Chinese paper cuts and the zodiac

Learning areas

The Arts: Visual Arts, Media, Years 5–6

Outline

Students observe and discuss examples of Chinese paper cuts. They compare Chinese and Western zodiac signs and make paper cuts to depict their own zodiac signs. These activities would complement other paper folding or cutting activities. They would also fit with other work about symbolism or the zodiac.

Materials required

(Students could view the Student sheets on the screen or the sheets could be printed in advance.)

Student sheet 1, which provides several examples of Chinese paper cuts.
Student sheet 2, which outlines people’s Chinese zodiac signs, according to the years in which they were born.
Coloured pencils, coloured paper.
Scissors, cutting mats, scalpels.

(Note: Please observe health and safety requirements when students use sharp instruments.)

Activities

Arrange for students to look at Student sheet 1 and discuss the structure and visual impact of the paper cuts. Use questions like: Who made it?; What is it made of?; How was it made?; Where was it made?; When was it made?; Why was it made?; What is it about?
Talk with students about positive and negative space and allow them to explore the concept, using scissors and red and white paper. This activity could be done quite quickly but if more time is devoted to it, students could produce work suitable for display.
Discuss Western zodiac signs. Provide students with newspapers and magazines and ask them to cut out examples of the zodiac signs used.
Talk with students about the Chinese zodiac, explaining that it also has twelve signs and that they are named after animals. Distribute Student sheet 2.
Ask students to find and cut out pictures of the animals associated with the Chinese zodiac.
Arrange for students to work in small groups. Allocate one or more Western and Chinese zodiac signs to each group and have groups make collages to represent each sign. Display results.
Discuss similarities and differences between the signs displayed.
To make students’ own paper cuts of their own Chinese and Western zodiac signs, ask them to:
- Make initial sketches of ideas.
- Refer to examples in Student sheet 1 (but try not to make the shapes too complicated).
- Conference ideas with a partner, ensuring that designs chosen will be intact after cutting out.
- Draw selected designs onto the reverse side of the paper.
- Shade areas to be cut out.
- Starting at the centre of the design, use an art knife and cutting mat to remove the shaded areas. (Cutting must always be away from the body.)
Use coloured pencils if required and display finished artwork.

Extension activities

Any of the following activities could be use to extend these activities, some of them into other learning areas.

Identify images of figures, animals and gods in Chinese paper cuts and research their characters.
Use paper cuts to make a screen print.
Write a short story or poem about a person born in your own birth year. Give the person some of the characteristics described in Student sheet 2.
Make a graph or other visual representation of the various zodiac signs of people in the class.
Use the Chinese zodiac symbols in kite making.
Design paper cuts to promote a positive message about health or the environment.