Paper Animal Carvings

Have you seen colorful folk art from Mexico? Kids will be delighted to try their hand at these colorful and quirky patterns similar to carvings from Oaxaca.

1. Woodcarvings by the Zapotec Indians of Oaxaca, Mexico, can be real or whimsical creatures. They are adorned with bright paints applied in detailed patterns.

2. To create your own interpretation of Oaxacan carvings, fold black construction paper in half. On one side, use Crayola® Metallic Colored Pencils and Metallic FX Crayons to draw an animal with the fold as its back or top.

3. Cut it out with Crayola Scissors, leaving the fold intact.

4. Use the markers to decorate your creation. Fill both sides of the paper with detailed, patterned drawings. Use many bright, cheerful colors.

5. Open your animal so it stands up on its own.

Adult supervision is required for any arts & crafts project.

Scissors—ATTENTION: The cutting edges of scissors are sharp and care should be taken whenever cutting or handling. Blunt-tip scissors should be used only by children 4 years and older. Pointed-tip scissors should be used only by children 6 years and older.

Butterfly Puppet Party Bags

Larger-Than-Life Wildlife

Birds-in-the-Tree Mobile

Crafts

crayola supplies

• Metallic FX Crayons
• Metallic Colored Pencils
• Blunt-Tip Scissors
• Construction Paper

household supplies

"Campers have constructed a colorful zoo in our cabin! They'll take them home at the end of the summer."
Jed H., summer camp counselor.

"Our girls delight in the bright colors and patterns we saw in Mexico. Their animals stand among their souvenirs!"
Athena R., mother of two, ages 6 and 8.

Zapotec Indians carve toys for their children and elaborate ritual dance masks for celebrations out of the same type of wood. All are painted with vibrant colors. There are about 500 artisans who carve and paint Oaxacan animals.