Printmaking- A lesson plan

PARADIDDLE DIDDLE FROM THE COPACETIC PORTFOLIO, 2019. Alison Saar (American, born 1956) Linocut on handmade Japanese Hamada kozo paper, 19 1/2 x 18 in.

OBJECTIVES:

Students will use skewers (or pencils) to create a design on a printing plate.

Students will transfer the design of the printing plate onto paper using ink from markers. Students will reproduce their design.

PROCESS:

Discussion:

Today, we’ll be creating prints using a Styrofoam print plate. The design we will be creating will be up to you. You will be using pencil and/or skewer to make small indentions. It is helpful to remind students that the lines on their print plate will be backwards when printed. So, avoid letters and words unless you can write them backwards.

“What is printmaking?”- Printmaking is making art by manually printing pictures on surfaces such as paper, wood, glass, or shirts.

Unlike other art forms (like sculpture or painting) the advantage of printmaking is that you can print the same picture multiple times.
Share your print plate and print and any other examples if you have them.

We will be focusing on two elements of art today, lines and colors.

• Lines:
  • What are some of the different ways we can describe lines (horizontal, vertical, diagonal, straight, curvy, wavy, spiral, dashed, thick, thin, etc)?
  • Invite students to use their fingers to trace the different types of lines in the air.
  • How would you describe the different lines in Betye Saar’s artwork?
• Color:
  • How would you describe the different colors in this artwork?
  • We will be using markers to color in our print plate (our Styrofoam). Go over the primary & secondary colors. Since they may be mixing colors on their plate, it is helpful to review again. Share the color wheel if it’s helpful.

Procedure:

Part 1: Model lesson. See instructional photos.

Part 2: Distribute materials.

1. Printing plate. Each student will need one piece of Styrofoam. This is where they will ‘carve’ their design. They may create another design on the back as well.
2. Students will start with one piece of paper where they will press their design. Encourage students to create as many prints as they’d like, using different colors on their design.
3. Engraving tool. Students can use wooden craft sticks or pencils to carve their design into the Styrofoam printing plate. Each student needs one.

Part 3: Design.

1. Using the engraving tool (pencil), students will create their design on their printing plate (Styrofoam). Remind students what they learned about lines, shapes, patterns, and letters.
2. Students will now put ink on their printing plate.

Part 4: Press. Students press their plate to create the print.

1. Wet the paper. For the ink to transfer from the Styrofoam onto the print, the paper needs to be wet. This can be tricky. The paper should be “damp”. If there is too much water, the colors will bleed. If there is not enough water, the paper will not take the colors.
   • Gently wet a sponge. It is helpful for students to have a small cup of water to dip and wring out the sponge.
   • Gently drag the wet sponge down the paper, and then across the paper. If it becomes too wet (you can see little puddles), blow on it so it dries a bit. If the paper starts to pill, it is too wet.
2. Carefully put the colored plate onto the wet paper. Press the colored side of plate onto the wet side of paper. Press firmly all over the Styrofoam so the color can transfer onto the paper. Be mindful to not smear the printing plate.
3. Carefully take off the printing plate to reveal a beautiful print. You did it!

Part 5: Reproduce. Students can leave their print to dry and work on another. Using the same Styrofoam piece, students may use different colors for their next print. Reproduce as many as possible with the paper available.

Conclusion:

1. Clean up. Ask students to clean up and return all materials. Their artwork should remain at their desk for the “gallery walk” to conclude the lesson.
2. Class and/or table group discussion. What did we learn? What was challenging? What felt familiar? Shout-outs to helpful neighbors?
3. “Gallery walk”. Students will leave their artwork at their desk to be previewed by their classmates. (If they do not want to share, offer to turn over work). Invite students to line up behind you with their arms behind their backs. Discuss museum manners (hands to self, positive remarks). Slowly “snake” around the table groups so students may view the work of their peers.

ADAPTATIONS

– Consider preparing various sizes of Styrofoam to fit the needs of your class.

– Cut the sponges if more are needed to share

– Did you know that artists use color to portray feelings? Try limiting colors to focus on certain moods.

– Mirror writing challenge! Is it possible to print words?

Learn more about the artistic dynasty of Betye, Alison, and Lezley Saar

California Arts Standards for Visual Arts

Creating- Anchor Standard 2: Organize and Develop Artistic Ideas and Work

2.1: Enduring Understanding: Artists and designers experiment with forms, structures, materials, concepts, media, and art-making approaches.

K.VA:Cr3 Explain the process of making art while creating

1.VA:Cr3 Use Art Vocabulary to describe choices while creating art

2.VA:Cr3 Discuss and reflect with peers about choices made in creating artwork

3.VA:Cr1.2 Apply knowledge of available resources, tools, and technologies to investigate personal ideas through the art-making process

VA:Cr1.2 Collaboratively set goals and create artwork that is meaningful and has purpose to the makers.

Creating- Anchor Standard 2: Organize and Develop Artistic Ideas and Work

PK.VA:Cr2.1 Use a variety of art-making tools

K.VA:Cr2.1 Through experimentation, build skills in various media and approaches to artmaking

1.VA:Cr2.1 Explore uses of materials and tools to create works of art or design

2.VA:Cr2.1 Experiment with various materials and tools to explore personal interests in a work of art or design

3.VA:Cr2.1 Create personally satisfying artwork using a variety of artistic processes and materials

4.VA:Cr2.1 Explore and invent art-making techniques and approaches

5.VA:Cr2.1 Experiment and develop skills in multiple art-making techniques and approaches through practice

MAGNOLIA FLOWER FROM THE SERIES SIX SERIGRAPHS: BOOKMARKS IN THE PAGES OF LIFE, 2000.
Betye Saar (American, born 1926)
Serigraph, 15 x 11 3/16 in. Crocker Art Museum, gift of Loren G. Lipson, M.D., 2018.60.6. © Betye Saar / Roberts Projects, Los Angeles, California.[/caption]

TABLE FOR TWO FROM THE COPACETIC PORTFOLIO, 2019.

Alison Saar (American, born 1956)

Linocut on handmade Japanese Hamada kozo paper, 19 1/2 x 18 in. Crocker Art Museum purchase with funds provided by the Marcy and Mort Friedman Acquisition Fund; and Janet Mohle-Boetani, M.D., and Mark Manasse, 2019.60.6. © Alison Saar. Photo: Courtesy of Catharine Clark Gallery and Mullowney Printing.

PARADIDDLE DIDDLE FROM THE COPACETIC PORTFOLIO, 2019.

Alison Saar (American, born 1956)

Linocut on handmade Japanese Hamada kozo paper, 19 1/2 x 18 in. Crocker Art Museum purchase with funds provided by the Marcy and Mort Friedman Acquisition Fund; and Janet Mohle-Boetani, M.D., and Mark Manasse, 2019.60.4. © Alison Saar. Photo: Courtesy of Catharine Clark Gallery and Mullowney Printing.

SYNCOPATIN’ FROM THE COPACETIC PORTFOLIO, 2019.

Alison Saar (American, born 1956)

Linocut on handmade Japanese Hamada kozo paper, 19 1/2 x 18 in. Crocker Art Museum purchase with funds provided by the Marcy and Mort Friedman Acquisition Fund; and Janet Mohle-Boetani, M.D., and Mark Manasse, 2019.60.1. © Alison Saar. Photo: Courtesy of Catharine Clark Gallery and Mullowney Printing.

BETYE SAAR (AMERICAN, BORN 1926)
Now You Cookin’ with Gas from the series Six Serigraphs: Bookmarks in the Pages of Life, 2000.
Serigraph, 14 1/2 x 11 in. Crocker Art Museum, gift of Loren G. Lipson, M.D., 2018.60.1. © Betye Saar / Roberts Projects, Los Angeles, California

Materials

• Sheets of Styrofoam, 1 per student
• Paper (thick cardstock preferred)
• Pencils
• Markers
• Sponges
• Cups for water
• Water
• Color wheel poster