Cardboard Theatre (1)

This is turning out to be one of our more ambitious art projects! A lot of fun though.

We decided to build our own theatre out of a box, so that Iona could use puppets to tell the ballet stories (and make up her one) and paint bits of scenery and backdrops.

 I started with a large cardboard box, measure the space for our stage and cut it out.  Then I cut separate pieces to make a decorated front for the stage.

 I drew a lion and unicorn (as suggested by Iona) for our top and used string and cardboard to make details (I love pva glue!!) While I measured and cut, Iona kept me company and worked on a collage/drawing of the three Fossils from Ballet Shoes.  Granny has been reading us a chapter each day while we eat breakfast or work on other projects.

 Once the pieces were stuck together I used paper towel and pva glue to get a smooth surface (so paint the pieces with glue and then dab on paper towel and glue again over the top).

 More time for drying and then a top layer of gold tissue paper, because honestly, can you have too much gold? in a theatre? no.

We are going to make some curtains and cut slits in the sides to operate our puppets through.  Iona is going to paint backdrops using acrylic paints and old sheets.