Nature is an inexhaustible source of creativity and inspiration. From time immemorial, people have drawn themes for works of art from it. For the people, their environment was not something frozen, motionless. Fields and trees, sun and clouds, grass and mountains were spiritualized images in fairy tales, epics, proverbs and sayings.
In wildflowers, people saw the charm of youth, birds were a symbol of freedom and independence, the wind was the personification of strength and power. Love in nature comes with a mother's lullaby and a grandmother's slow, calm tale.
Man is the owner of his land, namely the owner, and not a waster. Respect for nature must be cultivated from childhood, just like respect for elders and a culture of behavior in society.
Folk craftsmen used natural materials to make various crafts, many of which outgrew their narrow utilitarian meaning and turned into genuine works of art.
The list of both groups is quite significant, therefore, based on specific local conditions, you can always find material for any homemade product. Each plant has a unique appearance: the shape of leaves, flowers, surface, etc. since when working with natural materials, all this must be taken into account.
Let's start with the most common material known since ancient times, clay.
Clay, found in nature, is so diverse in composition that in the depths of the earth you can actually find a ready-made clay mixture suitable for making any type of ceramics - from sparkling white earthenware to red stove bricks. Of course, large deposits of valuable types of clay are rare, so factories and plants for the production of ceramics appear near such natural treasures. For example, rich ferruginous clay is best suited for black-polished ceramics. It is highly plastic, perfectly shaped on a pottery wheel, and after drying it can be ironed to mirror shine. Dishes made from such clay do not allow moisture to pass through and are highly durable.
You can find suitable clay for modeling and pottery almost anywhere, if you wish. In addition, a small amount of clay can always be “corrected” by elutriation and other methods. Clay may lie immediately below the soil layer at a shallow depth. In soda fields it can be found during various earthworks. Layers of clay quite often come to the surface along the banks of rivers and lakes, in slopes and slopes of ravines.
Clay suitable for modeling can be successfully prepared even in a big city. After all, somewhere nearby, builders are digging foundation pits for a new house, or water or gas pipelines are being repaired. In this case, clay layers located at great depths appear on the surface.
Each type of clay changes its color at a certain stage of modeling, drying and firing. Dried clay differs from raw clay only more in a light tone, but when fired, most clays change their color dramatically. The only exception is white clay, which, when moistened, acquires only a slight gray tint, and after firing remains the same white. Based on the color that the clay acquires after firing, there are white-burning clay (white color), light-burning clay (light gray, light yellow, light pink color), dark-burning clay (red, brown, red-brown, brown-violet color) .
Ceramics-- products made from inorganic, non-metallic materials (for example, clay) and their mixtures with mineral additives, manufactured under the influence high temperature followed by cooling.
In the narrow sense, the word ceramics means clay that has been fired. However modern use this term expands its meaning to include all inorganic non-metallic materials. Ceramic materials can have a transparent or partially transparent structure and can be made from glass. The earliest ceramics were used as dishes made from clay or mixtures of it with other materials. Currently, ceramics are used as an industrial material (mechanical engineering, instrument making, aviation industry, etc.), as a building material, artistic material, as a material widely used in medicine and science. In the 20th century new ceramic materials were created for use in the semiconductor industry and other areas.
Depending on the structure, a distinction is made between fine ceramics (vitreous or fine-grained shards) and coarse ceramics (coarse-grained shards). The main types of fine ceramics are porcelain, semi-porcelain, faience, majolica. The main type of coarse ceramics is pottery ceramics.
Tree since ancient times it has been used in architecture, sculpture, decorative and applied arts, especially folk art (utensils, furniture, often tinted or decorated with carvings, intarsia, painting, gilding, etc.; carvings on the facades and interiors of buildings; wall cladding with laths, wood, etc.), as well as in the manufacture of printing forms for woodcuts, printed material and patterned gingerbread cookies. Man in Everyday life constantly comes into contact with wood - in the lap of nature, and in everyday life with certain products made from wood. Wood is the material that protects, warms, helps and pleases a person, giving him aesthetic pleasure. There is no alternative to wood as an ornamental material: its physical and plastic capabilities have long attracted humans.
The centuries-old practice of wood processing has allowed us to accumulate extensive experience and study all its properties and expressive capabilities. Thus, certain traditions of working with wood gradually developed, depending on natural and climatic conditions, lifestyle and human activity.
The richness of color shades of wood, the variety of textures and textures (waviness, concentricity, picturesque entanglement of fibers, etc.) determine the endless variety of decorative effects of products, and the relative ease of processing contributes to the direct embodiment of the artist’s creative energy.
Of the deciduous trees, linden is often used for carving. Linden wood is easy and clean to cut and is less susceptible to cracking and warping. Due to its low hardness, linden is not used for making furniture, so its use is limited to small household items.
Alder wood is also easy to cut, warps little, accepts finishing well and is imitated to resemble other species, such as mahogany. All this makes it suitable for all types of work.
An excellent material for carving is birch wood. It is harder than linden and alder and is more difficult to cut, but the quality of the carving is better. Birch wood can be painted and finished well. Its disadvantages are the ability to easily absorb and release moisture, as well as a tendency to warp and crack, which does not allow its use in large products. Birch can be used to make applied carved decorations and parts of furniture and other products.
For carving small items - dishes, souvenirs - poplar and aspen wood is used.
Oak has long been used for large decorative carvings and production of furniture with carvings. Oak carving is complex and labor-intensive due to the high hardness of the wood and its tendency to chip, but it is very expressive and decorative.
For small items decorated with carvings, rarer types of wood are also used: apple, cherry, etc.
From coniferous species For carving, pine, spruce, cedar, and yew wood is used. Decorations for platbands, icons, cornices, and gates have long been carved from pine. This carving is large, so the unevenness in the density of the layers of early and late wood of coniferous species does not complicate the work.
For many millennia, wood remained an accessible, beloved and understandable material to man. Wood is a construction material. In this capacity it is indispensable building material. Its mechanical and physical qualities are amazing: wood lends itself well to processing, it can be cut, chopped, sawed, planed, sharpened, and bent. Elasticity and toughness make it possible to hold screws and nails well. Coatings with varnish and drying oils make the wood waterproof.
The tree has exceptional practical qualities. All objects created from wood carry sculptural features. Wood is a decorative material. As a living natural organism, it has its own unique structural features, expressed in texture and color. In the totality of mechanical, plastic and decorative qualities Wood is an exceptionally suitable material for artistic work.
Everything created by man from wood has always had a practical purpose and at the same time expressed spiritual meaning, since most characteristic feature applied art is that things created for practical application, become carriers of the master’s mood, his feelings and thoughts. A person improved a thing in form and perception, and in the process of labor his hand was improved, a sense of form, color, material, proportion, symmetry, and rhythm was cultivated.
Wood carving is a type of decorative and applied art (carving is also one of the types of artistic wood processing along with sawing and turning). Modern carvings do not have a strict classification, since they can be combined in the same product. different types threads.
Carving is a type of decorative art; a method of artistic processing of wood, stone, bone, terracotta, varnish and other materials by carving.
Carving is used to decorate household items, decorate buildings, and create miniature sculptures. There are three-dimensional, high-relief, flat-relief, notched, contour, through and applied threads.
Natural construction is based on the use of natural materials. Here appropriate definition natural materials are materials that have not been subjected to industrial processing. But there will still be materials in your home that have been processed to some extent. Unless you find a hole in the ground or an empty tree and live in it. Beavers strip branches and then cement them with clay, bees and wasps produce wax for honeycombs and “paper” for their shelter, many birds build nests using complex combinations, for example, of straw, clay, sticks and feathers.
The difference between animal and human processing of natural materials is the key to good identification of natural materials. When animals process natural materials to build their shelters, they treat each part of the component as a separate entity. Their work celebrates the diversity of the universe. They collect heterogeneous materials with their beaks or paws and assemble complex structures from them. People take the same individual various materials and give them monotony. These natural materials become raw materials for similar industrial processing.
Therefore, we can define natural materials as materials that, even after processing, retain their essential essence. Natural materials must be respected by using them as they exist in nature.
Wood remains a natural material even after it has been cut, even if it has been cut with a chainsaw, even if it has been sawed into pieces, even if it has been split or chopped into square pieces with hand tools. Each tree used in this way is respected as an individual organism. If the wood is cut into planks with the same chainsaw, it is still to some extent natural; there is an element of personal involvement, an element of response to specific circumstances and thus there is creative choice. The natural quality of the tree is greatly diminished when it is transported from the sawmill on a large truck.
Almost any modern building, although generally natural, requires some non-naturally processed materials. Difficult to build solar collector without glass. Even adobe, which is made entirely from natural materials, is industrialized to some extent by using mechanically manufactured straw bales. There are no strict differences, but processing goes through several stages and each of them exponentially removes the material from Nature and increases responsibility.
Raw and uncombined materials
The list of raw materials for the construction of truly natural buildings is quite short. There is a clear division between biological and geological materials. We snatch biological materials from their cycle of growth, reproduction, decline and decay. Geologically, we borrow from the earth; these materials do not grow and are destroyed extremely slowly. Unlike biological materials, geological materials are not eaten by animals or insects. Life has almost no influence on them. Stones and clay tolerate heat, low humidity or high dampness well, which cannot be said about straw or wood. Fungus, bacteria or insects eat wet biological materials, and dry heat affects wooden frames And thatched roofs in such a way that they dry out and break.
In building a house from natural materials, we use various building materials. These are stone, crushed stone, sand, clay, water, various grasses, reeds, straw, grass, sedge, chaff and trees. The diagram (page 7) shows them in the sequence of connection with water, geologically on a descending scale, biologically on an increasing scale. Water connects the two components. Add to this list small materials: natural resins, resin, crust,
Wax, animals and vegetable fats, wool, skin, etc.
This is a complete palette of basic materials as well as a palette of tones. Yet the possible combinations of these basic materials are almost complete. We are still very far from the final result of compiling possible combinations of even the three elements of adobe - sand, clay and straw. Due to the constant desire to industrialize everything for the sake of profit, our society neglects even the simplest experiments with raw materials.
Primary and secondary processing
Primary processing is part folk tradition for thousands of years. After primary processing material remains separate element: square and shaped stone, fired clay tiles and bricks, lime, processed boards, sand melted into glass, sheaves of straw, iron nails, linseed oil.
A huge conceptual leap takes us to secondary processing, where elements are combined into synthetic amalgams that do not exist in nature. They break down relatively slowly or break down into toxic by-products. These are aluminum alloys, stainless steel, plastics, most preservatives, paints, varnishes, particle board, and mainly cement.
Materials combined in an unnatural way cause the deepest anxiety and fear. Because we have no proven genetic resistance to the destructive effects of material that we did not co-evolve with. While we have developed this kind of reaction to the natural chemical and physical combinations of our environment. And, if over the course of two generations we suddenly have to deal with pentachlorophenol, formaldehyde or dioxin, our body has no prepared defense, and we can easily get poisoned. It is important to understand that any synthetic material is most likely toxic to all life forms to some degree.
Component Assembly
Pre-assembled units are a quantum leap, not in chemical, but
socially, even after recycling. Natural materials offer us the opportunity to respect them and work with their different qualities, to see texture, scale, color, strength and uniqueness. In the case of ready-made components, the main choice was made for us. We buy ready-made windows, doors, plastic kitchens. Manufactured homes, mobile homes, are the ultimate achievement.
Since there is no incentive or strong desire to solve a difficult problem on our own, we are forced to constantly adapt to a variety of materials, simplifying everything to the point of absurdity. In the end, we become apathetic and inattentive, deprived of feelings due to boredom, wasting the invaluable acuity of perception of the world, which necessarily arises only during active creativity.
Natural materials, as opposed to pre-prepared components, are magnificent in their pristine beauty given to them by God. In this form, they fully reveal the structure of the building, demonstrate the miracle of resisting the force of gravity and exalt each individual component.
The best time to harvest natural materials is summer and early autumn (before the first snowfall). You can make crafts on long winter evenings, but to do this you need to take care of natural materials in advance.
Many plants grow in different natural zones of our country, the fruits, leaves, roots and seeds of which can be used for crafts. But some of the plants you will find on this site are found only outside of Russia, so when traveling on vacation, do not forget about your hobby. Do not hesitate to ask your friends and acquaintances to bring from their trips abroad the necessary materials for creativity. A collection of various natural materials will allow you to boldly fantasize and create new original crafts.
Before you start harvesting, you need to know how and when to collect, where to store and how to pre-process this or that material.
Basically, plant materials necessary for crafts, with rare exceptions, are collected during the period of their full ripening, since unripe fruits, when drying, can change shape, wrinkle and lose their visual appeal.
You can prepare some natural materials without even leaving your apartment if you leave (rather than throw in the trash) the pits of cherries and apricots, peaches and watermelons, pomegranates and papaya and other common and exotic fruits.
Wherever you are, look around and you will find a wide variety of natural materials for creating interesting crafts. You just have to take a close look at the nature around us! These are cones and nuts, fruits and herbs, roots and bark of trees, river and sea shells.
It is necessary to store natural materials in a substantial supply, for the whole year, since with the onset of winter everything in the forest and field will be covered with snow and you will no longer be able to find an acorn for your planned craft. In addition, it is necessary to take into account the inevitable waste - materials spoiled during the work process.
When going on vacations or weekends on trips and hikes, be sure to take with you a small hacksaw, a sharp knife, a camping hatchet and a large basket or bag for finds.
For the crafts presented on the Do It Yourself website, you will need the following natural materials:
CONES: spruce, pine, cedar, fir, alder, larch, cypress, juniper, yew;
ACORN oak with pluses (cups at the base of the fruit);
CHESTNUTS: sweet (edible) and decorative (inedible). Unripe chestnuts have a green, prickly shell;
NUTS: pistachios, almonds, hazelnuts, beech nuts (with prickly shell), pine nuts, walnuts, hazelnuts, Manchurian nuts, peanuts;
BONES: peach, apricot, cherry, dogwood, plum, persimmon;
TREE MUSHROOMS: birch, spruce, aspen, pine, oak;
BRANCHES various trees and bushes;
ROOTS trees and shrubs;
BARK trees: pine (old - thick and young - thin, golden-red), oak, spruce, aspen and birch bark - birch bark;
BULBS plants;
TUBERS plants (for example potatoes);
PEEL onions and garlic;
SEEDS trees (for example, winged seeds of maple, ash, linden); herbs and cereals
STRAW wheat, oats, rye;
FLOWERS garden and wild plants (for example, inflorescences of thistle and burdock);
SHELLS river and sea;
SINK garden (land) snails;
FISH scales, skin, fins, tails and gill horny plates of sea and river fish;
FEATHERS forest and ornamental birds (canaries, parrots, peacocks), domestic ducks, geese, chickens and turkeys;
MOSSES AND LICHENS: various mosses and lichens, stems of moss (Lycopodium).
In addition, you will need watermelon, pumpkin and sunflower seeds (they will be useful as additional material for making individual parts), corn cobs (with grains and leaves); fruits of yellow water lilies (pods); decorative pumpkin fruits, potatoes, apples, eggshell and many many others.
To make paintings and compositions from seeds, stock up on cereals used in household: buckwheat, oatmeal, rice, wheat, semolina, millet, lentils, and coffee beans.
Natural material
It is necessary to introduce children to the world of beauty as early as possible: draw their attention to the beauty of flowers, fruits of various plants, autumn leaves, bizarre shapes and colors seashells and the inhabitants of the underwater kingdom. Each plant has a unique appearance: the shape of the leaves, their color, surface, etc., since when working with natural materials, all this must be taken into account. It is necessary at every lesson, during excursions into nature, to remind children that they must treat nature like a steward, protect a flower, shrub, or any plant from senseless destruction.
Let's look at some types of plant material most often used for various crafts in kindergarten.
Cones (Fig. 1). Fruit coniferous trees- cones are an excellent material for voluminous toys and entertaining crafts. In shape they resemble parts of the body of animals and humans. The cones stick together well, they are varied in shape, size and type: cedar, cypress, fir, spruce, pine. For making crafts, it is better to use unopened cones, as they are easier to work with.
It is advisable to collect cones (especially pine cones) on moist soil so that they dry out more slowly and retain their shape longer. After collection, they need to be sorted by type, shape and size and placed in separate boxes.
Needles. Suitable for making toys, such as hedgehogs, spider legs, cat claws, butterfly antennae, and doll skirts. pine needles. They can be collected at any time of the year. There are a lot of needles in places where pine, spruce, and cedar trees grow. You can store them in boxes. It is better to use green pine needles in your work.
Nuts (Fig. 2). In kindergarten, hazelnuts, walnuts, groundnuts, pine nuts, and pistachios can be used to make toys.
Hazelnuts common in forests middle zone THE USSR. They are used as a material for making the heads of toy men (for example, a “cheerful man”) and animals (the head of a cockerel, a hare, etc.). Hazelnuts should be collected ripe in August along with the cap, which can also be used in making toys. Nuts are dried on boards and stored in boxes.
Hazelnut shells are hard. It is difficult to cut with a knife or pierced with an awl. Overdried nuts are difficult to work with, so it is advisable not to use them.
Pine nuts can be useful as additional material in the manufacture of the paws of animals, the fists of forest men; They are easily pierced with an awl and stick together well.
Walnut shells (in the form of halves) are used to make boats, carts, turtles, beetles, etc. Both halves of the shell are suitable for making, for example, the head of Santa Claus.
You can split the nuts into the correct halves using a knife, tapping it on top with a hammer. To prevent the nut from jumping and popping out, it must be clamped in a small vice or using pliers. This work should only be done by the teacher.
Groundnuts are very convenient for making toys; They are easily pierced and cut, since their shell is thin. Peanuts are used to make original animal figures (dog, cat). You can store nuts in a dry place, as their shells do not harden when dried.
Chestnut (Fig. 2). Chestnut fruits are a good material for making simple toys. They have a beautiful shiny surface and bright brown color. The shell of a fresh chestnut is thin and can be easily pierced with an awl. Whole chestnut fruits can be used to make the heads and torsos of dolls. It is advisable to store chestnuts in a cool place.
Acorns (Fig. 3). Oak fruits - acorns - come in different shapes and sizes. At one end they are surrounded by a greatly overgrown cup - the plus. Acorns ripen in the fall, in September - October. They are recommended to be collected when they are ripe and fall from the tree. To make toys from acorns, they should not be collected rotten or rotten. At the same time as the acorns, their cups (pluses) on which they are held are also collected. Very pluses good material in addition to acorn, they are often used for various crafts. Acorns should be collected in different sizes and shapes. It is advisable to use fresh acorns to make toys, as they last longer and are easier to work with (dried acorns easily split during processing).
Acorns are very convenient for making figurines of funny people, animals, and various parts for toys from other natural material. From oblong acorns they make a giraffe, a heron, a horse, a donkey, and the body can be made from a large oblong acorn, and the head from a small, round one. When making funny little people, pluses can be used as hats for them.
Acorns are stored in a cool and damp place.
Bark (Fig. 3–4). It varies in appearance (color, thickness, surface character). Pine, oak, and birch bark (of medium thickness) is used for stands in the manufacture of various scenes and individual toys from natural materials. In addition, it can be used as an additional material when making toys. From it you can make a stump for a balalaika player, a roof and hanging carriages for a carousel, and simple punt boats.
Coasters and toys made from bark look better if they are varnished, as in this case the brown color of the bark takes on a particularly beautiful shade.
Birch bark - birch bark (Fig. 4) - one of the most beautiful and durable materials for making toys. Products made from birch bark have long been famous in Russian folk art. For work, it is advisable to use the bark of birch trees grown on dry soils, since it is denser, stronger and more flexible.
It is advisable to collect birch bark in spring and early summer, when it is easily removed and has the best color, and only from birch trees and branches that have been felled in a storm or cut down. Birch bark is removed like this: an incision is made along the branch or trunk and around the circumference, a strip 20–25 cm wide. The removed bark is cleaned of dirt, moss, wiped from the inside with a damp cloth, and outer side clean with sandpaper.
Birch bark from fresh trees (cut down by lumberjacks or fallen by a storm) easily delaminates and can be processed, especially if it is placed in hot water(steam). After steaming, strips of birch bark must be placed under a board with a load, it will be level.
Birch bark is stored in a dry and cool place, as it quickly loses flexibility and curls from the sun. This property of birch bark can be used to create some toys. In order for the birch bark to be twisted, it is enough to immerse it in hot water for a few minutes and dry it. As the birch bark dries, it will curl.
Branches (Fig. 5). A variety of branches are used in the manufacture of certain parts of the craft: arms, legs, necks, etc. For this purpose, it is better to use branches of dogwood, pine, spruce, and lilac. Their branches are elastic and do not break easily when dry.
Collecting branches is a job that requires time, patience, and accuracy. At the same time, it is necessary to constantly remind children that trees need to be protected and that only dry, but not too dry, branches should be collected and used for toys.
Roots (Fig. 5). Roots can also be used for crafts. With their bizarre shapes, they sometimes resemble various animals or parts of their bodies. Here, imaginative vision and observation skills, which need to be developed in children, are especially important. Children's imagination in curved roots will help you see an octopus, spider, etc.
Many old roots or their shoots can be found along river banks. When collecting this material, it is also necessary to remind children that the roots of living trees are inviolable.
The collected roots should be washed and stored in a room with moderate humidity.
Leaves (Fig. 5). Leaves are an interesting and necessary addition when making toys. They can be very diverse different forms and colors. Children use large oak and maple leaves as a sail for a yacht, raft, or steamship. Leaves can also be used to make butterfly wings and fish fins (these toys are made from pine cones and leaves). It is better to collect leaves in the fall, when they are especially beautiful.
To preserve and subsequently use the leaves, they must be properly prepared. To do this, the collected plant leaves are placed between paper sheets and ironed with a warm iron, then they can be covered with thick paper or thin cardboard and a weight placed on top. At long-term storage the paper or cardboard between the leaves should be changed from time to time.
Seeds. Seeds of trees, flowers, and vegetables, such as maple and ash seeds, can be a valuable addition to toys made from natural materials. They are known to children as lionfish. You can use them to make wings for a dragonfly, ears for a hare, fins for a fish, and linden seeds make good antennas for astronauts and animal paws; from watermelon, melon, sunflower seeds, large seeds flowers such as dawn, azure flowers, you can make eyes. It is better to collect seeds in the fall.
Rosehip, rowan (Fig. 6). Varied and interesting toys can be made from rose hips and rowan berries. The valuable quality of this material is the availability of its use in work. Rose hips and rowan berries are easily pricked, so the technique for making toys from this material is not complicated.
Work with material better in summer, since fresh berries and fruits are easily pierced with pine needles, wires, and matches.
The berries are not suitable for storage because when they dry, they harden and lose their shape.
From rose hips and rowan berries you can make various toys: gnomes and little people, dogs and kittens, a donkey, bright beads, etc.
Water lilies. The fruits of the water lily are shaped like a jug with a narrow neck. Water lilies are used to make animal heads, dishes and other toys and their parts. The collected fruits are dried before work. The stock of this material is stored in a dry and cool room.
Corn cobs (Fig. 7). Corn cobs are also used to make toys.
Work with this material can be organized if children grow corn on their own plot. The cobs should be used without grains!
Various figures are made from them: birds, horses, etc. For work, it is better to use the cobs during the ripening period of corn, then children will be able to perform all the necessary operations independently, without the help of an adult (make cuts, trim, pierce, glue, etc.). Once dry, this material is more difficult to process, so its use in the manufacture of toys becomes undesirable.
Leaves separated from the cobs will also be useful in your work. They are soft and easy to process. From them you can make a hare, a mouse, a dragonfly, a doll, as well as a variety of handbags, belts, ribbons, trims for a doll’s dress, bookmarks, etc. Before work, the leaves are dried, rolled into a wet, wrung-out cloth (the leaves are laid out in thin layer) for 2–3 hours, after which the amount needed to make the toy is removed.
Straw. Straw is pleasant to work with: it is smooth, flexible, and fragrant. For crafts, they use straw not only from wheat, but also from oats and rice. It can be collected during excursions to the grain field after the harvest. The straw stalks intended for work must be uncrumpled. They are cut into pieces according to the existing elbows, which are not suitable for work and are cut out. It is better to sort the straw by length and width and store it until the next summer season. Before work, the straw is soaked in boiling water and left in water for a day in a closed container, after which it becomes flexible and elastic.
Straw toys are made by tying and sewing bundles, weaving from a whole strip, weaving from smooth, ironed straw and gluing. For application, after evaporation, the straw is cut into two parts lengthwise and glued onto tracing paper. To obtain various shades, the glued straw is ironed with an iron heated to different temperatures. Glue the straw carefully, carefully applying one part to the other, leaving no gaps. As a result, whole pieces of straw are obtained. The outline of an image (a bird, an animal, flowers, etc.) is drawn on them with a pencil and cut out, the figures are glued onto some kind of fabric or paper, wood (preferably dark in color). This is the easiest way to work with straw. To obtain a more artistic image, the outline of the selected figure is applied to paper. After this, the image is folded in parts, taking into account the main relief lines, which is achieved by varying the directions of the straw. (With the help of the teacher, children perform all types of work.)
If the straw has shades, then it is necessary to take into account not only the direction of the fibers, but also the shades.
Straws can be dyed various colors. It sticks well with PVA glue. Straw makes original, colorful and attractive toys: dolls, animals, fairy tale characters, etc.
Rogoz (Fig. 8). Many residents of the south are well aware of the bright, brown, soft and delicate inflorescence of cattail, the thickets of which are distributed along the banks of lakes, ponds, and rivers. Cattail inflorescences are an interesting material that can be easily processed. It makes funny animal figurines (bears, kittens, etc.), as well as various objects.
Cattail leaves (narrow and long) can also be used to make toys, but only after processing, like corn leaves.
Decorative pumpkins. They come in different shapes and shades. Pumpkins are used to make various crafts, such as figurines of Baba Yaga, girls, etc.; This material is easy to process and, when dried, is well preserved.
Grass. You can use various herbs as an addition to the craft, but you must remember that the grass becomes brittle when it dries. The grass is used to fasten (bind) the parts of the craft.
Moss. When making toys, moss is often used to convey a background, image of vegetation, etc. Moss is easily glued with various glues.
Bird feathers. You can use bird feathers in your work. different sizes, shades, and any quality (chicken feathers, duck, goose, sparrow, pigeon feathers, etc.). Before work, the feathers are washed, dried and combed to restore their natural appearance.
Shells (Fig. 11–12). On the banks of rivers, seas, and lakes you can see shell houses abandoned by animals, many of which are interesting in appearance and original in shape - oval, scallop-shaped, heart-shaped, etc.
Collecting shells is done by children together with the teacher during walks and excursions. After collecting, the shells are washed with a small brush (or a toothbrush), after which they are laid out and dried. Dry shells are sorted by type and size. They are stored at any temperature.
You can make animal figures from shells (squirrels, dogs, cats, hares, chickens, crocodile, etc.). Shells are also used as additional material (Cheburashka ears, bird wings, flower petals, etc.).
Creative activities with children are diversified by working with natural materials. They are used to create three-dimensional toys, animal figurines, appliqués and other crafts. An important stage of the lesson is not only the creation of crafts, but also the collection and processing of materials, preparing them for use.
Joint trips to the park or nature will help children learn better the world. Parents can show different types of plants, their berries, fruits and seeds, and also instill in children a love of nature. For example, collecting bark should not harm the tree; it should only be done on trees that have already been damaged or cut down. Natural material is safe, accessible and provides ample opportunities to show imagination.
What can be made from natural materials?
You can create toys, images of animals and people from various natural materials. Diverse in shape, color and texture, they combine perfectly with each other and complement each other. From all the toys made, you can assemble a whole composition or exhibition of characters.
Furniture, vehicles, houses and other items for toys can also be created from natural materials, sawn branches, and tree bark. The main joining methods are PVA glue or other glue, as well as wire, thread, rope, sharpened matches or toothpicks. When working with natural materials, you may need the following tools: scissors, brush, needle and thread, awl, saw, file, knife and others.
When and what should be prepared?
All natural materials can be divided into those that need to be harvested in the summer, and those that are available when the fruits ripen in the fall. In summer and spring, natural materials such as flowers, leaves, grass, cattails, corn, birch bark, and others are available. In autumn, nuts, chestnuts, acorns, seeds of many plants, straw, decorative pumpkins, and other materials are collected. Some materials, such as moss, cones, pine needles and shells, are available at any time of the year.
Flowers and leaves of plants are aligned between sheets of paper and dried; they can be used to make an applique or a bouquet of dried flowers. Dense leaves make wings for butterflies and dragonflies or fins for fish. Autumn leaves painted in warm colors and are considered especially beautiful. Green summer leaves lose their rich green color as they dry out. The variety of leaf shapes and colors makes them an interesting material for creativity. The collected leaves are ironed through paper and dried under pressure. They are also stored between cardboard or paper sheets.
In the summer, you can make crafts from tufts of grass or use it to tie together parts of a craft. Green ears, grass stems or tufts of grass quickly wither and become brittle after drying. Crafts made from such short-lived materials quickly deteriorate, but they can also be used to develop a child.
Natural materials for crafts
1. Rogoz
Rogoz- a summer plant growing in water in shallow waters of rivers, lakes, ponds and other bodies of water. Its elongated brown inflorescences consist of soft fluff, easy to model. You can use these inflorescences, which are popularly called “reeds,” to create animal figures. Cattail leaves and stems can be dried, cut, rolled, and used for a variety of craft parts.
2. Corn
Corn- a special summer crop in which peeled fresh or dry cobs, long leaves and hardened grains can be used for crafts. The older and harder the corn cobs, the more difficult it is for a child to work with them, because they need to be cut or pierced. Classes with children are carried out when the corn is not fully ripe and is easily affected. Long and soft leaves of corn allow you to diversify crafts; they can be folded, rolled, tied into a knot, and so on. Before work, the dried leaves are soaked for a couple of hours in a wet cloth.
3. Birch bark
A material known since ancient times for folk art - birch bark, or birch bark. It is unusual, beautiful, durable. Birch bark collected in spring and autumn is the most beautiful and flexible, it is easier to remove from the trunk. To properly remove bark from wood, it is cut along the circumference, separating a piece up to 25 cm wide. The bark is cleaned, inner side wipe with a damp cloth, clean the outer sandpaper. To keep the bark smooth, it is dried by pressing it down with a weighted board. If a rolled birch bark sheet is needed, then it is soaked and dried in the sun or in a warm place.
4. Berries and fruits
From fresh summer berries and fruits you can create figures and other crafts, such as beads. As the berries dry out, they harden and shrivel or spoil. From the fruits of rose hips and rowan are obtained bright decorations and characters.
5. Straw
At the end of summer after the harvest of cereals, among natural materials appears straw. You can use it to knit voluminous toys, weave flat surfaces, and stick on a smooth pattern. Children like the golden color of ironed straw and enjoy working with this flexible material. Collect straw, keeping the stems straight. The junctions of the stems are cut out, straight straws are sorted by length and stored in boxes. To make the straw elastic, it is soaked for a day in a closed container, pouring boiling water over it. For appliques, smooth straw is needed, and it is ironed.
6. Dried water lily fruits
Used as a natural material dried water lily fruits, resembling a small vessel with a narrowed neck. Their interesting shape is suitable for creating toy body parts and for toy dishes.
7. Fruits of decorative pumpkin
Dried bright fruits are also considered an interesting natural material. decorative pumpkin fruits. Its various forms and color shades provide freedom of children's imagination.
8. Nuts, acorns and chestnuts
Ripen in autumn walnuts, hazelnuts, pine and other nuts, and acorns and chestnuts. Their shape, brown color, surface texture, hardness and other qualities make it possible to create various body parts of three-dimensional toys, animals and characters. A hat or pile of hazelnuts can also be used in crafts. Walnuts You can use them whole or split them into halves. Cedar and groundnuts easy to pierce and stick together. All types of nuts should be stored in different boxes in a dry place. Hard nuts should be cut and pierced by the teacher himself. A child may get hurt trying to pierce a hard, round object.
Acorns, the fruits of the oak tree, are harvested in the fall when they are ripe and begin to fall. They can be selected in different sizes for various crafts. Acorns can come in different shapes, more rounded or elongated, they can grow in double or stacked shapes. The calyxes of these fruits, or pluses, are also hardened, separated from the acorns and used in the manufacture of toys. If the acorns themselves can be part of the body of animals or people, then their cups can be used as dishes or headdresses for toys. Acorns should be selected whole, strong, without damage, rot or rotten spots. They can be stored for a long time in a cool, damp place.
Fruits of the tree chestnut Brown, round and smooth. By connecting them with wires or matches, you get simple toys: bears, bunnies, little mice and other animals. Their prickly skin can be used to create hedgehogs. Chestnuts can be collected in different sizes; they can be round, semicircular, or half-shaped. They keep for a long time in a cool place.
9. Plant and tree seeds
Seeds of many plants and trees widely used in the manufacture of crafts from natural materials. As a rule, the seeds ripen in the fall. In crafts you can use the seeds of ash, acacia, pumpkin, watermelon, sunflower, and many others. They can be glued with glue, stitched or pierced with a needle, toothpick or wire. These are used to make animal body parts, eyes and noses.
10. Tree cones and needles
Common materials are bumps coniferous trees: cedars, pines, spruces, cypresses and fir. Cones can be used either opened or unopened. If the cones are collected from damp soil, they dry out more slowly and retain their shape. If they dry quickly in heat, they can open up and become deformed. Cones can be pierced, tied and glued. They can be part of bulk toys. You can sort them by shape and size, like other materials, and store them in separate boxes.
Among the natural materials that can be obtained in spring, summer, autumn, and sometimes even winter, one can name the needles of the trees themselves. Long needles can be used as butterfly antennae, hedgehog spines, insect legs, and in other ways. They can be tied into a bundle or injected individually. You can store pine needles in matchboxes.
11. Moss
In the warm season you can collect moss, which is used to create a background and imitate grass in toy compositions. Moss can be stored for a long time and can be easily glued to a flat base.
12. Dried tree mushroom
An interesting natural material can be cut and dried hard tree mushroom. You can use it to make a stand or a roof for a house.
13. Tree bark
A similar solid material that serves as a “building material” in the creation of entire doll compositions can be solid tree bark . It can be coated with transparent varnish, which will extend the “life” of the composition. Bark different trees differs in color and shape. In addition to the specified birch bark, which is a thin and flexible material white, you can use the bark of pine, oak and other trees. It can be hard and dense, or it can be soft and flexible, embossed, dark brown or gray.
14. Tree branches
Branches are a durable natural material. From thin branches you can create arms, legs or necks of dolls, benches for toys, overlapping houses, gazebos and so on. When cut, thicker branches can imitate a stump for fairy-tale characters. From branched branches you can create a toy garden or forest. It is better to use branches for crafts that are not overdried and undamaged. The branches of plants such as pine, lilac and dogwood do not break when dry, they are elastic, and are convenient to use when creating figures. When collecting branches for crafts with a group of children, the teacher should teach not to damage trees and collect fallen material.
15. Roots of trees and shrubs
Very interesting material are roots of trees or shrubs, however, obtaining them is quite difficult. The roots can be found along river banks, where they are washed away by water. It is important to remind children that the roots of living trees should not be damaged or cut off. The roots have a curly, unique shape. Often in their form you can see a character, a fantastic creature or an insect. Peeled and varnished roots can be decorated with other materials. The collected roots must be washed, dried and stored under normal conditions, in a dry room, protected from excessive moisture. Activities with this natural material develop a child’s imagination, creative thinking and observation skills.
16. Bird feathers
A diverse, pliable and bright material can be called bird feathers. You can use feathers from poultry: ducks, chickens, geese and others. Feathers of wild birds can be found simply on the street and on a hike. If children have pet parrots, then their bright multi-colored feathers will decorate the craft. Collected feathers must be washed and dried. To return them to their original natural shape, just comb them with a brush or smooth them with your fingers. Bird feathers can be cut, stitched, glued, or inserted into holes in harder natural materials. When working with feathers, you can teach children about various types birds, how they fly with the help of feathers, and so on.
17. Shells and stones
One of the most common and favorite materials among children is shells. They can be found on river banks, and especially on the seashore. They can be of various shapes, from flat oval, heart-shaped or scallop-shaped, to a three-dimensional shape in the form of a twisted horn. The sizes of shells can also be completely different. Shells can be pierced, drilled, filed and glued. From them you can collect figures of characters, create flat drawings and images of flowers, or you can paste them over entire surfaces of boxes or paintings.
The collected shells must be thoroughly washed with a brush and dried. When collecting shells, you can choose another natural material - ground with water natural stones . They can be glued with rubber and construction glue, create parts of the furniture from them, lay out paths or build houses for toys.
Working with natural materials significantly develops creative imagination children, and also introduces them to the world of wildlife.