Printmaking with 2nd graders

Printmaking with 4th graders (some images from 2nd grade printmaking too)

As with all media, we begin with drawings. In 2nd grade and because we ONLY have 35 minute classes I needed to limit the content focus in order to be able to provide the resources they'd need to practice their drawing skills. Most kids, when they begin drawing they draw, or at least attempt to draw a silhouette of the figure they are trying to depict, yet, in doing that they often fail, for that is a tall order for that age group. Even for me, I'd have a hard time drawing a simple bird silhouette. Instead, I have them "see" the shapes embedded in the more complex figure and draw those. As shown in the image above, a complex bird is simply a circle, and a semi-circle. Bringing the image down to it's essentials makes drawing much simpler and manageable. 

As you can see with these drawings the simplification of the more complex figures helps tremendously in rendering a more complex figure. 

In cases where kids still struggled in drawing a figure, I would sit beside them and do a side-by-side draw with them as indicated in the image above. 

Here are some links to videos of the process after these drawings: 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CZ2G_kBFcdh/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

This link above shows how kids used their drawings and understanding of their drawings to create a stamp. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CZuqSCYvJL5/

This link above shows how we used our drawings to inform a collage, which in turn will be used to create a collagraph using folder paper (card stock). 

Collagraphs with 2nd grade

Seeing as I have already taught the students about how to scratch into the surface to make a stamp, I wanted to also show them that they could also build onto the surface to make a stamp. I used recycled folders for the texture and matting board for the printing plate. In two classes students used scissors, glue, creative scissors, hole punchers and Fiskars punchers to create a textured surface ni whatever topic or idea they wanted. 

On the third day they go to make prints from their plates using copy paper and black ink. The results were very satisfactory and the skills learned from our last printmaking experience seems to have remained and most students remembered the process perfectly and were a lot more independent in their printmaking experience. 

Each child rolls the ink and prints inside of a donated magazine. This helps save clean up time and keeps the activity fairly neat. Each child, in a 35-minute art class got to make anywhere between 3-10 prints of their stamp. 


Here are some examples of the prints created from our collagraphs. 

Group art -2nd grade printmaking

After our individual printmaking unit, I will often do a group work. Group work allows kids to learn strategies of how to solve interesting problems together. This idea is not mine. Seth Godin, an author, thinker and blogger says that all education needs to do is have kids solve interesting problems together. 

For this students get scratch foam paper, all cut to the same size. I vary depending on availability of class. The shape does not matter. What matters is that the are the same size. 

I always use pens and only pens to draw their designs on to the scratch foam. Pens are great because kids can see their designs easily and the point does not break, as pencils would. 

In this project, I had them choose whatever types of lines and shapes they wanted to decorate their scratch foam. The words are in Spanish, because I teach at an immersion school and teach in Spanish. 


To be considered complete students must draw a thick line, be able to feel the marks and choose some spaces to color in. 


 


To create the group stamp I use modge podge to adhere the stamp to a large cardboard. Regular glue will not work. Tacky glue will work too. 

When dry, students work together to ink the large printing plate, place a large paper on top and pull the print.  

A finished group print. One of 5 we made for that grade. 




Love this image- kids working together. 


When they see their print for the first time. So satisfying. After having done this unit already on their individual prints, students will also know what looks and does not look like a successful print.....in 2nd grade. 






Blur I wrote about this work:
       "   In Ms. Cutelis' Spanish art room the main focus daily is to work together to solve personally meaningful and interesting problems. This month student's in 2nd grade, for examples got to experience various forms of printmaking techniques. We learned that a printing plate could be created by scratching the surface of the plate or by building on it. The end of all units also require students to make a group art project in which each participant adds to the final piece. Group work allows children to learn valuable 21st century skills of collaboration, problem-solving, the generation of innovative ideas, listening and speaking skills within a safe setting.

En la sala de arte en español de la Sra. Cutelis el enfoque principal diario es trabajar juntos para resolver problemas personalmente significativos e interesantes. Este mes estudiantes del 2o grado, por ejemplos, lograrón a experimentar con varias técnicas de hacer una impresión con tinta. Aprendimos que una placa de impresión se puede crear rascando la superficie con una herramienta o construyendo sobre ella con cartón. El final de todas las unidades también requiere que los estudiantes hagan un proyecto de arte grupal en el que cada participante se suma a la pieza final. El trabajo de grupo permite a los niños aprender valiosas habilidades del siglo XXI de colaboración, resolución de problemas, generación de ideas innovadoras, habilidades de escuchar y de habla dentro de un espacio seguro."

Let’s start with leaves, a printmaking unit.

At our school we have an awesome library and in fact, we have wonderful, and helpful librarians who were able to find great books to get us started. For the first class in this unit I simply took the kids out to our school garden and they were to draw leaves, or any other nature treasures they wanted to draw in their sketchbooks. The sketchbooks are these composition books which we personalized with magazines images and words. 

Seeing as this is fall and flowers are drying out for the winter, the kids got very excited about seeds. Seeds were everywhere. This child here is pocketing some seeds to take home and plant. Their high level of excitement was energizing to witness and I knew we were on a good path to learning. 

             During the walk we also collected some "treasures" and I took the time to individually display them in these clear pockets. I used clear tape to tape each natural treasure to a white paper and stuck the papers in the clear pocket. The next class (class #2) kids were given these cards as a resource. Using black markers (felt pens/sharpies) kids tried drawing what they saw. They were so incredibly fun to watch. I have a class set of these small private eyes, they are small, individual-use magnifying glasses. The kids were so interested and intrigued by what they found when looking through them. 



The drawings from this second lesson were just to die for!! Each one could easily be on a t-shirt or a printed card. 


I am so excited about these drawings. They just make me smile. Kids' drawings will always trump any drawings adults could make, they look effortless and spontaneous. 

Tweeted: "Drawing the items we found yesterday during our nature walk using loops #scienceconnection #apsarts #artsed #cis_aps ⁦@SrPadillaAPS⁩ ⁦@Cante2_CIS⁩ "

Transferring our drawings onto the printing plate. 


Using scratchfoam and pens to press down, make the lines thicker and color in a few shapes. 

These printing plates are ready to be printed. 


Our initial prints. I provided them with assorted, colored fadeless paper and ONLY black ink. In the past I have given them various ink colors and white paper...but, I find the doling out of one color onto the trays much easier than constantly being asked to provide a specific color to a specific table. The assorted fadeless paper allows me kids control of some color while allowing me a bit more freedom to actually walk around and assist where needed.