Painting and Montage

A montage means we use different pieces to build one big picture. First, we have yellow paper. This will become the sun. In Kenya, the sunrise is bright and golden — perfect for yellow. Next, orange paper. We'll use this for the sky. The morning sky at dawn is full of orange and red colours. We also have dry grass. You might find some in your compound or along the roadside. We'll glue it at the bottom to make the ground — like the savannah with tall grass. A piece of cardboard. You can use an old shoebox lid or a cereal box. Recycling is good! For the steps. Step one: cut a half-circle from the yellow paper. This is the sun. Imagine it rising over the horizon. Step two: tear the orange paper into long strips. Don't worry about making them perfect — torn edges look like clouds! These strips will be your sky. Step three: glue dry grass along the bottom of your cardboard. This makes the ground. Press gently so the grass sticks well. Step four: arrange everything on the cardboard. Put the sun near the horizon, the orange strips above, and the grass below. Glue them in place. Just like that — you've created your own Kenyan sunrise montage! Great job, everyone!

Another montage — a giraffe! Watch how we use cut-out shapes and natural seeds to bring it to life. This montage uses cut-out paper shapes for the body and natural seeds like maize to add texture — that's what makes it look real. For materials you'll need brown and yellow paper, maize seeds, and glue. These are easy to find and give a wonderful African feel. Here are the four steps. First, cut a long neck and body from yellow paper. Second, cut small brown circles for the spots. Third, glue maize seeds along the neck to create a rough texture like a giraffe's fur. Finally, assemble all the parts on a piece of cardboard. There you have it! A giraffe montage using simple materials. Try experimenting with different seeds — like millet or rice — to see what textures you can create.

Our third worked example: a Traditional Kente Pattern Montage. A montage means an artwork made by gluing different materials onto a surface. First, gather your materials. You will need red, green, and yellow paper strips, dried leaves, and glue. These are easy to find at home or outside. You can collect dried leaves from your compound, and use coloured paper from old magazines or construction paper. Always ask permission before collecting natural materials. Follow along carefully. Step one: Cut your paper strips into equal widths so they fit together nicely. Step two: Weave the strips over and under each other to create a pattern, then glue them down. Step three: Glue dried leaves at the corners for decoration. Step four: Trim any uneven edges to make your artwork look neat and finished. Great job, everyone! This montage uses colours and patterns inspired by Kente cloth from Ghana. You can also use Kenyan materials like maize stalks or banana fibres to make your own version. Try it at home!