Our Art Around the World Unit — South America: Students explored the fascinating Mexican folk art known as Amate bark painting. Using their observations of the art form, students will crumple brown kraft paper (a part of this project they love) to give it a bark-like texture, and paint their own painting onto it in the same bold and bright colors as used by Mexican artisans of Amate.
Amate (ah-MAH-tay) is the Nahuatl (NA-watl) language name for paper made in pre-Colombian Mexico. Amate is made from the pulp of the fig and mulberry trees. The color and grain of the paper depends on the bark usedto make it. Amates are then painted with bright colors, designs and wildlife( usually birds). For full information and lesson plan get our resource in our shop. It includes examples, step by step, patterns and more.
