I finally have finished products from our printmaking unit. This is the second time I have done these projects and the results are even better (see last semester’s prints here and here)! I think it is time for new artists, I feel I have exhausted Keith Haring! This group is a bit bigger than my last class, so it took some organization to make our way through everything.
I love gelli printing. I love watching the kids explore the endless possibilities of texture and colour to create unique one of a kind prints. I especially love when the paintbrushes come out- when the real experimenting begins and unexpected surprises happen! These printing sessions were going on at the same time we were working on our artist pages. The inspiration for our prints was a variety of tools, similarly to Jim Dine. We discussed how we could add emphasis to create focal point(s) in each print- whether this be through line, colour, value, space, or texture.
Project #1 Monotype Prints with Emphasis
Project #2 Keith Haring Reduction Prints
Teaching reduction printing this time, I was a bit more prepared. I now have a step by step poster to help explain the layering process. Also, in an attempt to up the quality of finished prints, I created registration jigs to help keep paper borders even while printing.
Each student created a unique design which incorporated elements of Keith Haring’s work. Using a styrofoam block, they printed an edition of 3 prints plus at least 2 additional colour variations.
Gateway Art 