How to Build a Tepee for an Art Project
Whether part of a larger diorama or a standalone art project, models of tepees are simple and inexpensive to make. The process is easy enough for children to do and the materials are safe to work with. The materials used are also recycled items like twigs from the yard and brown paper bags, which look realistically like the timbers and hides that are used for making full-sized functional tepees.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Four 12-inch twigs
- Rubber band
- Scrap paper
- Pencil
- Scissors
- Paper bag
- Clear tape
- Craft paint
- Paintbrush
Instructions
-
-
1
Bundle four 12-inch twigs together and secure them with a rubber band 1 inch from one end.
-
2
Hold the bundle upright with the rubber-banded end pointed upward. Spread the twigs evenly to make a tepee frame that will stand alone.
-
-
3
Lay one side of the tepee frame onto a scrap sheet of paper and trace the triangular shape with a pencil.
-
4
Cut out the triangle with a pair of scissors.
-
5
Trace the template onto a paper bag. Move the template next to the first traced triangle with the sides matched up perfectly. Do this twice more so you have four triangles with the edges matched up together. They should look like the segments of an orange when it is cut in half.
-
6
Cut out the whole group of segments together without cutting the center lines. All four triangles should stay connected.
-
7
Fold along the pencil lines to crease the edges of each triangular panel and tape the ends together to create a pyramid.
-
8
Cut 1 inch off of the top of the pyramid with a pair of scissors and slide it over the top of the twig pyramid frame.
-
9
Apply tape to the inside of the tepee over each twig to hold the paper in place.
-
10
Cut a semi-circle door at the bottom of one side of the tepee.
-
11
Decorate the tepee with bands of color or patterns using craft paint and a paintbrush.
-
1
References
- Photo Credit indian tepees image by Jeff from Fotolia.com
