Art, Haitian Cultural Heritage, Social Studies, Glencoe






•	Haitian Communities in the U.S.

•	Language

•	Authors

•	Art

•	Cooking

•	Music

•	Celebrations

Art


	Artist: Castera Bazile Title: La Procession


	Artist: Hector Hyppolite Title: The Yellow House/1946


	Artist: Philome Obin Title: Carnival of 1946


	Artist: Philome Obin Title: Un bucheron about 1945


	Artist: Andre Pierre Title: Baron Samedi


	Artist: Lucien Price Title: Les branches

Like other artists, Haitian and Haitian American artists work with all kinds of materials, including the tin from oil drums. This "tin art" often takes the form of animals found in Haiti--lizards called geckos, big-eyed tree frogs, or tropical birds like flamingos.

Research pictures of one of these animals. Then make try your hand at "tooling," or engraving, a piece of foil art by following these directions.

Materials: heavy weight tin foil, scissors, poster board, tracing paper, ballpoint pen, enamel paints, brush, newspapers

Procedure

Use a pencil to copy the picture of a Haitian animal on to tracing paper. This will be your "pattern."
Place the pattern over the poster board. Go over the outline of the pattern with the tip of a ballpoint pen. Press hard enough so that an imprint is left on the poster board.
Cut out the "tooled" figure.
Now put the pattern over a piece of tin foil. Again, use the pen to tool the outline into the tin foil.
Remove the pattern. Then draw a one-quarter inch edge around the figure outlined on the tinfoil. Cut out the figure following this edge.
Wrap the tin foil around the poster board figure, securing the edges on the back with tape.
Use the ballpoint pen to tool details on to your "tin art." You can trace the pattern or draw freehand, as Haitian artists do.
Cover a desk or table with newspaper. Then paint your figure. Use bright colors, similar to those found in many works of Haitian art. (Tip: You can find examples of Haitian tin art in galleries on the Internet.)