The Mask of Divine Proportion: Cut Paper Collage

Collaging is a fun and important medium and skill to master in an Art 1 class. Many students may think that a collage is random placements of 'stuff' glued together with little thought about meaning. This project aims to teach students that a good collage considers the elements and principles of design as well as the rules of composition.

This lesson incorporates math and art by introducing students to the Fibonacci Sequence of the golden proportion. Students will examine how this sequence of numbers has permeated both nature and culture throughout history. The teacher will lead a discussion about how beauty is seen in society and how proportion and ratios attempt to reduce beauty to a number. Students will explore texture, color, balance, unity, shape, and proportion in creating their mask of divine proportion.

Once students have demonstrated comprehension of the Fibonacci Sequence (through a formative handout created by the teacher), they will be asked to choose five textured/colored papers with a color scheme in mind. Students will measure, cut, and glue their collage papers according to the mask template and assemble this collage onto colored matte board upon completion.