Exploring Storytelling through Printmaking

Exploring Storytelling through Printmaking

Suitable for grades K to 12

Curriculum connections

// image development strategies
// creating meaning through symbolism
// collaborative creation

Bookings available October 10 through December 15

The guided tour of our Fall exhibition, Since Then, explores ideas of time travel and mythology, and engages students in collaborative storytelling and drawing exercises. Back in our studios, we guide students through a hands-on printmaking workshop using monoprinting techniques to translate their stories into drawings.

Materials

8”x10” Plexiglass plates, 1 per student
9”x12” Watercolour paper, 1 per student
Brushes of various sizes
Water colour paint
Trays
Water soluble crayons
Water soluble pencil crayons
Gum Arabic
Soft cloth
Spray bottles
Etching press, pin press and wooden spoons
Printer paper
Pencils

Materials for the tour
clipboards, 1 per student + 1 for you
printer paper, 2 per student (bring extra on your own clipboard)

PrepDrop a small amount of Gum Arabic onto each plate and using a clean cloth cover the plate in a thin, even coat. This needs to dry completely before the kids use it. The Gum Arabic is water-soluble and enables water-based colours to adhere to the plate and to be easily lifted off and transferred when printing onto a damp piece of paper.

In-gallery activity: Take a Line for a Walk
(all grades)

Materials:

·       clipboards & printer paper

·       pencils

Method:

Ask students to sit in a group in between Lisa Myers & Rebecca Belmore works with their clipboards & pencils. Using your own clipboard, demonstrate the different ways of making a line (move the fingers, move the wrist, move the whole arm, make light lines, dark lines, turn the tool on the side to shade or make softer lines.

Explain that students will be taking a line for a walk on their paper and enacting the action in the story you are about to tell. Tell the story very slowly and pause after each sentence as the students draw the gesture of the motion of the line. This is not about realistically illustrating the story.

The Story:

One day, a line decided to go on a journey. The line got up out of bed, went into the bathroom and brushed its teeth. Then the line put on its best outfit and began to walk down the stairs to have some breakfast, when it tripped on a shoe and took a massive tumble the rest of the way down! The line got up slowly, brushed itself off, and ate some waffles. The line looked out the window and found that it was a most glorious day, not a cloud in sight, and there were people everywhere playing in the sun. While walking, the line passed by a park and decided to watch the beautiful birds as they danced from branch to branch. The line was happy. As the line walked further, it saw a rabbit hopping in a nearby field and couldn’t resist following behind the rabbit, copying every bounce. The line even followed the rabbit down into her rabbit hole! Then, the line looked its watch and discovered that it was running late. The line waved goodbye to the rabbit and skipped through the rabbit’s lair up the backdoor. The line was very surprised when it found itself in [insert name of the school on the tour] ; the rabbit’s back door had led right into the school! The line was so excited it cartwheeled all the way to its favourite room – the art room, of course – where it drew pictures and painted the rest of the day!

Next, have the students work together to create their own version of the story. Read through this as you did the first one, but every time you get to a blank space, call on another student to fill it in.

Once the story is created, read through it as you did the first one asking the students to illustrate this story as before. Return to the studio.

One day, a line decided to go on a journey.
The line ________________­­­­­­___________________(action), went into the

_____________________________(location)  and ________________________(action).
Then the line ___________________________(action) and began to ____________________(action),
when suddenly it ________________________(action)!
The line ________________________(action), and ate some  _____________________(food).
The line looked out the window and saw ______________________.
There were _________________________ everywhere playing in the ___________________(location). While walking, the line passed by a _________________(location) and decided to watch the __________________(creature) as they ________________________(action).
The line was _________________(emotion).
As the line walked further, it saw a __________________________(creature) and couldn’t resist following behind, copying every _________________(action-how does the creature move?).
The line even followed the _______________(creature) into her ______________________(location-where does this creature live?)!
Then, the line looked at its watch and discovered that it was running late. It was time to go!
The line ______________________(action) to the _____________(creature) and skipped through the ___________________(creature)’s back door.
The line was very __________________(reaction) when it found itself in____________________(location); the __________________(creature)’s back door had led right into the _____________________!
The line was so __________________(emotion) it _______________(action) all the way to _____________________(location) where it __________________________________(activity) the rest of the day!

In-studio activity: Water-based Monoprinting
(all grades)

Materials

8”x10” Plexiglass plates, 1 per student
9”x12” Watercolour paper, 1 per student
Brushes of various sizes
Water colour paint
Palettes
Water soluble crayons
Water soluble pencil crayons
Gum Arabic*
Soft cloth*
Spray bottles
Etching press, pin press and wooden spoons

Water buckets

*** gum Arabic and soft cloth is not for students, just for instructor’s prep

Set Up

***after students collect their materials, clear away the extra materials and turn the supply table into the printing area***

Students sit around the “U”
you can assist from inside the “U”

Put 2 large water buckets on each table ahead of time for students to share

Back in the studio, students should all find a seat. Once seated, you will describe the project, answer any immediate questions and then get the kids to line up to collect their supplies. Back at their seats, they will work to turn their drawings of the story they created into a monoprint using watercolour paints, crayons and pencils.

Process

STEP 1: Describe the project

·       Has anyone ever done printmaking before? (hands)

·       Has anyone ever made a MONOPRINT?

·       Do you have any ideas about what a MONOPRINT is?

·       “MONO” means “ONE”—a monoprint is a one-of-a-kind print. Each one is unique. You have to recreate your image for each print you want to make.

·       We’re going to make our prints using watercolour paints, crayons and pencils.

STEP 2: Get materials

Have students come up to the supply table in groups of 5 to collect their materials. They should each get:

1 plexiglass plate

1 tray

1 paint brush

3 each of crayons, pencils and paint tubes

STEP 3: Demo

Now that everyone has their materials, demonstrate the process:

·       Put drawing under plexi

·       Trace/transfer image onto plexi using your paint, crayons and pencils

·       Choose which areas to colour in/which to leave empty

·       Add details and new elements as you wish

TIPS

·       Its okay if the paint dries. We will wet the paper before printing and the colours will be reactivated.

·       Watercolour pencils work the best if you dip the nib into the water (but be careful not to leave the pencil in the water, otherwise the pencil will split)

·       Try layering, scraping, smearing

·       EXPERIMENT!!

STEP 4: Kids make art!

Invite students to begin making their plates, offering help as required. As kids work, check in with each one give encouragement, help and guidance.

STEP 5: Printing

As students complete their plates, they will come to the front of the room and print.

·       Put newsprint on press bed

·       Place plate on press bed

·       Write student name on paper

·       Get student to spray their pieces of paper with spray bottle

·       Place wet side of paper down on press bed

·       PRINT! EXCITEMENT!

·       Put print on drying rack and return to clean station/tray

·       Kids put away their materials and rinse trays in sink

STEP 6: Review and discuss

Once studio is tidied, have each student get their print and place it on the table next to their original drawings. Go around the room and see each others’ work. Have a discussion about each student’s work as time allows.