How to Make a Mexican God's Eye Collage

The Ojo de Dios, or God’s Eye is a familiar art process most of us create in grade school. Popsicle sticks and colored yarn are used to create a woven hanging, but the inspiration for this process has a rich and interesting history. Thought to have originated with the Huichol Indians of Jalisco, this tradition would begin with the birth of a child. The father would weave the center diamond or “eye” and then an additional ray or segment would be created each year until the child was the age of five. This collage project takes this familiar form and gives it a modern twist that will result in a beautiful piece of artwork suitable for framing. You can use a variety of materials from art prints, Mexican road maps or tourism posters. I use prints from Mexican artist Simon Silva for my process, but you can use more easily accessible materials with the same great result.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Cardboard templates (as described below)
• Glue stick
• Modge Podge or other collage shellac product
• Scissors
• Art prints or collected maps of Mexico, magazine photos or posters of Mexico from tourism web sites or travel agencies.
• One pre-stretched watercolor canvas
• Black spray paint or acrylic paint
• Paint brush

1. Paint the watercolor canvas black, using acrylic paints or spray paint. Let it dry completely.
2. Create cardboard square templates in the following sizes: 8 x 8 inches, 7 x 7 inches, 6 x 6 inches, 5 x 5 inches, and 4 x 4 inches. If you have larger images available, make the templates larger as well. If you choose other sizes, just make sure there is at least an inch of difference between sizes. Make the margin greater if possible to give the final piece more impact.
3. Choose five images of your choice with the Mexican theme or colors and lay out your pattern in ascending order. Decide what image you want as the center, which image will be behind that and so on.
4. Place the corresponding square template over the image and trace with a pencil or marker and cut it out.
5. Once all the sizes are cut, center the largest square on the background canvas at a “diamond” angle and glue it down. Center and glue each next piece in descending order until the final center image is glued down.
6. Once all pieces are glued down, cover the entire piece with Modge Podge or any collage shellac product. Allow it to dry completely, then display.

Tips & Warnings

• Spend some time gathering the artwork so you have plenty of pieces to work with.
• Colored prints of Simon Silva art work, such as "Dos Mujeres" and "Un Dia de Campo" can be found on the Allposters website (see Resources below).