Printmaking

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Types of Printmaking:

Stamping

Collagraph (Creation of raised textured surface of found objects)

Relief Printing (Styrofoam, rubber, linocut)

Reduction Print (Multi color through successive cutting)

Monotype

Stenciling

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Stamping:

Stamping Materials:

Found Objects

Construction Paper or Other Paper

Paint (Blick block printing paint was used, make sure the paint is opaque)

Lorzon Craft Ink Pad

Paper Plates

Paper Drop Cloth or Newspaper (as table cover)

1. Find objects of all textures and shapes (and objects you can throw away afterwards)

2. Squeeze paint onto a paper plate or wide flat surface

3. Dip objects in paint and stamp onto paper

The Lorzon brand craft ink pad can be used as an option depending on the type of found objects being used:

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Barren & Brayer

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Collagraph:

Collagraph Materials:

Thick Board

Found Materials

Paint (Blick block printing paint was used, make sure the paint is opaque)

Paintbrush (or tool to scoop paint out of the container)

Brayer

Tin Foil

Paper Drop Cloth or Newspaper (as table cover)

Hot Glue and Gluegun

1. First you find found materials and hot glue them securely to a board (hot glue works best). *see safety information on hot glue guns in previous collage blog*

2. Roll out a glob of paint evenly onto a flat surface with the brayer to evenly coat the brayer (until it becomes thin enough to make a crackly sound and make it look as if the paint's been sponged)

3. Paint over the objects and board with a brush or brayer

   1. Paint can be dolloped on a sheet of foil and rolled out evenly onto the brayer before being applied to the board of found objects

4. Press the board face down on a sheet of paper and pull away to create a print

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Relief Printing (Styrofoam, rubber, linocut)

Styrofoam:

Materials:

Styrofoam Sheets

Paint (Blick block printing paint was used, make sure the paint is opaque)

Paintbrush (or tool to scoop paint out of the container)

Brayer

Barren

Speedball AKUA Clear Printing Plate or Tin Foil to roll out paint with

Paper Drop Cloth or Newspaper (as table cover)

1. Carve into the styrofoam with a pencil

2. Roll out a glob of paint evenly onto a flat surface with the brayer to evenly coat the brayer (until it becomes thin enough to make a crackly sound and make it look as if the paint's been sponged)

3. Roll over the image with a brayer

4. Turn the styrofoam over and press it onto a piece of paper, pressing down with a barren

5. Lift to see the transferred image

Linocut or Rubber or Wood:

Materials:

Speedball Linocut Block or Wood Block

Speedball AKUA Clear Printing Plate or Tin Foil to roll out paint with

Paint (Blick block printing paint was used, make sure the paint is opaque)

Brayer

Barren

For Linocut:Speedball Lino-Cutter and Gouge Tips

For Wood: Jack Richeson Wood Carving Knives

Paper Drop Cloth or Newspaper (as table cover)

1. Carve into the linocut block with the Lino-Cutter and Gouge Tips

   (or the wood block with the carving knives)

2. Roll out a glob of paint evenly onto a flat surface with the brayer to evenly coat the brayer (until it becomes thin enough to make a crackly sound and make it look as if the paint's been sponged)

3. Roll over the image with a brayer

4. Turn the styrofoam over and press it onto a piece of paper, pressing down with a barren

5. Lift to see the transferred image

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Monotype:

Materials:

Gelli Arts Gel Printing Plate

Found Objects and Stencils

Paint (Blick block printing paint was used, make sure the paint is opaque)

Brayer

Barren

Paintbrush (or tool to scoop paint out of the container)

Paper Drop Cloth or Newspaper (as table cover)

1. Roll out a glob of paint onto the Gel Printing Plate evenly with the brayer to evenly coat the brayer (until it becomes thin enough to make a crackly sound and make it look as if the paint's been sponged)

2. Place flat found objects and stencils over top the paint

3. Place a piece of paper on top and press it into the objects with the barren

4. Peel the paper away for your print!

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Ideas for Application in the Classroom:

Monotype, collagraph, and stamp printing were the best for using found textures 

Collagraph and stamp printing would be best used for 4-11 year olds

Monotype printing could be used for all ages but cleanup my be difficult with sticky reusable objects to stamp and with washing the gel plates

Problem with collagraph printing: uses hot glue guns (which there may not be enough of or enough outlets for a class to all use at once and it requires supervision for younger kids

Problem with monotype printing: there may not be enough gel plates for everyone to use at once and it will be messy

Solution: Divide class into 2-3 groups for stations for monotype, collagraph, and stamp printing stations

One idea for a lesson could be to have the students create these prints in a very purposefully abstract way and then another day (once they dry) students can draw on top with POSCA pens or other materials on top. Students could be pushed to use their imagination this way to create images out of the colorful blobs. Or to draw outlines or zentangles on top. Another idea could be to use the print as some kind of abstract background from an imaginative world and to draw what they imagine to live inside of it. Our reading Exploring Studio Materials, Teaching Creative Art Making to Children by Mary Hafeli said it is very common for artists to use many printmaking techniques and hand drawing and painting techniques on top of their printmaking (page 136)

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Differentiation Strategies:

• Offering more than one type of printmaking method for kids with different skill sets

  
  

• Offering many types of found objects to grip and stamp 

  
  

• Could spend some time outside to gather leaves or materials of different textures to use to 

  • Help run hyperactive kids and get their energy out before sitting 

  • Create a more personal connection to the lesson and materials used with linking the artwork to an outdoor experience 

    
    

Differentiation Strategies leading to more Ideas for Application in the Classroom:

1. Younger Kids: class could listen to 2-3 songs of different emotions to time them finding materials like leaves outdoors 

Older Kids: could listen to 2-3 songs of choice on their phone of different emotions to time them finding materials

2. Then students could be asked to pick a song they heard during their experience gathering materials and to try to convey the emotion or feeling of that song through color and texture in a print (making 2-3 prints for 2-3 songs)

This would make room for their own interpretations and assessment could be their ability to explain the connection between their interpretation and their artistic choices