Greek Vasepainting Project

GREECE PROJECTS

GREEK COINS
CLAY SEALS
SPINNING
GREEK DISCUS
GOLD BOWL
GREEK LYRE
OLYMPICS
PLAY-READING
HOPLITE SHIELD

VASE-PAINTING
BLACK-FIGURE
RED-FIGURE

GREEK FOOD
GREEK CLOTHING
GREECE TEACHERS' GUIDE
ANCIENT GREECE HOME

Exekias black-figure vase

Berlin Painter red-figure vase

If you need an art project, or something the kids can do sitting down, here's a suggestion for a good quiet project.

There are two main styles in Greek vase painting - black figure and red figure. Mostly before about 530 BC people painted in black figure, and after that time people gradually began to paint in red figure.

Black figure is called that because the people (the figures) are black, and the background is red. In red figure, on the other hand, the people are red, and the background is black. (More about black figure and red figure).

You might have the children draw first a black-figure picture and then a red-figure picture and discuss what the differences were between them. (for instance, it's easier to draw in black-figure because you don't have to color in the whole background, but in red-figure it's easier to show the expression on somebody's face, or her muscles).

Activities:

* Olympic games
* Play reading
* Vase-painting

For more ideas for Ancient Greek projects, check out these books from Amazon.com or your library:

Hands-On Ancient People, Volume 2 : Art Activities about Minoans, Mycenaeans, Trojans, Ancient Greeks, Etruscans, and Romans (2004) For kids ages 9-12.

Ancient Greece!: 40 Hands-On Activities to Experience This Wondrous Age (Kaleidoscope Kids), by Avery Hart, Paul Mantell, and Michael P. Kline (1999). Gives ideas to get kids thinking, rather than step-by-step instructions.