Transcript Beth Ottosen - RD-2010

Ancient Cave Paintings
By Beth Ottosen
Question:
What are the different art materials and
techniques used by ancient people? How
did the people use this technology?
Hypothesis:
People used what they had around them
to make their materials. People living in
the desert would have to use different
natural resources than those living in the
forest.
Paint Materials:
Many different resources were used to
make paint. Some of the most common
were:
Charcoal (from fire and burnt bones)
Iron Oxide (red)
Ground Calcite (white)
Limonite and Hematite (yellow, red, umber)
Ways to Paint:
Large Areas:
Fingertips
Moss/ Lichen
Feathers (blending)
Hollow bones (like blow pens)
Details:
Twigs (lines)
Brushes made with horse hair (larger lines)
Moss/ Lichen:
Large pads of moss and lichen were found
and harvested to use for covering large
areas of rock like backgrounds.
Similar art material today: Sponges
Hollow Bones:
Hollow bones were used to cover large
areas. By filling the hollow cavity with
paint, the painter was able to spray a fine
layer of paint onto large areas of rock.
Similar art Material today: Blowpens
Twigs and Brushes:
Were used to draw the outlines of pictures
as well as fine details. Twigs were used for
finer details, while brushes were used for
larger areas.
Pictures:
Cave paintings depict many different
pictures of huters and animals such as:
Bison
Big cats like lions or cougars
Horses
Deer
Why They’re Important:
The cave paintings are the only form of
“written” records that we have about
people during ancient times. Some
paintings tell stories about hunting, or
natural disasters. The paintings show how
people lived, and how advanced they
were. They were able to make paint,
painting materials, build scaffolding, and
create paintings that have lasted for
thousands of years.
Bibliography:
 Books:
 World book encyclopedia
 Interview:
 Lamers, Merriam. “Cave Paintings.” Personal interview. 1 May. 2010.
 Hellebuyck, Adam. "Cave Paintings." Personal interview. 28 Apr. 2010.
 Internet:
 "Lascaux." World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras. ABC-CLIO, 2010. Web. 23
Apr. 2010. <http://www.ancienthistory.abc-clio.com>.
 "Pigments through the Ages - Prehistory." WebExhibits. Web. 23 Apr. 2010.
<http://www.webexhibits.org/pigments/intro/early.html>.
 Hutchinson, Leslie. "The Legacy of Cave Paintings." Science and Its Times. Ed.
Neil Schlager and Josh Lauer. Vol. 7: 1950 to Present. Detroit: Gale, 2001. 3941. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 23 Apr. 2010.
 "The Art Instinct «." Slow Painting. Web. 23 Apr. 2010.
<http://slowpainting.wordpress.com/2009/02/04/the-art-instinct/>.