Student resource package for Visual Arts Unit 'The Oldest Story'.

1. Student Resource
The Oldest Story
Angela Bruton
S0211488
EDCU20042 Teaching Technologies and The Arts
AT1 – Resource Package
Year 2 Visual Arts

2. Hi Kids, I’m Kylie Koala!
Welcome to your Visual Arts unit, ‘The
Oldest Story’. In this unit we will be learning
all about the history and culture of the
Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander
people through art.
The Oldest Story Unit
First cool fact: Did you know that the Aboriginal people are
one of the oldest cultures in the world, over 30,000 years old!
The Indigenous culture uses art a way to pass down stories
and important information to their grandchildren and
children. Let’s see some of these stories…
I’ll be here to help you with cool facts and awesome artworks, teaching
you all about the colours, symbols, patterns and materials used by
Indigenous artists to tell a story through artwork. At the end of this
unit you will be creating your very own Aboriginal inspired artwork.

3. Introduction to
Aboriginal Art
Angela Bruton
S0211488
EDCU20042 Teaching Technologies and The Arts
AT1 – Resource Package

4. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
people are Indigenous (the first)
Australians.
Their history is the oldest known culture
in the world dating back tens of
thousands of years.
The first Australians

5. The Aboriginal people do not have their own written
language, instead they tell stories and pass down
information through art in the form of dance, song and
painting/drawings.
Stories about their beliefs of when the world began is
called ‘Dreamtime’ or ‘The Dreaming’.
It’s written in the art

6. Aboriginal artwork techniques have been passed down
from older generations throughout history.
Traditionally they use their fingers or sticks for
painting and their paint was made from natural
resources. There weren’t any shops to buy paint and
brushes so they made their own.
Aboriginal Art

7. Aboriginal art uses symbols to communicate a story
or information. These symbols often represent the
natural things around them.
These symbols can be seen in rock paintings, cave
paintings, body paint and sand paint.
Symbols

8. The meaning of the symbols found in Aboriginal art
can change between different tribes and clans.
Below are some basic symbols that are used often in
Aboriginal artwork.
Meaning of the Symbols

9. Concentric circles represent many meanings in
Aboriginal Art though often they share a specific site,
waterhole or meeting place.
Concentric circles

10. This 'U' shape symbol represents people, both man
and woman and can be found in many Aboriginal
paintings.
‘U’ Shape

11. This symbol represents people
seated at a meeting place
Meeting place
This symbol represents a bird
and is often used in large
numbers on a painting
Bird

12. Kangaroo
Animals
Emu Possum

13. It is important to remember that a painting may have
many different levels depending on who the story is
being told to (children, newcomers, elders).
As with other art forms Aboriginal Artists have their
own style and techniques.
There are many different styles of Aboriginal Art
including:
• X-ray painting
• Dot and Symbol (Dreamtime)
• Realistic
Reading the Art

14. This unit focuses on Dreamtime art.
This style focuses on telling stories about creation
and passing down beliefs to future generations.
Symbols, dots and lines are painted to communicate
these stories.
Dreamtime Art

15. Traditionally only earth colours were used in Aboriginal
art because they used natural resources like dirt, plants
and mud to make their paint.
Black: represents the night and the Aboriginal people
Yellow: Represents the sun
Red: represents the land and blood
White: represents the spirit
Green: represents the trees
Today, modern artists use a wide range of colours.
Aboriginal Colour Palette

16. Examples of Art
Can you see any
symbols in this
artwork? What do
they mean?

17. Examples of Art
Can you explain the
colours used in
this artwork?

18. Examples of Art
Do the artists
create
movement with
their patterns?

19. Examples of Art
This is a modern Aboriginal
Artwork.
What is similar and different to
traditional Indigenous Artworks?

20. The next page is a set of flash
cards, you will each get a set and
your challenge is to cut them out
and match the symbol with the
right meaning.

22. ‘My Country’ by Damien and Yilpi Marks
Focus Artwork
This artwork is a great example of the use of traditional symbols, colours and
textures used to tell a story.

23. ‘My Country’ by Damien and Yilpi Marks
What do you think the artwork about?

24. ‘My Country’ by Damien and Yilpi Marks
 Where is your eye drawn to first?
Why?
 What do you think about the
artwork, what do you like/dislike?
 How does it make you feel?
 What materials and techniques do
you think the artist may have
used?
 Can we identify any symbols, dots,
lines and colours that have been
used to represent Aboriginal
communicates, elements or
language?
 Does the artist create a sense of
movement or depth to the
painting? How? (lines, textures,
colours etc.)

25. ‘My Country’ by Damien and Yilpi Marks
Think about what we have learnt about Aboriginal Artwork using symbols, lines, dots,
colours and textures to create art.
 Can you identify any symbols in this artwork?
 What are the meanings behind these symbols?
 Does the artwork tell a story?

26. Task: Aboriginal Artwork and Review
Assessment
MAKING
Use what you know about Aboriginal Artwork -
symbols, lines, dots and colours to make your own
Aboriginal inspired animal artwork.
1) Choose an outline of an animal
2) Select what colours you are going to use, how does this relate
to Aboriginal artwork?
3) Choose the materials and methods you are going to use and
why.
4) Make your artwork
RESPONDING
Review your finished artwork based on what you have learnt about
Aboriginal Art.

27. Assessment Examples

28. Make
Here’s the fun part!
Choose one of the following
outlines and you get to create
you own Aboriginal Animal
Artwork.

29. Copyright TeachEzy 2015 @ teachezy.com

30. CopyrightTeachEzy2015@teachezy.com

31. Copyright TeachEzy 2015 @ teachezy.com

32. Choose your colours
Choose your colours. How does
this represent Aboriginal
Artwork?

33. Once you have completed your
artwork, you will need to
complete this review:
Art Review
 Describe your artwork
 Describe what materials and methods you
used to make your artwork
 What colours have you used and why? (How
does this relate to Aboriginal Artwork).
 How could you improve your artwork if you
did it again?