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X-Ray Art

Students will explore contemporary Indigenous art and create a drawing in the style of Norval Morrisseau.

Lesson Plan

Supplies Needed

Gather all the supplies needed to bring your craft ideas to life! From paints and markers to glue and scissors, our crafts section has everything to spark creativity and make every project truly special.

Steps

  • Step 1

    Norval Morrisseau (1932-2007) was an Indigenous Canadian artist from the Ojibwe First Nation. He is regarded as the grandfather of contemporary Indigenous art in Canada. Have students learn about his life and the pictographic style he originated referred to as the Woodland School. It is sometimes referred to as "x-ray art" because of the way it emphasizes the exterior and interior of a figure. Ask them to look at some examples of his work and note some of the features. For example, many works include large yellow eyes and drawings of interior structures within a body. Some suggested paintings to view are "Thunderbirds," "Untitled (Two Bull Moose)" and "Migration."

  • Step 2

    Have students create a piece of artwork in the style of Norval Morrisseau. Encourage them to include x-ray-like features. They could choose to use earth tones, as Morrisseau did in his early work, or they could use bold, bright colors that Morrisseau used in his later works.

  • Step 3

    Students might choose to make a mixed-media piece using tinted glue, which is a combination of watercolors and white glue that they would draw with. The use of colored pencils, construction paper crayons, and different colors of background can demonstrate how this art technique can be varied.

  • Step 4

    Have students present their X-ray artwork and discuss the colors and symbols they used.

Standards

ARTS: Speculate about processes an artist uses to create a work of art.

ARTS: Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural, and historical context to deepen understanding.

SS: Culture: Create, learn, share, and adapt to culture.

Adaptations

The Anishinaabe First Nations include the Ojibwe (Morrisseau's people), Chippewa, Odawa, Potawatomi, Algonquin, Saulteau, Nipissing, and Mississauga First Nations. Morrisseau portrayed Anishinaabe legends and culture in his art, which was not always looked at favorably because tradition discourages people from sharing Anishinaabe lore. Have students explore this culture and some of its traditions and artwork.

Have students explore some other contemporary Indigenous artists such as Jason Baerg (Cree Métis), Ningiukulu Teevee (Canadian Inuk), and G. Peter Jemison (Seneca Nation).

Have students make "global cultural connections" by comparing the artwork of Norval Morriseau, to the Molas made by the Cuna Indians of Panama.