Art:

This project teaches a few things. As we will be working with two colors, you could refer to a color wheel for choosing complimentary colors.

Then, there is the aspect of positive and negative space that this project is really based on. I will show a placemat pattern for a guide, but I will also provide more templates so you may design your own.

So, the third element in this project is design. Keep in mind that you are making a placemat and that there will be things set on top of it.  (Wait, there is one more element, table setting!)


The Color Wheel:

Here is a color wheel to help you choose complimentary colors. If you choose two colors that are opposite the color wheel, you have two complimentary colors!

 

Here is a fun interactive wheel for younger kids: click

 

 

Materials:

 

2-14 x 18 (or regular sized) construction paper

sharp scissors (smaller ones work best around the corners and curves)

white glue

copies of templates (see below)

pencil and eraser

clear contact paper or plans to get the mats laminated

 

 

The Process:

Choose your design.

 

Cut a border out of one of the complimentary colors. Do this by cutting a rectangle out of the center. Measure about three inches from each edge, draw the rectangle and cut it out.

 

 



Make a stencil or template out of a design you want to be on your placemat. Symmetrical designs work best. Fold the item in half and cut it out, it will be symmetrical. You don't have to have symmetrical shapes, the video will explain how to use them.



 

Use the folded template and line up this fold with the inside edge of the border. Trace the part that is on the border and cut it out. If it is on the border symmetrically, use the cut piece for the other, contrasting part. Repeat around the edge of the border, saving the cut out pieces. These piece (if they are symmetrical) will be flipped and glued opposite the cut edge of the border.



After you have finished the cutting, line up the outer edges of the cut border and the background color. Glue them together. Match the cut pieces with the border spaces and glue down to the inside of the placemat.

Remember, if the object was put on the border edge symmetrically, you will only need to flip the cut-out, line it up, and glue. If it was asymmetrical, you will need to cut the other side from the border color, line it up with the cut space, and then glue. The video will explain this...

 





If the video does not come thru, here are some explainations:

For asymmetrical objects or lettering...
Cut the letters out. Line them up on the border edge. With half of the letter over the edge towards the inside. Trace the upper half of each letter onto the border and make a line to cut off the bottom half for glueing.

Cut the top half out of the border and glue the bottom half underneath. Use the picture of my finished mat for an example. Notice the "A"; I had to glue the center part of the upper portion into place.

 

Templates:

 

You could try these letters, but I drew mine on the border color paper, cut them out and traced them on the border. They need to be big block-type letters.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Examples and FYI: