Submitted by Nikki Ryan, Emmanuel Catholic College -
Western Australia
Unit: Ceramics - Sculpture - Puppets
Lesson: Witches and Wizards Ceramic Marionettes
Grade level: Middle school (adaptable to lower grades) - Examples are 6th
grade

See sample of what puppets looked
like before dressing
Resources (below)
Motivation:
- Present examples of witches and wizard images from film and
literature
- Present PowerPoint of witches and wizards dolls and marionettes
found online. Show other examples of fine art dolls and marionettes.
- Demonstrate steps - discuss proportion in puppetry - head larger in
proportion for emphasis.
- Demonstrate/discuss various costume possibilities.

Click for larger image |
Materials:
Books/images of witches and wizards - images from film and
literature - images of witches/wizards dolls and puppets. Pattern
for puppet, pattern for clothes (patterns help to make cutting of
clothes go much more smoothly)
Newsprint, clay, clay modeling tools, canvas cloth, wood boards,
pottery needles, straws (or Kemper hole maker), white cord (black
could be used), fish line, 1/2 inch x 4 inch wood sticks (for
control bars), assorted fabrics, black Pellon (or felt), yarns,
ribbons
Puppet Pattern - enlarge to desired size for student use - click
for larger image |
Procedures:
|
Major Outcomes |
Student Tasks |
| ARTS IDEAS:
Students generate art works to communicate
ideas |
Drawing Task:
- Brainstorm and illustrate different types of costumes and
characters
- Illustrate the "still life" of a witch (what
props/surroundings would be present). Demonstrate your
understanding of the elements (line, tone and shape)
Design Task:
- Develop 2 characters from your brainstorming and preliminary illustrations
- Choose one to generate to a full size image. Illustrate the
clothing, hair, jewelry and accessories. Label and color.
Incorporate line, shape, pattern.
|
| ART SKILLS AND
PROCESSES:
Students use skills, techniques and
technologies of the arts
|
Technology:
- To the teacher - Develop a WebQuest for witches and wizards -
find suitable sites for student to explore to see the role in
film and literature....include some online sources for
dollmakers and puppet makers. Teacher will integrate technology
through the use of a PowerPoint of images.
Media Testing:
- Experiment with drawing techniques in a variety of ways
- Experiment with the different clay techniques shown in class -
in a variety of ways
- Experiment with different clothing designs.
Skills and Processes:
- Demonstrate the necessary clay skills and knowledge in clay
construction and sculptural detail (pinch method, additive and subtractive and slab methods)
- Select the appropriate mixed media and apply detail carefully
to final piece.
Elements and Principles:
- Demonstrate careful consideration of the elements - form space
and texture -- and the principles - unity, balance, proportion.
Creativity and Originality:
- Create a clay puppet that reflects an intriguing
interpretation of the theme.
- Make a pinch pot head to approximate size given - add
facial features and carve features. Make sure head is hollow
- put pin hole in back of head for air to escape. Shape into
chin and neck. Put small hole in neck for tying to body -
put hole through at top for stringing
- Cut body section - make impressions for knots of arms and
legs (these will be hot glued on) Alternate - put holes and
tie on arms and legs with fish line. Put hole towards bottom
of body for string - this will help marionette take a bow.
- Cut out and shape hands and feet/shoes - put hole in for
string up. Alternate suggestion: put holes in knees to give
a walking motion - using one long string for legs. Make
impression for knots on hand and feet ( or small holes to
tie on with fishing line).
- Make knees and elbows - use straw to put hole through.
- Put name on back of body - keep all parts together on wood
boards for drying. (Teacher make want to have some quickly
made ceramic bow shapes ready to put all pieces in kiln for firing)
- Design and make clothing - keep sewing simple. See
clothing notes.
- Select media to achieve unique qualities and decorative
treatments within your work.
Completion:
- Produce a fired clay puppet that uses mixed media in
construction, decorative treatment and final detail
- Assemble puppet - hot glue arms and legs cord knots to
hands, feet and body. String puppet up - make cross bar by
latching the two sticks at 90° angle. To the teacher: Look
at a variety of marionette puppets to determine the way you
prefer to string them up. Holes can be pre-drilled in cross
bars. Wire brads can be nailed in at either end of the cross
bar for one long continuous string for legs.
Work Practice:
- Demonstrate you can focus on the end task, take pride in your
workspace, be responsible, clean up and participate in
discussions.
|
| ARTS IN SOCIETY:
Students understand the role of arts in society |
Research:
- Research dollmaking and puppet making using source provided
- Explore an artist who make dolls and/or puppets
- Discuss and show example of their work
Extension:
- Write a short play for your puppet.
|
| ASSESSMENT -ARTS
RESPONSES
Students use aesthetic understanding to respond
to and evaluate the arts
|
Self Evaluation
- Fill out self-evaluation rubric
- Outline why you think it is or isn't successful and how you
could make improvements.
Modified Rubric:
Assess on craftsmanship - creativity and originality -
proportions - embellishments - costume design and accessories |
Alternate themes:
Heroes, Super Heroes, Mythical/fantasy creatures, Story telling (each
student make a character for a student written play).
Notes of Costumes:
From Doll Artist Karen
Smith:
I would think the easiest way to make a witch costume would be to fold
a length of fabric in half that is as wide as the length of arms if they
were outstretched (select a tightly woven fabric)... from arm to arm ...
and as long as you need ...doubled. Make a small hole in the fold
for the head ... add a small slit in
front until you can stick the head through the hole. Then cut
sleeves by cutting a triangle shape ... Sleeve wider at the bottom ...
going up toward the arm pits (leaving enough fabric at top of arms to put
hand and elbow through). Allow plenty of fabric to fit around the
body - and tie in at the waist. Sew under arm seam and side seam. Tie the
waist with a bit of extra fabric or ribbon. Cut the sleeve area into small
wedges the
lower edge - spikey. Do the same to the bottom of the robe as high as
needed. It would be primitive ... but I think effective enough for a
puppet. Of course it should be out of black fabric to be "witchy"
... and the hat could be made out of a doughnut shaped piece of black foam
or paper or painted cardboard
with a cone shape out of the same stuff glued to it (try black Pellon or
black felt)
The magician's costume could be done the same way except the I wouldn't
cut the slits in sleeves or hem and I would make it out of blue fabric and
add stars and moons out of yellow. Add a wand ... bend the hat tip
... and you are in gear.
Note from Judy Decker: When I did marionettes - I had the kids all tie
their puppets together using a figure template under it (on 8 1/2 x 14
paper) - Since all of the bodies were the same size block of wood. Using
the template - they got the arms and legs the same length (close enough
anyways). Students had done their own drawings when they planned the
puppets and got their lesson in figure proportion that way. They all
understood the need for consistency in assembling their puppets.
Make one pattern that will work for a witches dress - or a wizard's
robe. Adapt it to fit with different tie belts. Wizard would wear a
slimmer gown under the robe. You can get some black lace to make shawls
for the witches (cut triangle shape and tie in front - draping over
shoulders. Get a parent volunteer to help with the sewing if you decide to
machine stitch them all. Student should be able to hand stitch the sides -
but it will be time consuming. A cape can be made from a semi-circle -
with neck area cut out. Gather up at the neck with a running stitch and
glue a 1/4 inch ribbon tie around to have a bow in front.
Links for Ceramic Dolls an Marionettes:
Bel Craft - Historical Dolls By
Isobel & Vaughan Tyrer. See Gandalf and the White Wizard in Portrait
dolls.
Michelle Bradshaw -
Gandalf
Valerie Bunnell
Mixed media - ceramic figurative sculpture - rich in textures. These are
dolls that are wired together. I can see them inspiring a lesson for
middle school and above.
Shelly Frost http://www.revampediting.com/frostceramics/gallery_dolls_arms.html
Several examples may be found at Puppets on the Pier: http://www.puppetdream.com/search.cgi?suppl_id=18&page=2
http://www.puppetdream.com/search.cgi?suppl_id=18
(five pages of images)
Browse these Dolls Resources: http://www.princetonol.com/groups/iad/lessons/middle/crafts.htm#Doll
Puppets and marionettes: http://www.princetonol.com/groups/iad/lessons/middle/puppets.htm
Google Image Search - Witch
Marionette Wizard
Marionette Wizard
doll Witch
doll Witches - Wizard searches will bring up lots of
images for you - don't let kids do the search themselves.
From Judy: A Google search for Ceramic Doll will bring up many images.
I found many images of Wizard and Witches dolls and puppets for Nikki but
did not save the links - or images for myself. I do have one good wizard
image that has a close-up on how to make wire rimmed glasses. Email
me if interested in that one. Happy surfing. You might
also want to do a marionette Google search.
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