WHAT AN EXPERIENCE! – Printmaking, Analogous Colours

Students use analogous watercolours to paint several pieces of paper, and then print collographs inspired by an important experience in their lives on the painted paper.

Required Time

180 Minutes

Grade Level

Grade 6 to Grade 9

Subject

Language Arts
Visual Arts

Vocabulary

analogous colours burnish collograph contrast print printing plate printmaking shape

Materials

Crayola Marker and Watercolour Paper – 22.9 cm x 30.5 cm cm (9” X 12”) Light Weight Cardboard such as Tag Manilla Scissors Pencils Magazines Soft Roller Plastic Tray wooden spoon Crayola Acrylic Paint Watercolour Paints

Shop Crayola Products

Crayola Acrylic Paint, 6 Count
Paint Brushes, Assorted 5 ct
Watercolour Paint Set - 8 colours

Steps

WHAT AN EXPERIENCE! – Printmaking, Analogous Colours - Step One

Step One

Make 4 thumbnail sketches. Choose the one you like the best. Make a plan drawing of your design. Use the plan drawing as a template. Place it on top of a piece of tag manilla. Cut out the overall shape of your drawing in one piece, cutting both pieces of paper at the same time.

WHAT AN EXPERIENCE! – Printmaking, Analogous Colours - Step Two

Step Two

Use the drawing as a pattern. Place a section of it on top of a piece of tag manilla and cut them both out at the same time. Glue the small piece to the main shape to create a different level. Repeat this process until you are satisfied with the details. Spaces between shapes will create lines in your print. 

WHAT AN EXPERIENCE! – Printmaking, Analogous Colours - Step Three

Step Three

The finished collograph is your printing plate.

WHAT AN EXPERIENCE! – Printmaking, Analogous Colours - Step Four

Step Four

Prepare a piece of watercolour paper. Wet the paper and drop analogous watercolours into the wet paper. Set it aside to dry. Make several sheets of painted paper to use for your prints. Choose colours that reflect your feelings about the experience.

WHAT AN EXPERIENCE! – Printmaking, Analogous Colours - Step Five

Step Five

Place the collograph on an open magazine page. Pour some acrylic paint in the plastic tray. Use a soft roller or brayer to roll paint over the collograph.

WHAT AN EXPERIENCE! – Printmaking, Analogous Colours - Step Six

Step Six

Gently lift the inked collograph off the magazine page. Place it on top of the painted paper. Press it to the paper. 

WHAT AN EXPERIENCE! – Printmaking, Analogous Colours - Step Seven

Step Seven

Gently turn the paper over and burnish it with a wooden spoon. Apply even pressure to the back of the collograph to make sure all the paint is transferred to the paper.

WHAT AN EXPERIENCE! – Printmaking, Analogous Colours - Step Eight

Step Eight

Carefully pull the paper off the inked plate to see your print. Hang it to dry.

WHAT AN EXPERIENCE! – Printmaking, Analogous Colours - Step Nine

Step Nine

Mount the completed prints on construction paper for display.

Learning Goals

Students will be able to:

  1. Create 4 collograph prints;
  2. Create watercolour painted papers using analogous colours;
  3. Use shape and colour to communicate a personal experience;
  4. Demonstrate technical accomplishment and creativity; and
  5. Support their ideas with evidence found in the works.

Extensions

  1. Have students explore the effects of different combinations of colour on the way the prints communicate their ideas.
  2. Have students work with another class to teach their peers how to make collograph prints.
  3. Have students use their collograph printing plates and fabric ink to explore printing on fabric, for example on a tee shirt.

Prepare

  1. Download the Colour and Shape posters available on this website.
    Posters 
  2. Prior to this lesson introduce or review the meaning of analogous colours.
  3. Prior to this lesson you may want to have students explore the colour wheel using the lesson plan available on this website,
    Colour Wheel 
  4. Prior to this lesson you may want to have students explore relief printmaking using found objects using the lesson plan available on this website,
    Exploring Line
  5. You may want to gather and display books about collograph printmaking, for example, Complete Collagraph: The Art and Technique of Printmaking from Collage Plates, by Clara Romano, Collagraphs and Mixed-Media Printmaking, by Brenda Hartill and Richard Clarke, Print with Collage and Stitch: Techniques for Mixed-Media Printmaking, by Val Holmes 
  6. Create a sample collograph.

Introduction

  1. Ask students to close their eyes and to think about a time in their lives when they achieved a goal they had set for themselves.
  2. Encourage them to think about how they felt at the moment. Get them to imagine the moment as if it was happening now. Guide them to visualize where they are in the scenario and what they are doing. Ask them to focus on the most important aspect of the scene. That will be the subject of their print.
  3. Show students the print you have created. Ask them to discuss what they notice about the print and to explain how they think it was made. Talk about the shapes and the colours.
  4. Show students the collograph printing plate you used to make the prints. Discuss how it was made. Place it beside the print and notice that the images are reversed.
  5. Introduce the challenge.

Activities

The Challenge

  1. Create 4 collograph prints.
  2. Create watercolour painted papers using analogous colours.
  3. Use shape and colour to communicate a personal experience.
  4. Demonstrate technical accomplishment and creativity.
  5. Support your ideas with evidence found in the works.

The Process

  1. Ensure that everyone understands the challenge.
  2. Guide students through the steps outlined in this lesson plan.
  3. Demonstrate how to cut out two pieces of paper at the same time.
  4. Remind students that lines and patterns will be created by the spaces left between shapes and the differences in levels of paper.
  5. Observe students as they work.
  6. Provide individual assistance and encouragement.

Sharing

  1. Once all the prints are complete ask students to share them in partners or small groups. 
    Ask them to:
    - Look closely at the prints and how they are made.
    - Share thoughts about the work.
    - Talk about how shape and colour contribute to the overall effectiveness of the image.
    - Discuss the use of analogous colours in the background.
    - Talk about what was difficult about making the print and why.
    - Tell what was satisfying about making the print and why.
  2. Ask some students to share their ideas with the whole class.
  3. Display the prints so students can view them as a body of work throughout the next few weeks.
     

Assessment

  1. Observe students as they work – thoughtful focus, discriminating, seeking more information, elaborating, experimenting
  2. Observe students as they discuss the prints – active listening, insightful contributions, supporting ideas with evidence found in the artwork and from personal experience.
  3. Use a checklist to track progress. (Download – COLLOGRAPH_tracking.pdf)
  4. Have students use the self-assessment form to evaluate their work. (Download – COLLOGRAPH_self-assessment.pdf)

 

Downloads

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