Amate is a paper made out of fig or mulberry trees. The bark is boiled and pounded, then made into sheets of paper and allowed to sundry. Amate originate with the ancient Mayans and Aztecs, and the paper was believed to hold mystical powers. The paper was used to record the people’s history, discoveries and religious rites. Although the creation and use of the paper has dwindled, in the mid-20th century, craftsmen began using the paper to paint on. The art created on the paper is also known as amate. The most common motifs are village life, flowers and birds. Childlike paintings in vivid colors gives amate a unique, folksy look. Today, amate is one of the most common Mexican crafts which are sold worldwide. Our Amate Painting Project helps children discover the beauty and joy found in these paintings.
Note: If you would like to paint on real amate paper, it can be purchased in large pieces. In our Amate Painting Project, we are creating an alternate paper.
Amate Painting Project Materials
- brown paper or recycled grocery bags
- acrylic paints
- paint brushes
- chalk (optional)
- paper towel (optional)
Amate Painting Project Directions
Check out examples of amate on the internet or books. These can be used to help inspire paintings. Discuss how most motifs include birds, flowers or Mexican village life, however, children may wish to create scenes from their own life.
Cut out brown paper slightly larger than your desired finished size. Crinkle the paper into a wad. Tip: You want your wrinkles to be random and vein like, not straight lines. Wad the paper, do not fold it. Carefully open the paper ball and smooth flat. If there are not enough wrinkles in the paper, simply crinkle the paper again.
A black wash will be painted over the surface of the paper. The black paint will be absorbed into the injured wrinkle fibers more than the smooth surface of the paper. To make your wash, mix 1/2 teaspoon of black acrylic paint to 1/4 cup of water.
Mix well and continue to mix during the painting process.
Paint the entire surface of your paper. You want to thoroughly wet the paper but avoid having the paint pool. You can absorb excess paper with paper towels if necessary.
While the paper is wet, rip off small pieces of paper around the four sides of your paper. This will give it a more authentic look. Allow your paper to dry which can take several hours or overnight depending on how wet your paper is. You can use a hairdryer on a low setting to help speed up the process.
When the paper has dried, you will be able to see dark veins running through the paper. You can either paint on the side you black washed or the backside of the paper. We chose to paint on the backside of our paper.
Using white chalk, sketch your design. If you want to erase something, gently rub over the design with a damp, not wet, piece of paper towel. If you over wet an area, you will need to wait for it to dry again.
Using your acrylic paints, paint your design.
Many of the amate painting use white or black to outline their designs. If you would like, you can go back in and add more detail.
Allow your amate paintings to dry then proudly display!
