Art Lesson- St. Patrick's Day Flag and the Principles of Art

Using the Flag of Ireland, design a St. Patrick's Day Emblem using the traditional icons: clover, snakes, leprechaun, horse shoe, etc. and the traditional colors: orange, green and white. In this lesson, there will be an emphasis on the Principles of Art.

Classified: Medium and is best suited for children 9-12.

Click Here for the history of St. Patrick

What you need:

• Green, orange and white 12 x 18" construction paper. 2 Sheets each.
• Pencil, rulers, protractors, etc.
• Scissors
• Glue sticks

What to do:

Example: I traced the clover 3 times and cut it into thirds.

1. Make a basic flag of Ireland using the orange, white and green construction paper. Divide into 3 equal parts.
2. Using very simple outlines, make some St. Patrick's Day icons out of the remainder orange, white and green construction paper. Depending on how intricate the design, you may want to trace one icon multiple times onto each of the three colors of paper to extend the design over the entire flag. See example.
3. Allow for creativity- emphasizing the Principles of Art: Balance, movement, unity, harmony, variety, emphasis, proportion, and rhythm.
4. Add words if desired.