Stencil Printmaking Handout

Attention art teachers and students! 

Looking for a fun and educational project? My printmaking handout on stencils is perfect for 7th and 8th graders (and beyond)!

As educators, we're always seeking engaging ways to introduce students to various art forms. My comprehensive stencil printmaking handout, tailored for 7th and 8th-grade students, offers a perfect blend of theory and practice.

Key components include:
• Essential vocabulary
• Fundamental techniques
• Historical context
• Visual process guides

Originally designed for fabric projects, this resource is adaptable to various mediums, fostering creativity and hands-on learning. Use for so many different projects from graffitti to making custom t-shirts!

What age group is this suitable for?

I use this with my 7th and 8th graders, but this is suitable for artists from about ages 10+, community groups, homeschool students and adult learners.

What's Included?

This handout is two pages and is black and white. I also have a page that includes suggestions for use.

Check out my Teachers Pay Teachers store to get this resource and see my other handouts:

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Stencil-Printmaking-Handout-12087258

Handout: Printmaking 101 Vocabulary and Techniques Notesheet

Elevate Your Art Curriculum with this comprehensive printmaking resource!

Attention educators and art professionals!

I'm excited to share a valuable resource designed to enhance printmaking education across various age groups and skill levels. My newly developed two-page handout offers:

• 20 essential vocabulary words with clear definitions
• 11 diverse printmaking processes, including ones you may know such as: collagraph, relief printmaking, and gelli techniques as well as fun and funky ones like Suminagashi and Gyotaku!

This concise yet comprehensive guide serves as an excellent introduction to a survey course on printmaking or as a foundation for any printmaking unit. Its versatility makes it suitable for a wide range of educational settings, from secondary schools to higher education and community art programs.

By incorporating this resource into your curriculum, you can:

1. Standardize printmaking terminology across your department
2. Introduce students to a variety of techniques efficiently
3. Provide a quick reference guide for ongoing projects

What you get:

A pdf that includes my tips and tricks for using this resource as well as the TWO PAGE full color printable handout.

What age is this suitable for?

I have used it with my middle school students (grade 6-8) but it could be used with high school, college and community groups.

Check it out in my TpT store! https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Handout-Printmaking-101-Vocabulary-and-Techniques-Notesheet-12064811

NEW HANDOUT: Suminagashi Printmaking Handout/Reseource

Here's a one-page quick handout/resource to use with students when teaching Suminagashi printmaking. Suminagashi monoprinting can be linked to science and World History and Graphic Arts (STEAM). Find it on my Teacher Pay Teachers store.

I teach printmaking to middle school students and I use this as part of a one-day Suminagashi "Lab" I do with them. On printing day, students enter the room and I have all of the tables set up for them to work. I give them this handout, do a demonstration, and the rest of the class time is spent creating and experimenting with the medium.

This handout is also used the next class to debrief.


Description:

This one page handout/resource can be used on its own or part of a larger printmaking unit. It's also a note-taking sheet so you can customize it for your specific lesson.


What you get:

THIS PURCHASE IS FOR A DIGITAL FILE ONLY. You will get a digital file for a one page black and white pdf of my hand drawn Suminagashi Handout. Note: This file does not have any dates written on it, so you can use it for any year!


How to use this file:

1. Download the file from TpT
2. Print on regular paper (not included with purchase) or share via Google Classroom, etc.
3. Customize by having students take notes on it or use the backside to plan/sketch

You can use this printout on its own or glue it into a sketchbook


Legal Stuff/Niceness Clause:

I work hard to create these resources. I believe that you are using them for personal/classroom use and will only make copies for yourself and your classroom and will NOT resell these, repost my files (for free or for sale) or sell them as your own. Be kind!

To download this resource, click here.

NEW HANDOUT: Chinese Seal/Chop and Japanese Hanko/Inkan Printmaking Handout

Another snow day here in New Hampshire, so I'm using my time to post a couple of new resources. First up: this Chinese Seal/Chop and Japanese Hanko/Inkan Printmaking Handout. Find this in my Teachers Pay Teachers Store. 

Here's a one-page quick handout/resource to use with students when teaching about Chinese Seals/Chops and/or Japanese Hanko/Inkan. Creating your own seal can be linked to Asian Studies and Graphic Arts.

I teach printmaking to middle school students and I use this as part of a larger printmaking unit I do with them. We do gyotaku printing (fish printing) and then create stamps to seal or sign our work. This handout is used for the creation of the stamp portion of the unit.

This handout is also used to debrief after an activity.


Description:

This one page handout/resource can be used on its own or part of a larger printmaking unit. It's also a note-taking sheet so you can customize it for your specific lesson. I have students sketch their ideas for their stamps on the reverse of the handout.

What you get:

THIS PURCHASE IS FOR A DIGITAL FILE ONLY. You will get a digital file for a one page black and white pdf of my hand drawn Chinese Seal/Chop and Japanese Hanko/Inkan Handout. Note: This file does not have any dates written on it, so you can use it for any year!



How to use this file:

1. Download the file from TpT
2. Print on regular paper (not included with purchase) or share via Google Classroom, etc.
3. Customize by having students take notes on it or use the backside to plan/sketch

You can use this printout on its own or glue it into a sketchbook



Legal Stuff/Niceness Clause: 

I work hard to create these resources. I believe that you are using them for personal/classroom use and will only make copies for yourself and your classroom and will NOT resell these, repost my files (for free or for sale) or sell them as your own. Be kind!

To download this resource, click here.

Looking at a NH Artist: Don Gorvett

Hello!

I never know where I am going to find inspiration for my art lessons! A couple of weeks ago, I was browsing a craft fair in New Hampshire (by myself--Yay! MOM TIME!!) and I was chatting with lots of the artisans there. To one couple, I had mentioned that my 7th graders were learning about relief printmaking and they mentioned they had seen a feature on NH Chronicle about a woodcut artist named Don Gorvett. Of course, I HAD to check it out! Boy, am I glad I did! Don Gorvett, a woodcut artist with galleries in Portsmouth, NH and Ogunquit, ME, does these amazing seaside-themed reduction prints that my seventh graders were in awe of.

Another great video about Don's work is "Moonlight Drawbridge"

I showed this video AFTER my seventh graders had completed a linocut project, so they had a bit of experience from which to view this video and process Don's work. Of course, their pieces were 4" x 6" and done using flexible printing plates I had in my new classroom. In contrast, Don's work is done on large piece of plywood and he sometimes uses up to 8 colors to our humble 1 color. After I showed this video to the students, there was silence. And some of them had their mouths gaped open. Seventh grade! :-) Yipes! 

Anyway, fast forward to the weekend. My hubby and I went away on a 23-hour anniversary celebration and we drove up to the Portsmouth, NH area to see the sites, shop a bit and have dinner at one of my, ahem, OUR favorite restaurants. My husband suggested we go to Don's gallery, and who do you think was there? Don himself, working away. He graciously took time away from his work to talk to my husband and I about his work and gave me some tidbits about being an art teacher and how I can foster a climate of creativity and wonder in my students. I am so glad we stopped in to visit! I also was able to post a picture of Don and me on "The Instagram"--the account I have for my students' work and artsy happenings at our school! Having an Instagram account is new for me, but I am trying (10 followers-YAY!)!

Hanging with Don Gorvett in his Portsmouth, NH studio/gallery.

So, I would HIGHLY recommend looking at Don's work as well as taking the opportunity to show the work of local (to you) artists. This can be done by showing the students real work or artifacts, a video from the Interweb, or a video you made yourself, or having the person come to your school for an artist visit and demonstration. BTW: Cassie Stevens just began a new series on her blog called "field trip" where she takes her students on a virtual video field trip to meet artists. Her first installment features a musician and visual artist named Bebo. Check that out too!

Enjoy!!

Positive and Negative Space Sketchbook Activity/Worksheet

Hello!

We are moving right along with a wonderful unit on Art Nouveau with the seventh graders (details of the process to come in future posts). Phase One: they are using Blick Ready Cut to create nature prints that demonstrate positive and negative space. I brought out a few fine art images and we discussed positive and negative space and I had them do a quick journal/sketchbook activity that is perfect for developing their print idea (I didn't want to influence the "nature" subject matter of their print design, so we did this exercise with art supplies I had in the classroom).

Positive/Negative Space Scissors

Image source: Matt Klaber at Butler Tech

First, I showed them this great illustration of positive and negative space from  Matt Klaber at Butler Tech.  I then had them:

1. Draw two boxes side by side on a page of their sketchbooks. 
2. Select an object from the bin of goodies I provided OR something in the room.
3. Using pencil, trace or draw that object as many times as they could in the boxes they created.
4. In one box, color the POSITIVE space using a marker of their choice. In the other box, color the NEGATIVE space with the same color.

Ta-da! Here's some results:

Binder Clip

Glue Stick

Hole Punch

Silk Flower

Masking Tape Roll

Foam Reduction Shoe Prints With Grade 5

Before I got all caught up graduatin' and getting an art teacherin' job, I posted a WHOLE BUNCH about the long-term art sub gig I had at Fairgrounds Elementary School in Nashua. If you didn't see the posts, I did a series of them by grade level (Kinder and grades 1-4). I also taught grade 5 while I was there and did some fabulous projects with them. I thought that I'd break those projects out into individual posts, though, since they require a bit more detail to explain, etc. Here goes...

Sassy boots! This print was done on white paper.
First printing: red ink, second print: black ink.
The yellow you see is a piece of paper I matted the print on,
the red is the mat board.

The first day I met the fifth graders, I decided to do a simple winter-themed foam printmaking project with them to catch their attention and size 'em up. I had them create snowman images on foam and them print with one color (white) onto their choice of background paper--you can see this post here.

This print was done on white paper.
First printing: blue ink, second print: black ink.
The yellow you see is a piece of paper I matted the print on,
the red is the mat board.

It went so well, that I thought I would continue on with printmaking and do a 2-color printmaking project inspired by the “Killer Heels” exhibit currently at the Currier Museum of Art (actually, I don't think this is currently on exhibit anymore, but it WAS at the time).

This print was done on purple paper.
First printing: yellow ink, second print: blue ink.
The navy blue is the mat board.

Students created their own printing plate by using pencil to “carve” a picture of their shoe into a foam “plate.” Students then used brayers to apply ink to their plates and print 1 print. Week two, students added a ground line and background, chose a contrasting color of ink and reprinted their designs. These prints were mounted on mat board and displayed at the Currier Museum of Art during the New Hampshire Art Educator’s Association Annual Members Reception in March. 

All prints were mounted onto mat board to look fancy.
I think added little paper hinges to groups of three to four
and ribbon ties so that the pieces could be displayed accordion-style
or create triangular displays such as this
(I didn't know how they were going to be used exactly).

WOW! What place of honor--the buffet table,
right where everyone can see these fabulous prints--
although I think people were too busy looking at the awesome food
they were piling on their plates--YUM!

The final week, students worked as a class to create an assessment rubric that contained the important vocabulary words from the Shoe Reduction Print project. They also determined four attributes that should be found in their finished work. Now, having students create their own rubric was something I had only done with high school, but I really wanted the students to be able to see the value in their work and begin to see that assessment isn't something we teachers pull out of thin air. Was walking the students through the rubric creation difficult. Not really. Was it work to keep them focused? Yep. Did it take a lot of time? Nope--we had it done in about 15 minutes. Was it worth it (really)? You bet. They did a great job and I think it lent credibility to me, the art process and what they do in the art room. Creating rubrics with your students is also a great way to review vocabulary and objectives! Win/win! ENJOY!!

Here's the rubric the grade 5 students created.
Normally, I would type up my rubrics to look all fancy,
but I wanted the students to see that this was the one we
created as a class. Pretty good for a first try.

Detail of the top of the rubric--the vocab section.
They needed to think of three vocab words from the lesson
and decide as a class what a good definition would be. 

Detail of the bottom of the rubric--they needed to come up with
four objectives of the assignment. This was fun walking them through
being objective instead of saying "it looks cool!" I put #5 on there. :-)

One day printmaking project: Winter Prints

I used this as an attention-getting 1-day project with the fifth graders at a school I am temporarily working at--I thought they would appreciate a hands-on project as we got to know each other the first day. 

Yeah, I know, first day printmaking-I'm a little crazy...

We used foam trays from the supermarket as their printmaking plate and they "carved" the plate with a pencil to make a relief. I didn't have them sketch their ideas out first--just grab a pencil and go (I know, super-risky, but it worked)! I had originally intended to have them create just snowmen, but a few branched out and did other winter-themed artwork (snowflakes, hot cups of cocoa, gingerbread houses and more). I'm fine with giving them creative choices and they were able to make a print (white ink on black paper) by the end of the class. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves and they loved their prints!

P.S. I know that foam plates are not eco-friendly, but I had them already and I wanted to show the students they could create art with supplies they could find in their homes. Next week I'm going to show them how they can use washable markers to hand color a foam plate and make a monoprint like I described in this post.

You Gotta Try It! Super-Easy Monoprint Foam Plate Printmaking

I love printmaking and can't believe that I didn't take printmaking in college (my art program was so full--I barely had any electives). I'm a self-taught printmaker, and since I don't have a printmaking press, and I have four kiddos around, I like to find easy ways to create prints that they can do too. This here project is definitely one you have to try--either by yourself, with your children, or in the classroom. It is that fun and easy and uses supplies you already have on hand...

Look at this beautiful print created by my five-year-old! Love it!

And this one was done by me showing a more abstract possibility...
perhaps exploring line.

According to DCimPRINT, what we are doing here is a monoprint (versus a monotype--different thing--read more about this here). With a monoprint, a plate is incised, color applied, and a print is made. They say:

"Monoprints are the outcome of matrices that have permanent features, and can be considered variations on a theme.  The theme is the result of permanent features of the plate (such as a silkscreen template or etched lines). Variations on the theme are made when the plate is inked differently prior to each print. Possibilities for variance are infinite, and include monoprints of different color, ink density, or even size, but certain permanent features on the plate will always carry on 

from one print to another." --DCimPRINT

Because the plate is colored by hand before each print, prints can vary greatly; that is truly the fun of this project...check it out...

Supplies needed:

• Foam tray from the supermarket (I use the green ones from veggies--not meat). These can be purchased in bulk from some nice supermarkets for pennies a piece.
• Scissors
• Crayola washable markers (I didn't use the ultra washable ones--just the ones you see in the photo)
• A dull pencil
• A sponge and a bit of water
• White paper (I used some cheap-o paper I had, you should use drawing paper that can handle ink--DO NOT use construction paper, it won't hold up to the water).

Directions:

1. Remove the rims from the edges of the foam tray using scissors. Our finished piece of foam was roughly 3 1/2" x 8," but you can use any size for this).
2. Use a dull pencil to draw a design into the foam plate. A simple activity would be to draw different types of lines (straight, curved, zig zag, etc.), but you could draw a recognizable image. The dots you see on our designs were done by poking the plate with the dull pencil.
3. Use the markers to apply color to the plate between the lines you created. Cover the entire plate with color. Older children can experiment with layering colors within sections.
4. Prepare your paper: Cut the paper to size (a little larger than your plate). Use a slightly wet sponge to dampen your paper. You don't want the paper too wet, so you'll have to play around with this a bit. 
5. Place the dampened paper onto the hand-colored plate and press gently, using your hand to smooth the paper onto the plate. I also use the damp sponge to smooth the paper onto the plate--don't scrub the paper or it will shift (and create a blurry image) or the paper will tear.
6. Remove the paper and let dry.

At this time, you can recolor the plate to make another print. Try changing your colors this time or swapping plates with a friend and coloring their plate. You can keep the print as is (a nice work of art on its own) or use your print to create a card or bookmark (like we did).

Have fun with this easy and fun printmaking project!

Thinking of warm weather and our favorite pastime... 

And a minion card for a friend
(this one was colored by my five-year-old).

And the finished prints can be folded in half, glued and laminated
to make bookmarks. These were some of the ones we created.
The tassels are "Loops and Threads Craft Thread"
which is a bit thicker than embroidery floss.

And here's a close-up of one of the finished bookmarks.
This would be a fun project for a month when your school
celebrates reading.

6th Grade Radial Symmetry with Foam "Plates"

I love printmaking--especially with easy supplies that are on hand--and this project was perfect for my 6th grade students! We used foam trays from the supermarket as our "plates." The students carved them with dull pencils. 

The project is easy to do and the results are pretty fantastic (lots and "ooh's" and "ahh's" from the students!). Every student was required to create one composition on watercolor paper that had four prints on it. Students who finished quickly and/or who were motivated, could continue on to make a 16-print composition. Either way, they came out beautiful!

The same 3 1/2" printing plate was rotated and repeatedly printed four times
onto the same paper to create a radial print (drawing guide lines lightly in pencil helps to keep things straight).

Objective: Students will create a relief printing plate from foam and use printmaking ink to create a print that has a verity of lines and demonstrates radial symmetry.

Standards of Achievement: Drawing, Painting, Printmaking, Carving

Subject Integration: Math

Vocab: radial, linear, symmetry, line, quadrants, print, printmaking, plate, relief, pressure, ink, brayer, construction lines, repetition, relief, styrofoam, transfer

Duration: 4 class (45 minutes each)

Additional references:

This lesson is based on a lesson from Art With Mrs. Nguyen (formally Ms. Graham). She did this project with 4th grade students, but I felt it was just right for my 6th graders as well. I also showed the students the video on Buddhist sand art Mrs. Nguyen suggests on her site, as well as some images of Spanish tiles and Islamic art.

Definitely a keeper! Enjoy!

The completed bulletin board display.  We had our final debrief in from of this display
and added the vocabulary words you see as part of the debrief.

This student created their design a little differently, but it works.

Neatly done!

Look at that detail--from a foam printing plate--AMAZING!

Lovely!

This design is a little off, but created a nice spiral effect.
The success rate on this project was very high for all students.

Here you can see how the 16 mini prints can be combined into
a larger composition. This student wanted to use four different inks
in their work (I hadn't thought of that!). The students are so creative!

This design is great too. Doing the 16 print compositions definitely require
more fortitude from the students, but are truly stunning when done.

Love printmaking? Try these lessons!

I've rediscovered printmaking over the last month or so. I love printmaking because it is easy and can be done on the cheap. Well, sort of. The process is always so fun for the students and the results are magical--I love to watch them "ooh" and "aah" over their prints!

Well, here's a round-up of some past printmaking lessons from my site that may have you rocking and rolling with your students!

Matching Mittens with Found Object "Snow" Prints

USING FOAM TRAYS:
Reduction Prints (Using Styrofoam trays and found objects)
Andy Warhol Self Portraits (Using Styrofoam trays and a pencil to "carve" an image)
Reduction Print Selfie (Using Styrofoam tray and gradually removing portions of it between inkings)

USING CRAFT FOAM:
Haunted Houses (Using sticky-backed foam shapes)
Fall Banner (Using foam shapes to make stamps--can be changed for any theme or season)

FOUND OBJECTS AS STAMPS:
Create Your Own Stamps (Using found objects and wine corks to make your own stamps)
Matching Mittens and Snowflakes (Cut paper mittens with found object "snow")
Focal Point Fruit Prints (Using an apple or pear to print--exploring focal point too).
Leaf Prints (This is mine, it's from Deep Space Sparkle, but it is my go-to early finisher activity in the fall).
Modern Day Adinkra Cloth (Using stamped symbols on sections of card stock that are joined together into one "cloth")
Spring Forsythia Still Life (Using pieces of sponge to make a lovely arrangement of forsythia blossoms)
Not-So-Scary Dancing Skeletons (Uses doggy bone treats for unique stamps)

USING YOUR HANDS:
Andy Warhol Hand Prints (Seriously one of my most popular posts, but not mine--from Artolazzi--so easy!).

And one of my all-time popular posts--
Quick Andy Warhol Hand Prints

African Cloth Speaks--Now at the Silver Center in Plymouth, NH

I had the pleasure of attending the opening for a lovely show located at the Silver Center in Plymouth, NH called "African Cloth Speaks." I have long admired the beautiful and symbolic ceremonial cloth the people of Africa weave, print, and/or embroider and this was the perfect show to see all types of cloth from many different countries from Africa.

A close-up of Kente cloth
(image courtesy of Plymouth State University).

About the Show:
"Throughout the continent of Africa, people use cloth to speak for them. Whether the fabric represents religious affiliation, age, class status, ethnic membership, or political association, what one wears is one’s identity. Woven or dyed, imported or locally produced, wrapped, tied, or tailored—all clothing speaks clearly in the many African languages. Demonstrating ancient traditions or contemporary fads, African peoples use cloth to celebrate the vibrancy of life’s rituals from birth to death. Co-curated by Philip Peek, professor emeritus of anthropology at Drew University, and Anthropology of Religion, Ritual, and Myth students." (From www.plymouth.edu)

I was so thrilled to see real examples of Adinkra cloth and  Kente cloth since I have taught those lessons to my students in the past. For a modern take on Adinkra cloth (a great lesson on printmaking and symbolism), click here: Modern Day Adinkra Cloth. 

Project Idea:
This would be a lovely lesson to have each student create a symbol that has meaning for them, create a square, and then link them together as a class (or you could do this for your family). Children could them write about the symbol they created and what it means to them. What a wonderful group project this would make!

This close-up shows how each printed square of Adinkra fabric
is linked together using paper clips (a modern twist), traditionally,
they'd be sewn together using bright embroidery thread. 

"African Cloth Speaks" runs from November 5th-December 12th, 2014 at the Silver Center For the Performing Arts at Plymouth State University in Plymouth, NH. For more info, visit: www.plymouth.edu.

After School Printmaking Workshop

Yesterday I had fun experimenting with printmaking techniques with some 9- to 12-year-olds. It always amazes me how much fun students have with printmaking. I love it too!

We only had an hour and a half, so we began by doing a reductive print by slowly destroying a foam plate using tools that are easy to find around the house and studio: plastic knives, popsicle sticks, skewers, pen caps, etc. Students were asked to make two types of marks on their plate, print it, return and make more marks on their same plate, print it AGAIN on top of the first print, and then repeat one more time. We could have spent the entire class doing this one project, since some students needed time to "see" how things would turn out. Overall, they were pretty impressed by the beautiful layers that were created in their pieces.

When they were done that, I showed them how to use a plexiglass plate and add shapes and letters using sticky-back foam to make a relief plate. The students really went crazy with this idea and some created three plates in a short period of time. Most created their names or initials but some created trees, hearts, dragons and more.

Supplies we used for the workshop:

• Foam veggie trays (don't use meat trays)
• Found tools (mentioned above and hole punches, decorative scissors, etc--pretty much anything that will marks foam in a neat way)
• Speedball printmaking inks (water soluble in red, blue, yellow, white, gold)
• Speedball soft rubber brayer (roller)
• Sticky-backed craft foam
• Plexiglass scraps (do not use shatter-resistant)

Have a great day!

The Making of a Spooky Village and a Poem

Happy Halloween!

Here's a look at the Scary House Prints my students created last week in after school art class. I had each of them donate one print to me and we created a spooky village. I had a kiddo use the formative assessment "poem activity" I spoke about here to create a spooky poem about the halloween village.

"Halloween Houses
Trick-or-Treating
Scary Like a Bat.
Spooky Night!"

ENJOY!!