Get your inspiration from Native Americans, Aborigines and more. Totems are no longer limited to cultural designs. You can create totemic sculptures from natural, purchased or even recycled materials.
Steps
1. Brainstorming.
Before starting your own totemic sculpture or totem pole, start brainstorming. Do you want to create a piece based on traditional symbolism / meanings or your own unique modern artwork? Will it be a single large design or incorporate smaller designs?
For inspiration, check out the Enrichment Project badge program “Totemic Sculpture Explorer.”
2. Vertical design.
Totemic sculptures are free-standing and vertical. Creating a larger bottom can help stabilize the tall structure or you might want the sides to rise straight up. As you’re working on your piece, you may need to find a way to stabilize your creation by attaching poles to put into the ground, pieces that come off to help provide stability or an attached base to help hold it up. Keep this in mind as you create your own sculpture.
3. Visual stacking.
Traditional totems go straight up or angle slightly inward. Modern art allows you to be free flowing. Explore ways to visually stack items without necessarily being in a vertical line.
4. Classroom exploration.
Classes for creating your own totem pole or totemic sculpture are available online for kids from kindergarten and up. Look through some of these to see if you can find ways share these sculptures with kids and young adults.
Material Considerations
5. Natural materials.
The easiest totems to create are from natural materials. Stacked rocks, collaged trunks or branches and more can be easily made. Decorating it with natural flowers and plants adds an even more organic feel. Try making a totem from natural materials.
6. Wood and carving.
Native Americans used wood for their totem poles. After exploring traditional totems, explore ways you can “carve” totems. Be sure to check out chainsaw carvings as a possible way to “carve.”
7. Ceramic and glass.
Ceramic and glass totemic sculptures are often highlights in a garden. Recycled glassware and stoneware may need to be drilled for a post to go through them or they might be glued together. Explore this type of totemic sculpture. Try stacking some of your kitchen items. Is this something you’d like to use for decoration?
8. Recycled and found.
Recycling materials into a totemic sculpture can be a challenge. Perhaps you like to visit the junkyard or recycling shops. Walking along a highway can allow you the opportunity to not only find materials, but to pick up trash as well. Found material might include everything from car parts to discarded bottles. Check out the recycled and found materials list. Start in your home and see what you have available.
9. Other materials.
Explore other materials you might be able to make sculptures from. A starting point is the “Other Materials” supplement for this badge program.
10. Check before you take.
Before you take natural, found or recycled items, be sure to check them. Cracks might make your sculpture weak. Termites or ants might be a bad idea for the wood you intend to carve or decorate. Water damage might not be evident at first glance. Always check the materials before taking them.
Express Yourself
11. Personal totems.
Don’t just stack items and claim it is art. Make it personal to you. Is there a story behind the materials you’re using? Does the shape have special meaning? Incorporate yourself into your totem.
12. Statement totems.
Can you make a statement with your totem? It might be a reflection of your environment. It might be a statement against cruelty to animals or improper garbage disposal. Find a statement and incorporate it into your totem.
13. Size doesn’t matter.
Your totem doesn’t have to be a free-standing piece of artwork. A small piece might be incorporated into a piece of jewelry. Explore ways to express totemic sculpture by moving outside of the expected design.
Supplements
SUPP_Totemic Sculpture Creator_2in_12up_larajla
- Avery 2” round label printable, 12 up
SUPP_ Totemic Sculpture Creator_Checklist_larajla
- Badge checklist
SUPP_ Totemic Sculpture_Found_larajla.pdf
- List of found items to use in your totemic sculptures
SUPP_ Totemic Sculpture_Natural_larajla.pdf
- List of natural items to use in your totemic sculptures
SUPP_Totemic Sculpture_Recycled_larajla.pdf
- List of recyclable items to use in your totemic sculptures
Sites to Explore
- www.gardensandcrafts.com/totems.html
- freshpatio.com/garden-totems
- www.papertotempoles.com/poles
- deceptivelyeducational.blogspot.com/2011/11/making-miniature-totem-pole.html
- www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Totem-Pole
- www.warpaths2peacepipes.com/native-indian-art/how-to-make-a-totem-pole.htm
- www.instructables.com/id/Totem-Pole-from-Recyclables
- www.daniellesplace.com/html/milk-jug-crafts.html
- eleanorhendriks.blogspot.com/2010/04/clay-totem-poles-with-kids.html
- www.marianwilliamspottery.com/2015/08/30/how-to-make-a-fantastic-totem
- www.hgtv.com/design/make-and-celebrate/handmade/how-to-make-a-halloween-jack-o-totem
- www.pinterest.com/veralynwall/chainsaw-carving-ideas
- www.pinterest.com/explore/totem-pole-craft
- www.pinterest.com/strolady/totem-poles
- www.pinterest.com/shutrbugz/art-of-sculptures-statues-totems
Get the infographic here > larajla blog post
Get the PDFs of the badge program / supplements here > Full badge PDFs