MARKER PLUS WATER TECHNIQUE – Mark Making

Students explore what happens when water is used with Crayola Broad Line markers.

Required Time

80 Minutes

Grade Level

Grade 1 to Grade 8

Subject

Art Techniques
Language Arts
Visual Arts

Vocabulary

geometric shapes ink line transparent

Materials

Crayola Broad Line Markers Crayola Marker & Watercolour Paper - 22.9 cm x 30.5 cm (9" x 12") - 1 piece per student Crayola Washable Glue Sticks Crayola Paint Brushes - 1 per student Water Containers Water Green Masking Tape Plastic Placemats - 1 per student Paper Towels

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Steps

MARKER PLUS WATER TECHNIQUE – Mark Making - Step One

Step One

  1. Tape 4 pieces of paper (11.4 cm x 15.3 cm) to a plastic placemat.
  2. Make sure you put tape on all 4 sides of each piece of paper.
MARKER PLUS WATER TECHNIQUE – Mark Making - Step Two

Step Two

  1. Draw some geometric shapes on one piece of paper.
  2. Use the broad side of the marker tip.
  3. Paint water into the marker line.
  4. Pull the colour into the shape.  
  5. Repeat with each shape.
MARKER PLUS WATER TECHNIQUE – Mark Making - Step Three

Step Three

  1. Notice what happens if you place a wet brush into the marker and pull a thin line of colour away from the edge of the shape.
MARKER PLUS WATER TECHNIQUE – Mark Making - Step Four

Step Four

  1. Colour some marker ink onto a plastic lid.
  2. Use the flat side of the marker.
  3. Paint a small amount of water into the marker ink.
MARKER PLUS WATER TECHNIQUE – Mark Making - Step Five

Step Five

  1. Use the ink to paint flat colour into the background spaces.
  2. Notice what happens if you paint this colour over the dry shapes.​
MARKER PLUS WATER TECHNIQUE – Mark Making - Step Six

Step Six

  1. Try something new in the next box.
  2. Dots and lines are interesting.
  3. Paint a small amount of water into the marks.
  4. Experiment with how you apply the water.
MARKER PLUS WATER TECHNIQUE – Mark Making - Step Seven

Step Seven

  1. Try something new in the next box.
  2. Vary the thickness, colour and length of your marks.
  3. See what happens when you put lots of water on the marks. 
MARKER PLUS WATER TECHNIQUE – Mark Making - Step Eight

Step Eight

  1. Try wetting the paper before you make any marks.
MARKER PLUS WATER TECHNIQUE – Mark Making - Step Nine

Step Nine

  1. Draw directly onto the wet paper.
  2. Vary the thickness and direction of your marks.
MARKER PLUS WATER TECHNIQUE – Mark Making - Step Ten

Step Ten

  1. Gently remove the tape from the papers.
  2. Notice how the tape created a border for your experiments.
MARKER PLUS WATER TECHNIQUE – Mark Making - Step Eleven

Step Eleven

  1. Glue your experiments into your sketchbook (or onto a piece of paper).
  2. For each one, answer these questions:
    - What does it remind you of?
    - What would this technique be good for if you were making a picture?

Learning Goals

Students will be able to:

  • create a variety of marks using markers;
  • use water with the marker to create a variety of effects;
  • compare the effects of different brush strokes and amounts of water on marks made with marker;
  • build on their own and others’ discoveries to generate new ideas;
  • explain their process;
  • express opinions about the works; 
  • support their ideas with evidence found in the works.

Extensions

Set up a work area that students may visit when they are finished other work early, or need a break.
Have students:

  • continue experimenting with the Water + Marker technique;
  • add salt that can be sprinkled on wet ink; 
  • use crayons in a resist technique;
  • post their experiments with a brief explanation of their process on a central bulletin board;
  • view and discuss what others have done.

Prepare

  1. Cut Crayola Marker and Watercolour paper into quarters - 11.4 cm x 15.3 cm (4.5" x 6") - enough for each student to have 4 small pieces.
  2. Place students in groups so they can share ideas.
  3. Spread newspaper on tables for easy clean up.
  4. Provide paper towels, water containers, broad line markers, small papers, green masking tape and paintbrushes for each student/group.
  5. Place 4 pieces of paper, tape, plastic placemat, water, brushes and markers at a central table for your demonstration.
  6. Pre-tape most of the sides of the paper you will use for your demo to speed things up.

Introduction

  1. Explain that markers contain transparent ink that can be used in a variety of ways.
  2. Ask students to share what they know about using markers.
  3. Explain that today's class is for experimenting with markers and water. 
    - It's a time to play with ideas and see what happens.
  4. Introduce the challenge.

Activities

The Challenge

  1. Create lots of different marks using lots of different colours of marker.
  2. Push yourself to generate new ideas.
  3. Use water in a variety of ways to change the marks you made with markers.
  4. Explain your process.
  5. Express opinions about your own and others' works. 
  6. Support your ideas with evidence found in the works.

The Process

  1. Make sure everyone understands the challenge.
  2. Establish success criteria with your students, for example,
    I know I am successful when I have:
    - made different marks and shapes 
    - used water in different ways 
    - explained what I did to get specific effects
    - tried different ideas
    - expressed opinions about my own and others' work
    - supported my opinions with evidence found in the work
    - kept the paper in good condition  
  3. Guide students through the steps outlined in this lesson plan.
  4. Demonstrate how to tape the papers to the plastic mat.
  5. Be sure to put tape around all 4 sides of each piece of paper.
  6. Demonstrate what happens when water is added to the marker marks.
  7. Encourage students to work with colour combinations, brush strokes and amount of water to get unique effects.
  8. Once most students have completed their first experiment stop the class and ask students to either share what they did, or do a walk-about to see what others did.
  9. Observe students as they work. 
  10. Provide individual assistance and encouragement.

Sharing

  1. Have students work with a partner or in small groups.
  2. Ask them to:
    - Discuss the effects of the water and marker.
    - Talk about how the different images make them feel. 
    - Compare their work and describe to each other what they did to get certain effects.
    - Consider how doing these experiments might help them if they were creating a picture.

Assessment

  1. Observe students as they work – thoughtful focus, discriminating, seeking more information, elaborating, experimenting.
  2. Observe students as they discuss their experiments – speaks with a clear voice, looks at audience while speaking, points to areas in the experiment, provides accurate information, answers questions from the audience effectively.
  3. Observe students as they listen – looks at presenter, asks effective questions, supports ideas with evidence found in the artwork.
  4. Use a checklist to track progress. (Downloads – MarkerWaterTechnique_tracking.pdf)
  5. Have students write a reflection on their work in their sketchbook/journals. 
    - Describe the kinds of marks you made.
    - Explain what happened when you added water to the marker marks.
    - What did you discover while doing your experiments?
    - How do you feel about using this technique? Why?
    - How could you use this technique in a project?

Downloads

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