Clarissa Tossin: Geographic Maps
This activity will nurture your application of research, design, and construction. You will explore two separate geographic locations that share a connection or commonality and merge them together by cutting and folding juxtaposed satellite images. This exercise will promote and develop a basic understanding of 2-dimensional materials to create a 3-dimensional form.
Materials
- 11” x 17” or 8.5” x 11” paper (or use found images from magazines)
- Scissors
- Glue
- Cardboard (for base of sculpture)
Instructions
- Explore Google maps in its various settings.
- Search and select any two locations that share a connection (for example: one location may be where you live, a second may be where you used to live).
- Take a screen shot of each location and print them on either side of one sheet of paper.
- If using magazines or books, find images that relate to each other, and lightly glue the backsides together.
- With a scrap piece of paper, experiment with folding—fold along streets, rivers, highways, or determine folds based on the form they create; use scissors to see how cutting may make your folding more dynamic. Decide on the most interesting form for your final sculpture.
- Construct your final 3-dimensional sculpture and attach your cardboard to act as a base. The final artwork should allow the viewer to see either side of the map (or both images, if using magazines).
- Create a title for your sculpture and share on social media – tag us: @artpace, #ArtpaceAtHome; #MakeArtHappen.
To read about Clarissa Tossin and view the complete TEKS-aligned Geographic Maps (2013) lesson plan and others, visit our Educator Resources Page.

