Nature is the best muse for any art enthusiast, a driving force behind a creator’s imagination and a box of wonders that appeals to all.
There is no better creation than nature itself and it has always been a source of inspiration for many. Sometimes all one needs is to just sit and observe, for nature is an enormous library filled with forms, patterns, colors, textures, material and sounds. One cannot but be intrigued by the magical play of light and shade, the rise and fall of lines, the wonder of symmetry and the lack of it. I have often been amazed by the sheer abundance that nature offers, for the art and design in every element it carries.
Making ‘Cocoman’
Have you ever felt like just spending time on creating something? No plans, no agenda, no thought of the outcome but just to create for the joy of it? Well, it was one such time that I made this “Cocoman”- as seen in the picture.
I happen to be with my parents who live on a piece of land (campus) in a village. Covered by a stretch of coconut trees, the best pass time here is to sit and just be and watch the scene around move. The scene that has in it tiny ant hills, fluttering butterflies, colorful flowers and swaying foliage. The Cocoman came into being, created with materials from the nature, picked during an evening walk. Leaves, twigs, seeds and the like and a coconut shell that lay abandoned in a corner that grabbed my attention. A little thought and stir to the creative energies, resulted in what you get to see.
There are times you know what you want to do before you begin but at other times you realize what you are creating as it evolves, either ways the process is enjoyable!
Engage. Learn. Create.
Children’s learning is driven by curiosity, fun and ability to engage. Elements of nature are so diverse that it can satisfy them all, also catapult their imagination.
If you are looking for inspiration, you can find it in your own surroundings. All it takes is an eye to notice and an interest to create. Some of us may be living amidst nature but others in an urban setup deplete of it.
Following are some sources of nature you could collect/use and ideas that might interest you to start your art/craft activity with.
For Inspiration and exploration
Flowers, leaves – concepts on shapes/sizes/proportion/color/texture
Fruits, vegetables to see and draw
A landscape/A potted plant/A creeper as a model to sketch/paint
To use nature as reference for color, light and shade
Understanding shades of a color and its gradient – tender to dry state of a leaf, change of color in raw and ripe states of a fruit, the sky its color and the clouds in different seasons
Direct use as part of the Art/Craft
Seeds, twigs, pebbles, feathers, tiny stones
Whole grains, pulses, ground nut shells
Dried weeds, pressed flowers, leaves for décor
Collage of various textures to fill forms, abstract explorations, assembled forms
Some ideas: Frames, Greeting cards, Wall décor, Paper flowers, Danglers, Stuffed sock toys, Painted pebbles/Rocks, Tiny creative pendants, Finger and Hand puppets, Landscapes with natural materials.
As Tools to Create
Natural form of a vegetable, the texture of a leaf, etc for imprints
Sand, wood, clay, any flour, cotton, hay, thread as a material
Color from natural elements like turmeric, beetroot, brick, charcoal, chalk
Some ideas: Printing a t-shirt with elements or blocks made at home from objects, simple toys with clay, finger painting, recreating a design with stencils.
So, the next time you take a walk to the park or the neighborhood, or in any of your outdoor trips look around and pick something to take back home. It is wonderful to bring the outside inside!