We acknowledge the Gadigal of the Eora Nation, the traditional custodians of the Country on which the Art Gallery of NSW stands.

Art Sets.

In one drop of water: artmaking activity

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By the Art Gallery of NSW

Do you love to draw, paint and make things?

Artists love to create. They make drawings, prints, paintings, sculptures and other things for us to look at.

The decorative patterns and shapes or waterways, aquatic plants and wildlife have inspired Asian artists for hundreds of years.

Look at these Asian artworks from the Art Gallery of New South Wales collection, become an artist and create your own artwork inspired by nature and water.

Many of these artworks use curving lines and bold silhouettes to represent the swirling effect of water, or the undulating shapes of riverbanks and shorelines.

Patterns, textures and colours are combined to create harmonious compositions and aquatic motifs are often repeated for decorative effect.

Get creative

Make your own aquatic artwork that combines curving shapes, bold silhouettes and repeated motifs.

Remember, you are the artist so you can decide on the colours, the shapes and what your artwork will look like.

You will need:

  • scissors
  • glue
  • coloured paper
  • pencil
  • origami paper (optional)
  • your imagination!

Uploaded image

Take some of your papers and start laying them out in front of you. Decide on a background colour and what other colours and shapes you might use.

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Take some of your papers and start laying them out in front of you. Decide on a background colour and what other colours and shapes you might use.

Start cutting out shapes for your composition and begin to create your waterscape. Think about the contour of your shoreline. How much of your artwork will be sky, land and water?

Uploaded image

Start cutting out shapes for your composition and begin to create your waterscape. Think about the contour of your shoreline. How much of your artwork will be sky, land and water?

You could rip the paper instead of cutting it, so i looks more organic and textured. Try repeating some of your colours and patterns in different areas to create a harmonious composition.

Uploaded image

You could rip the paper instead of cutting it, so i looks more organic and textured. Try repeating some of your colours and patterns in different areas to create a harmonious composition.

To create a repeated motif, fold a piece of paper several times, draw a shape and cut it out. When you open it the paper you will have some copies of the shape.

Uploaded image

To create a repeated motif, fold a piece of paper several times, draw a shape and cut it out. When you open it the paper you will have some copies of the shape.

Add some detail to the foreground. What about a bold silhouette to one side? (Asymmetry, or unbalanced structure, is often used in Asian art to create a sense of movement).

Uploaded image

Add some detail to the foreground. What about a bold silhouette to one side? (Asymmetry, or unbalanced structure, is often used in Asian art to create a sense of movement).

Finish off your design by adding your motif. Glue everything down when you are happy with your final arrangement. Perhaps you could create a series of artworks?

Uploaded image

Finish off your design by adding your motif. Glue everything down when you are happy with your final arrangement. Perhaps you could create a series of artworks?