How to Make a Paper Shield
Make a paper shield to use as an inexpensive addition to a knight's costume, a versatile wall decoration for a play or a child's bedroom and a good learning tool. Make several different shields for the background of a production of "King Arthur" or "Hamlet." Help your child make a shield for his Halloween costume and then hang it in his bedroom to display his art skills. Take the project further by researching a little family history first and recreating your ancestors' coat of arms to help your child learn about your family or help your child create his or her own coat of arms.
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Things You'll Need
- Paper or poster board
- Glue
- Paint or markers
- Pencil with eraser
- Stencils (optional)
- Scissors
Instructions
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1
Choose symbols for the shield. Pick a family coat of arms or have your child pick a few of his favorite animals and activities to include. An anchor could represent your child's love of sailing, while a sword or a fist could represent his strength and love of adventure. Pine trees or leaves represent a love of nature and inner strength.
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2
Draw a simple shield on a large piece of paper or poster board. Stiff poster board is best; it's sturdier than paper. Draw a flat, horizontal line about 2 feet long. Draw a curved line from either end of the flat line, connecting the two curved lines in a point about 2 feet below the center of the flat line. If desired, draw a plus through the shield, quartering it.
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3
Paint the background and plus sign lines with two different colors of paint. Pick any colors you like, or stick with those of your family coat of arms. Paint covers large areas faster than marker, and acrylic paint dries faster than oils. Allow the paint to dry for at least an hour.
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4
Draw the symbols on the shield. Either draw one symbol in each quarter, or draw them in a vertical line down the shield's center. Use a stencil to help your child draw the symbols. Paint or use a marker to outline each symbol in black or another dark color. Then paint or color in the center of each symbol, adding features to animals' faces in black. Allow the paint to dry for another hour and cut out the shield.
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5
Cut 2 inch wide, 6 inch long strips of poster board and glue them to the back of the shield for arm loops. Make sure they are close enough together so your child can fit his arm through both of them. Allow the glue to dry for about an hour and a half before play commences.
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