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Make a Sunflower Box


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Make a Sunflower Box

September 27, 2020

Mother and daughter at a table making ceramics

The leaves may be starting to change, but the sun is still shining! This week, Art Educator Karin Pavey show you how to make a sunflower box inspired by a small sunflower tureen in our English porcelain collection. It was made at the Chelsea Porcelain Manufactory in London, England c.1755. Craft your own version using materials from around the house.

Tureen in the shape of a sunflower Tureen in the shape of a sunflower

You can also download the instructions as a PDF

Materials:

  • Plastic snack container
  • Paint (yellow bristol board may be used for sunflower templates instead of painting them)
  • Paint brush
  • Tray for paint
  • Scissors
  • Pencil
  • Thin cardboard
  • Paper
  • Tape

Instructions:

Art materials including paper and paint

Draw your sunflower and lid template on your cardboard or bristol board. Your measurements may be different than ours depending on the size of your container.

Two pieces of paper with the outlines of sunflowers drawn on them

Draw a slightly smaller sunflower template on a piece of paper or thin cardboard.

Outline of a sunflower drawn on a piece of paper

Stack your cardboard sunflower template on top of a second piece of cardboard. Cut around the template. You should now have 2 sunflower templates cut.

Cut out your paper template as well.

Cut out the circle in the centre of each sunflower.

Cutting the centre out of a paper sunflower

Cut out your circular lid and make 6 slits around it. Remember that your measurements may be different than ours depending on the size of your container.

Circle with six small cuts

Overlap the edges of the slits and tape them into place.

Paper circle folded into a bowl shape

Here’s what the cardboard pieces should look like at this point.

Cardboard sunflower box

Paint the plastic container that will be the base of your sunflower. We used light green.

Plastic container being painted green

Paint all sunflower templates yellow. If you used yellow bristol board, you can skip this step.

Cardboard sunflowers being painted yellow

Paint around petal edges with white for contrast.

Paper sunflower being painted yellow with white details

Paint the lid dark green. You can also add some details to the base.

Painting a cardboard bowl with dark green paint

Draw a leaf shape on your cardboard. This will be the knob or handle on your lid.

Leaf shape drawn in pencil on cardboard

Cut out the leaf shape and make little slits along the edges.

Paint your leaf green and attach it to the lid with tape.

Paper bowl painted dark green with a handle in the shape of a leaf

Stack your sunflower templates on top of the pot or base, with the smallest one on top. The lip on the pot will hold them in place.

Paper sunflower petals being stacked

With your fingers, curve the petals downward on the bottom template, and upwards on second and third.

Paper sunflower box

You should now have your very own paper sunflower box!

Paper sunflower box

Paper sunflower box (side view)

Take a photo of your work and share it using #GardinerFromHome.

Details

Date:
September 27, 2020
Event Category:

Venue

Gardiner Museum
111 Queen's Park
Toronto, ON M5S 2C7 Canada
Phone
416-586-8080
View Venue Website

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The Gardiner Museum will close at 6 pm on Wednesday May 22 for the International Ceramic Art Fair Preview Gala.