Ms. Ginexi's 8th-grade Studio classes at Howitt Middle School recently participated in a “Print Day” experience, an extension of their current unit on Printmaking. Students began their unit by exploring the various styles of Printmaking. Experimenting with more unconventional materials, students created hand-drawn stencils out of hot glue and then sprayed them with vibrant color combinations of India Ink. This resulted in beautiful, large-scale, abstract compositions.
Next, they were introduced to Relief Printmaking, where they had total freedom in developing the themes for their plate designs; some tackled a range of serious topics in their work— imagery reflecting personal loss and issues of social commentary, while others chose to tell a more light-hearted story with their illustrations. After learning to manipulate the necessary tools safely, students carefully carved their plates—and it was off to print!
For reference, the printmaking process (for pulling a single print), including set up and clean up, can take an entire 42-minute class period. Luckily, students had the opportunity to attend “Print Day”! This in-house field trip allowed the Art room to be blocked off for the entire school day, providing students the time necessary to experience the authentic printmaking process; they could pull multiple prints, reflect on the experience, and react to the process through discussion and critique with their peers. They also had the option to complete exploratory pieces, printing with colored inks, using colored and textured paper, and adding a variety of mixed media to their prints once dry.
Peek behind the art curtain and witness the creative magic of Studio Art! - follow on Instagram @bginexiartclass!