Click to the Unisphere to go to the Partnership site's home page To What We Have Done Louis Comfort Tiffany, Multiple Dragonflies To the Tiffany Summary
To Lesson Web, lessons which connect art to other subjects
To Dig Deeper for more information on the artist and art
Click to go to the page How You Can Do It Too   To Just Add Ink, activities that use the art as inspiration
Creating a Tiffany Style Lamp Shade  

OBJECTIVE | INTRODUCTION | MATERIALS | PROCEDURE
ASSESSMENT | FOLLOW-UP | LEARNING STANDARDS | INTERDISCIPLINARY CONNECTIONS

 

Adapted from lesson plan by Learning Through an Expanded Arts Program (LEAP)

Grasshopper lamp shade
Lamp designed and built by a fourth grade student at PS144Q.

OBJECTIVE
To create a lamp shade using the influences of the work of Louis Comfort Tiffany.

INTRODUCTION
Begin by having students look at Tiffany Glass lamps. Talk about similarities, differences, themes, colors, patterns…
Students begin sketches of possible nature patterns they might want to use for their lamp shade; they should try a few different flowers, greens, leaves, grass, etc. This can also be done using real flowers and plants and become a lesson in observation, detail and drawing skills. Have students observe general shapes of flowers as well as some details, encourage large drawing. Students choose one of their practice ideas and plan out how to fit the pattern across the shape of the lamp shade (use the template as a guide).

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MATERIALS
11 x 17 Mylar or vellum paper
11 x 17 rice paper
Tissue paper
˝ water, ˝ glue solution
Glue brushes
Black puffy paint or black permanent markers
Templates of lamp shade to fit Mylar (Click icons for large, printable versions)
lamp shade templatelamp shade template
Scissors
Sobo glue or all purpose white craft glue
Permanent markers
Clear tape

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PROCEDURE
Creating paper stained glass (tissue paper collage):
Each student gets a large piece of rice paper, pile of colored tissue paper, glue solution and glue brush. Students should plan what colors they will need in order to make their chosen nature designs. They will need a large amount of each color they choose.
Photo of a student pasting colored paper to make a lamp shade design.
Students carefully pasted the shapes to make colorful floral designs.

They will be cutting the shapes for their flowers out of the paper stained glass they make now. Paint glue solution onto rice paper cover with ripped pieces of tissue paper in chosen colors, coat again with glue. As tissue paper overlaps, color from paper will bleed, blend and mix creating a tie-dyed or stained-glass effect. Encourage student to use a range of each chosen color. For example for orange petals a student could make a large collage area using oranges, reds and yellows, even some soft pinks. Let dry and flatten under weight.

Making the lampshade:

Photo of student cutting a shade design
Students cut out their completed designs.

Place the final pattern under the Mylar sheet. Use a thin permanent marker to draw outlines of the pattern onto the Mylar sheet. Cut out the shapes needed for the lamp from the tissue paper collage and lay them out onto the Mylar, when satisfied, glue the shapes to the Mylar using the Sobo glue. Any leftover background spaces can be filled in with tissue paper, glued directly to Mylar. Outline the shapes with black puffy paint or using a thick black permanent marker. When the glue is dry, Cut out shape of lamp shade, bring the two ends together and attach them together with glue or strong clear tape to form a lamp shade.

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ASSESSMENT
The design and execution of the finished lamp shade could serve as an assessment on the each child's understanding of theme, color and pattern.

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Round flower lamp shade
A finished lamp.

 

FOLLOW-UP
Use the process to create "stained glass" window projects.
Instead of using motifs from nature, repeat exercise with geometric patterns.
Use the process to study the work of other glass artists such as Frank Lloyd Wright.
Make a working lamp base to which to attach the lamp shade.

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LEARNING STANDARDS
Information about state and national Learning Standards is available at http://www.topicseducation.com/links.htm. Please note: selecting this link will open a new browser window on your computer.

INTERDISCIPLINARY CONNECTIONS
Art
Science
Math

 
 
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