Aboriginal Line and Dot Drawing

I read that the Aboriginal dot style of painting actually began in the 1970s when artists wanted to make symbols of some of their ancient ceremonial rituals. Soil would be cleared and smoothed over to use as a canvas. Designs were outlined with dancing circles and often surrounded with a mass of dots. Afterward the imprinted earth would be smoothed over, as if nothing had ever taken place.
1. I started with a square of watercolor paper and painted it almost to the edge with one color – I chose orange.
2. Using some rich pencil crayons (the Dick Blick student packs are good) start by drawing a quick diamond somewhere on the page. Continue drawing more diamonds inside, smaller and smaller, until out of room. The smallest shape in the middle is filled in.
3. Continue to add attached diamonds, or if short on space, triangles. Start with the large shape first, and then work the smaller shapes inside until out of room. Fill up the painted area as much as possible.
4. Make a row of dots to fill in each diamond, on both sides of the line. Use matching colors for each diamond as the Aborigines seemed to make very organized patterns, without a lot of random choices.

Suggested CA Visual Art Standard: Grade Two
3.3 Identify and discuss how art is used in events and celebrations in various cultures, past and present, including the use in their own lives.

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