Printmaking on a budget

Arts & Activities, Nov, 2003 by Katrine J. Trantham

Middle-school students love printmaking. It has continually been the most popular technique I teach. 1 routinely teach foam engraving to my seventh-graders and linoleum carving to my eighth-graders, however sixth grade has been an unending challenge.

I, myself, don't want to get bored, and am always in search of an inexpensive, fun and new printmaking lesson to teach to my introductory middle-school students. I have found that alternating the following three techniques works well: stencil prints, monoprints and relief prints.

STENCIL PRINTS For this lesson, I wanted to stress the terms "shape," "space" and "pattern." Using scrap construction paper (I keep bins of it in my classroom), I folded a piece in half to cut a shape that was equal on both sides. The students were given the option to cut any type of shape, an object or abstract. Using a sponge (I bought a few and cut them into smaller squares) and tempera paints, I demonstrated how to "pounce" upon the hole in the construction paper (stencil) to create a positive space print (left). I then demonstrated how to pounce around the piece of paper that was cut out of the construction paper to create a negative space print (right). Students were asked to create both types of print. Using large sheets of donated white paper (donated from a local paper factory) students were challenged to create their own "wallpaper" by way of pattern. I drew several examples of patterns on the chalkboard using basic shapes.

The final challenge was to "remarque" their finished piece using oil pastels. A remarque is when a printer works into a print further using a media other than the one used to print.

MONOPRINTS I initially explained to the students what a print was and the meaning of the term "mono." Unlike most printing processes, their prints would be one-of-a-kinds. Using ancient proverbs for inspiration, I asked students to draw pictures to illustrate a chosen one from a worksheet I had designed.

Once complete, they were asked to tape down a pre-torn piece of freezer paper to their table area. The freezer paper replaces what would traditionally be glass or plastic. This method is obviously less expensive and super easy to clean up.

After ink is rolled onto the freezer paper (I distributed the ink on an as needed basis), students put their drawing face up on the ink. Then they retraced the lines of their drawing using a pencil. I encouraged them to work fairly quickly, for the ink does dry fast. Once traced, the students lifted the paper to find an impression of their drawing in ink on the opposite side.

The next day students were asked to remarque their work using oil pastel. I find that this additional activity is embraced by the students, allowing them to add more color to their work and neaten up some less-than-perfect prints.

STRING RELIEFS When I initially began at my current school, I found boxes of macrame string in a back closet. Not particularly wanting to teach macrame, I opted to incorporate the string into a printing lesson that I've used many times over. Though any type of string may be used, you want it to be fairly thick and rope-like.

I chopped up several donated boxes and distributed the cardboard pieces to the students, along with pre-cut macrame string approximately 8 inches in length each. I pre-chopped this on my cutting board to spare students the effort of sawing through it with the art room's student-art scissors.

The two lessons that I've used very successfully are: (1) Abstracts, discussing organic free-flowing shapes as opposed to straightedge geometric shape and (2) Adinkra Symbols, displaying several with their meaning and encouraging students to create a "personal symbol" that tells me something about them. Students glue the string in the desired cardboard pieces (we used Elmer's Glue-ALL, which dried quickly and held well), then, using a brayer, roll tempera paint onto the string to create the stamp like print. As in other lessons, I usually allow students to create a remarque of one or two of their prints to encourage "mixed-media thinking."

All three of these printing methods may be used with actual printing ink. However, due to the fact that I am generally "printing on a budget," I save my more expensive printing inks for my eighth-grade linoleum cuts. Tempera paint works best with the stencil and string prints. Ink does work best with the monoprints due to tempera's very fast-drying qualities.

ASSESSMENT My students always receive a copy of the exact rubric that I will use to grade their project, prior to their starting. This allows them to be aware of my expectations, as well as assess themselves before handing the project in as complete. For printmaking, I generally assess them on the following:

* A completed particular number of prints (a series)

* That each print is crisp and neat (no smudges)

* Usually students are required to print in more than one color

* That the theme of the project is successfully met. For example, if I asked students to illustrate a proverb, the proverb was written on the back of the print