Lesson Summaries: Click on the titles to go to each lesson plan
LESSON 1: Introduction to Printmaking, Sound Inspired Monoprints
This lesson introduces students to the general techniques and processes of printmaking and teaches them the rules and guidelines of the course. As well students will be introduced to the semester long theme: “A Sensory Translation of Place.” Each student will have the chance to experiment with the sensory translation of sound into visual expression (i.e. color, line, shape, pattern, etc.) using basic monoprinting techniques.
LESSON 2: Portfolio Cover: "The 3rd Place," Photocopy Transfers
With this lesson students will be introduced to printmaking techniques involving mechanically produced, “readymade” images. Students will thematically explore their “3rd Place” using image and text, as well as gel medium and packing tape transfer techniques. Their design will become their portfolio cover(s) which are used throughout the semester to store and turn in projects.
LESSON 3: Sight- "Impressions of Place," Frottage Prints
This lesson will direct students through an immediate and spontaneous reaction to the “place” around them. Students will create a series of “preparatory sketches” following a variety of instructions intended to get them out of their preconceived notions of landscape drawing. Students will work collaboratively using the preparatory sketches as the bases for a small series of black and white frottage monoprints.
LESSON 4: "Knowing the World Through Touch," Collogaphic Prints
With this lesson students will create a mystery object for their peers to discover through touch. Students will use their preparatory sketches to create a plate using a collograph technique. Students will print their plate using a variety of methods including tonal hues, ghost prints, and viscosity printing. Students will work collaboratively in printing groups on the printing press.
LESSON 5: "Soundscapes and Rhythm"
Building off the sound inspired monoprints of Lesson 1, students will analyze their favorite song or sound. Each student will choose a section of a song to visually analyze and interpret (beyond the lyrical content) focusing on the tonal qualities and rhythms, based on artistic examples given. Students will use a wax resist method combined with watercolor washes to translate the sounds they hear into colored shapes (tints and tones), lines, and patterns. Some recognizable yet poetic or metaphoric imagery is acceptable for this lesson.
LESSON 6: "Remini[sence] and Es[sense], Flavor and Aroma"
This lesson is designed as a closure to the sensory exploration projects. Students will create a “mind” or “concept” map based on their memories and associations of several different scents and flavors. This lesson is intended to help students tap into their memories and moments in a way that is less about narrative or story telling and more about ephemeral glimpses of their experiences. This lesson will also teach students relief printing and intaglio printing processes which they will use on lesson 7.
LESSON 7: "Memory and Moment," Photo Etching and Drypoint on Plexiglas
Since the invention of the camera and more recently the digital camera and social media, humans have the ability to collect and document their experiences (making them into memories), see themselves through an exterior lens (through their friend’s posts and tags), create a persona (profile), and elevate moments (the heroic, the tragic, and the mundane). For this lesson Students will consider how documenting memories (especially through digital photography and social media) affects the sensory memory and experiences of individual moments. Students will create an intaglio print based on an impactful moment or special memory. Students will work from a digital image (that they provide). Each student will create a small edition of 3-5 prints and 3 alternate prints which explore varying the moods through the use of colors and layering techniques. The goal of this assignment is for students to use their experience and knowledge of the senses (from the previous 6 lessons) to interpret and re-present their memory- taking it beyond the original image.
LESSON 8: "Altering a Place," Stencil and Screen Printing Poster
For this lesson students will learn about artists who have moved from the canvas or the print studio with the intention of altering the world around them. “Environmental Art” and “Street Art” movements take different approaches to altering the landscape and urban locales. Advertisements (billboards) and Social/Political flyers and posters also alter one’s sense of place. Students will select a place that they wish to alter (hypothetically), for the purpose of fine art, to provoke discussion, to promote public involvement, or to communicate another type of message. Students will design a small poster that would be hypothetically used to alter the place. Designs will include both image and text and make a stylistic reference to one of the artists presented.
LESSON 9: "Student Proposal," T-Shirt Design, Screen Printing on Textiles
For the final project of the semester students will propose an original T-Shirt design that is inspired by the world around them. The multi-layer/multi-color screen print design should aim to communicate a message to or about Nature, Social/Political Issues, Advertizing, or Urban Locales. Each student will complete a proposal packet explaining their inspiration and intentions, outline the steps to accomplish the project, as well as a reflection on what they learned from the previous lessons that will help them be successful on this assignment.
This lesson introduces students to the general techniques and processes of printmaking and teaches them the rules and guidelines of the course. As well students will be introduced to the semester long theme: “A Sensory Translation of Place.” Each student will have the chance to experiment with the sensory translation of sound into visual expression (i.e. color, line, shape, pattern, etc.) using basic monoprinting techniques.
LESSON 2: Portfolio Cover: "The 3rd Place," Photocopy Transfers
With this lesson students will be introduced to printmaking techniques involving mechanically produced, “readymade” images. Students will thematically explore their “3rd Place” using image and text, as well as gel medium and packing tape transfer techniques. Their design will become their portfolio cover(s) which are used throughout the semester to store and turn in projects.
LESSON 3: Sight- "Impressions of Place," Frottage Prints
This lesson will direct students through an immediate and spontaneous reaction to the “place” around them. Students will create a series of “preparatory sketches” following a variety of instructions intended to get them out of their preconceived notions of landscape drawing. Students will work collaboratively using the preparatory sketches as the bases for a small series of black and white frottage monoprints.
LESSON 4: "Knowing the World Through Touch," Collogaphic Prints
With this lesson students will create a mystery object for their peers to discover through touch. Students will use their preparatory sketches to create a plate using a collograph technique. Students will print their plate using a variety of methods including tonal hues, ghost prints, and viscosity printing. Students will work collaboratively in printing groups on the printing press.
LESSON 5: "Soundscapes and Rhythm"
Building off the sound inspired monoprints of Lesson 1, students will analyze their favorite song or sound. Each student will choose a section of a song to visually analyze and interpret (beyond the lyrical content) focusing on the tonal qualities and rhythms, based on artistic examples given. Students will use a wax resist method combined with watercolor washes to translate the sounds they hear into colored shapes (tints and tones), lines, and patterns. Some recognizable yet poetic or metaphoric imagery is acceptable for this lesson.
LESSON 6: "Remini[sence] and Es[sense], Flavor and Aroma"
This lesson is designed as a closure to the sensory exploration projects. Students will create a “mind” or “concept” map based on their memories and associations of several different scents and flavors. This lesson is intended to help students tap into their memories and moments in a way that is less about narrative or story telling and more about ephemeral glimpses of their experiences. This lesson will also teach students relief printing and intaglio printing processes which they will use on lesson 7.
LESSON 7: "Memory and Moment," Photo Etching and Drypoint on Plexiglas
Since the invention of the camera and more recently the digital camera and social media, humans have the ability to collect and document their experiences (making them into memories), see themselves through an exterior lens (through their friend’s posts and tags), create a persona (profile), and elevate moments (the heroic, the tragic, and the mundane). For this lesson Students will consider how documenting memories (especially through digital photography and social media) affects the sensory memory and experiences of individual moments. Students will create an intaglio print based on an impactful moment or special memory. Students will work from a digital image (that they provide). Each student will create a small edition of 3-5 prints and 3 alternate prints which explore varying the moods through the use of colors and layering techniques. The goal of this assignment is for students to use their experience and knowledge of the senses (from the previous 6 lessons) to interpret and re-present their memory- taking it beyond the original image.
LESSON 8: "Altering a Place," Stencil and Screen Printing Poster
For this lesson students will learn about artists who have moved from the canvas or the print studio with the intention of altering the world around them. “Environmental Art” and “Street Art” movements take different approaches to altering the landscape and urban locales. Advertisements (billboards) and Social/Political flyers and posters also alter one’s sense of place. Students will select a place that they wish to alter (hypothetically), for the purpose of fine art, to provoke discussion, to promote public involvement, or to communicate another type of message. Students will design a small poster that would be hypothetically used to alter the place. Designs will include both image and text and make a stylistic reference to one of the artists presented.
LESSON 9: "Student Proposal," T-Shirt Design, Screen Printing on Textiles
For the final project of the semester students will propose an original T-Shirt design that is inspired by the world around them. The multi-layer/multi-color screen print design should aim to communicate a message to or about Nature, Social/Political Issues, Advertizing, or Urban Locales. Each student will complete a proposal packet explaining their inspiration and intentions, outline the steps to accomplish the project, as well as a reflection on what they learned from the previous lessons that will help them be successful on this assignment.