Last year, we sold up our house, purchased a caravan and spent just under six months travelling around Australia. (You can read about our epic trip here.) During this time, our knowledge about Australia grew ten fold. We saw (and did) things we never thought we would do and it was absolutely amazing, but, it also brought out a lot of questions from our boys. We are going to spend this year, trying to find the answers to many of their questions and learn more about this Land Down Under.
The first thing our boys wanted to learn about is the Boab Tree and decided on doing a Boab Tree Mosaic Art, but first we had a look at what a boab tree is.
The Australian Boab Tree is related to the African species and are huge trees. These slowing growing trees can have a trunk as big as 15 metres in diameter. They are deciduous, losing their leaves in the dry season. When the wet season approaches, they sprout new leaves, flowering and growing fruit follows shortly after. These Boab trees have been used by the Aboriginal people as a food source with the roots, leaves and seeds all being edible.
We thought this Boab Tree near Kununurra was impressive, until we saw the Boab Prison Tree in Derby.
This Boab Prison Tree is located just south of Derby, WA and it is said that it was used in the 1890s as a lockup for indigenous Australia prisoners, though there is no evidence to prove this.
Anyways, onto the Boab Tree Mosaic Art. To complete this art project, you will need:
- thick sheet of white cardboard
- black oil pastel
- paper mosaic squares (I purchased mine from Riot Art & Craft)
- glue
- watercolour paints
Instructions:
- Using the black oil pastel, draw a line about 3/4 down the page. This is the for the black area “the dirt” at the bottom of the picture.
- Still using the black oil pastel, draw the outline of the boab tree onto the paper.
- Using your watercolour paints, colour in the bottom of the picture black as well as the boab tree. You can also add a yellow sun at the top of the page if you wish.
- While your paint is drying, separate your mosaic squares into different colours.
- Choose the colours you wish to use and starting at the bottom, glue the paper mosaic pieces on in rows until you reach to the top of the page. This mosaic process can take a while, our boys decided to have a snack and a little play half way through completing it.
- Frame your Boab Tree Mosaic Art and hang it on the wall!
B painting his Boab Tree and sun.
Getting ready to sort the mosaic pieces while waiting for the paint to dry.
I think the end products turned out great!
What do you think?
This post is part of the Australian Day Blog Hop 2016.
The Australia Day Blog Hop 2016
[Drumroll…] And now here are all the awesome Aussie projects coming your way!
Week 1
Monday January 4th
Printable koala mask at The Craft Train
Tuesday January 5th
Koala in a Creek at Laughing Kids Learn
Wednesday January 6th
Australia themed printable at Montessori Nature
Thursday January 7th
Boab Tree Mosaic Art at A Moment In Our World (You are Here)
Friday January 8th
Homemade Violet Crumble recipe at Go Science Girls
Week 2
Monday January 11th
Aussie Book List at Honey Bee Books
Tuesday January 12th
Mini kids pavlovas at Kidgredients
Wednesday January 13th
Bottlebrush (flower) art at Danya Banya
Thursday January 14th
Quick Aussie cookies kids can make at Coloured Buttons
Friday January 15th
Cooking with Kids at Learn with Play at Home
Week 3
Monday January 18th
Aussie recipe at Sweet Little Pretties
You might also like to visit our Australia Day Blog Hop from 2014 for lots more fun Aussie ideas!
What a great art idea! I never even knew that you could get native boab trees here, they must have been amazing to see.
Wow, that is so cool, what an awesome project for an awesome tree!
I can not wait to try this with my girl! I love to see boys get engaged in art! thanks so much for sharing!