Students will be able to:
- work independently and self-regulate;
- create personal responses to the centre materials;
- share their ideas with peers;
- demonstrate a sense of accomplishment;
- express personal responses to prints.
PRINTMAKING – Colour, Shape and Line
Steps
Step One
- Tape pieces of string (widthwise) onto a plastic cutting board.
- Continue until you are happy with the web-like design you have created.
Step Two
- Tape the plastic cutting board onto a large piece of construction paper.
- Tape along the top and sides of the construction paper.
- Do NOT tape along the bottom of the construction paper.
Step Three
- Insert a piece of Crayola Marker and Watercolour paper under the web through the opening at the bottom.
Step Four
- Place a small amount of paint on each paint tray.
- Place a brayer (roller) in each tray.
Step Five
- Roll the brayers back and forth a few times to spread the paint out evenly on the brayers.
Step Six
- Roll one of the colours over the web.
- Continue rolling until you are satisfied with the effect.
Step Seven
- Roll the other colour over the web.
- Continue rolling until you are satisfied with the effect.
Step Eight
- Gently remove the paper from the web and place it on a flat surface to dry.
- Create a second print and clean the rollers at the same time.
- Insert a new piece of paper into the web and roll the brayers over the surface without adding more paint.
Step Nine
- Gently remove the paper and roll over the surface with the brayers until all the paint is removed.
- Use both brayers without re-rolling them in the paint.
Step Ten
- Mount the prints on contrasting construction paper.
- Compare both prints.
- How are they the same?
- How are they different?
- What shapes do you see?
- What happened to the colours?
- What do you like best about the prints?
Learning Goals
Extensions
- Art Centre - Set out a variety of found objects, paint and paper.
- Encourage children to experiment with ways to make multiple marks on paper using the objects and paint.
- Demonstrate how to create a monotype by painting onto a piece of paper and then placing another paper on top of the wet paint.
- Gently rub the paper before removing it from the surface to create the print.
- Set out small muffin baking tins, different sized round cake baking tins, plastic cutting boards, paints, rollers and Cotton-Tips.
- Demonstrate how to apply paint to the flat surfaces of these items using a paint roller and then to draw into the paint with a Cotton-Tip before placing a piece of paper on top of the surface.
- Gently rub the paper before removing it from the surface to create a monotype.
- Have students share their work with the class.
Prepare
- Gather all the materials necessary for this project.
- Complete steps 1 to 3.
- Purchase or borrow from the library books about printmaking or illustrated with different types of prints, such as, Early Childhood Art - Painting and Printmaking, by Amelia Ruscoe; Ed Emberley’s Complete Funprint Drawing Book, by Ed Emberley; Last Night, by Hyewon Yum; Seasons, by Blexbolex; Ella Sarah Gets Dressed and Best Best Friends, by Margaret Chodos-Irvine; and Swimmy, by Leo Lionni.
- Tape a long piece of brown packing paper to the floor. Place a cookie baking tin at one end of the paper and pour a shallow amount of water into it.
- Place a variety of found objects in a basket beside the paper. For example, wooden spools, forks, cardboard tubes, and anything that can be used to make a printed mark by placing it in paint and pressing it against the paper.
- Place a container of paint near the water tray.
Introduction
- Conduct a read-aloud with a book featuring illustrations that are prints such as Swimmy, by Leon Lionni focussing on the pictures and how they might have been made.
- Have children sit along the edge of the length of the brown paper.
- Ask students to take turns stepping into the water with one shoe and then walking across the paper.
- Talk about the marks left on the paper. Compare the wet marks with the sole of the shoe that made it.
- Discuss what prints and printmaking are.
- Add some paint to the tray and place a variety of objects beside it. Ask children to choose an object and take turns placing it in the paint and then on the paper.
- Talk about the image you created together.
- Introduce the challenge.
Activities
The Challenge
- Create several prints using the string printmaking web.
- Use your imagination and problem-solving skills to explore ideas.
The Process
- Guide students through the steps outlined in this lesson plan beginning with step number 4.
- Observe students as they work.
- Ask questions of children while they are working.
- What is happening when the 2 colours mix?
- What shapes do you see?
- What does your print make you think of?
- Look at the lines and all the directions the lines go in. - Provide individual assistance and encouragement.
Sharing
- Place students into groups of 3 or 4 and ask them to share their prints with each other. Ask students to share the following:
- What shapes do you see?
- How are the prints the same?
- How are they different?
- What happened to the colours?
- What do you like best about your prints? - Display all the prints in the classroom.
Assessment
- Observe students as they work – thoughtful focus, discriminating, seeking more information, elaborating, experimenting.
- Observe students as they discuss their prints – speaks with a clear voice, looks at audience while speaking, points to areas in the print, provides accurate information, answers questions from the audience effectively.
- Observe students as they listen – looks at presenter, asks effective questions, supports ideas with evidence found in the artwork.
- Use a checklist to track progress. (Downloads - Printmaking_tracking.pdf)
