WHAT SHOULD WE DO WITH THE LEFTOVERS?

WHAT SHOULD WE DO WITH THE LEFTOVERS?

CRAFTING LEATHER GOODS WITH SCRAPS OF LEATHER
Big Idea: Throughout time and across cultures self-taught artists create crafts and
artworks.
Intro to Ceramics and Crafts/ Grades 9-12
3-5 sessions/ 80 minutes
LESSON OVERVIEW
In the spirit of Folk artists across cultures that create crafts and artworks from
readily available materials, the students will create a leather item from scraps of
leather. Folk artists are self-taught and they imbue much of their work with
personal meaning. They are focused on creating for creativitys sake rather than
conforming to traditional artistic standards. The students will use scraps of leather,
leather crafting tools, sewing techniques and adhesives to create their choice of a
key ring, cuff bracelet, pencil holder, or identification holder. The student may also
choose their own item if they are self-directed. The lesson will be presented in a
manner that will engage their creative thinking, problem solving skills and
perseverance. In this lesson, the teachers role is to guide the students into a selfteaching exercise where they are only limited by themselves. The students will be
given the materials and tools needed to create their leather item and it will be up to
them to design, and create their item, acting as self-taught folk artists. The
students will be encouraged to imbue their work with meaning whether it is
personal, spiritual, nostalgic, or aspirational. This lesson is experimental and there
is no right or wrong wayonly the folk artists way.
LESSON RATIONALE
Students will learn how to create a leather good by using scraps of leather and
traditional leather crafting tools. They will engage in creative thinking and problem
solving as they design and craft their item by teaching themselves. Without the
teacher creating confinements on how the items will be crafted, this allows the
students to construct their own solutions and experiment with materials. The
students will only be asked to make their selection of a leather good item and use
the materials that the teacher provides them. This method was inspired by the
television program Chopped where the contestants are given a limited amount of
ingredients and they must cook an original meal using those ingredients. The
concept is the same, give the students a limited amount of materials and ask them
to create an original craft. The connection with folk artists is strong, as folk artists
around the world create works of art using scraps of material whether it is junkyard
sculptures, recycled art, or fabric crafts.

OBJECTIVESTHE STUDENTS WILL

Knowledge:
Craft a key ring, cuff bracelet, pencil cup, identification holder or student choice of
craft by using at least two different pieces of scrap leather.
Learn how to use traditional leather crafting tools by using them to create shapes,
holes, and stamped embellishments.
Skills:
Explore the properties of cowhide by cutting, punching, stamping, sewing, riveting
and gluing pieces of leather together to create an original work that is neatly
crafted to the best of their abilities.
Design a leather good by drawing and refining a design for production.
Photograph their finished work by using their smartphone and digital camera and
editing the photo to present their craft displaying its intended purpose. (The key
chain should have keys, the cuff should be on a wrist, the pencil cup should have
pencils and the identification holder should have an ID in it.)
Dispositions:
Recognize that anyone can be an artist or crafts person by unleashing their creative
spirit.

PA STATE AND NATIONAL STANDARDS

A.

PA Standards for Arts and Humanities

9.1.8.A: Know and use the elements and principles of each art form to create works
in the arts
and humanities.
Elements: Color, form/shape, line, space, texture ,value
Principles: Balance, contrast, emphasis/focal point, movement/rhythm
proportion/scale, repetition, unity/harmony
9.1.8.B: Recognize, know, use and demonstrate a variety of appropriate arts
elements and
principles to produce, review and revise original works in the arts.

Visual Arts: paint, draw, craft, sculpt, print, design for environment,
communication, multi-media
9.1.8.E: Communicate a unifying theme or point of view through the production of
works in the
arts.
9.2.12.C: Relate works in the arts to varying styles and genre and to the periods in
which they were
created (e.g., Bronze Age, Ming Dynasty, Renaissance, Classical, Modern,
Post-Modern,
Contemporary, Futuristic, others).
B.

National Standards for the Arts:

VA:Cr1.1.8a: Document early stages of the creative process visually and/or verbally
in
traditional or new media
VA:Cr2.1.8a: Demonstrate willingness to experiment, innovate and take risks to
pursue ideas,
forms, and meanings that emerging in the process of art making or
designing.
VA:Cr2.2.Ia: Explain how traditional and non-traditional materials may impact
human health and the
environment and demonstrate safe handling of materials, tools, and
equipment.
SUPPLIES
Leather scraps
Sharpie Markers

Leather Hole punch

Leather Cuffs
Leather Dyes

Leather Stamping Tools

Leather shears
Mallets

Pencils

Xacto knives
board

Paper

Mat

Needles

Fine Tip Markers or Pens

Thread

Split Key Rings

Leather glue

Digital Camera or Smartphone Camera