PRINTMAKING

PRINT (verb): 1. produce (books, newspapers, magazines, etc.), especially in large quantities, by a mechanical process involving the transfer of text, images, or designs to paper. 2.produce a paper or photographic copy of. 3. transfer (a design, pattern, or image) to a surface with a colored design or pattern.

PRINT (noun): 1.the text appearing in a book, newspaper, or other printed publication, especially with reference to its size, form, or style. 2. a stamp or mark left on a surface or soft substance by pressure, especially that of a foot or hand. 3. a picture or design printed from a block or plate or copied from a painting by photography.

PRINTMAKING is the process of making artworks by printing, normally on paper. 

Printmaking techniques are generally divided into the following basic categories:

Relief, by which ink is applied to the original surface of the matrix or plate. Relief techniques include woodcut or woodblock as the Asian forms are usually known, wood engraving, linocut and metalcut.

Intaglio, by which ink is applied beneath the original surface of the matrix plate. Intaglio techniques include engraving, etching, mezzotint, aquatint.

Planographic, by which the matrix retains its original surface, but is specially prepared and/or inked to allow for the transfer of the image. Planographic techniques include lithography, monotyping, and digital techniques.

Stencil, by which ink or paint is pressed through a prepared screen, including screenprinting and pochoir.

That was very technical wasn’t it.

Don’t worry, printmaking is a vast discipline with many complicated processes.

We are going to start more simply……

We are going to make relief prints using pieces of foam for our printing plates. A plate is what is used to make the print (A in the diagram below). Relief printing, in art printmaking, is a process consisting of cutting or etching a printing surface in such a way that all that remains of the original surface is the design to be printed. Examples of relief-printing processes include woodcut,  linocut, and metal cut.

INSPIRATION

Our inspiration for our prints is the artist ANDY WARHOL.

Warhol became famous in the 1960’s. He was one of the most important artists in the Pop Art movement.

What is Pop Art?

POP ART

Pop Art uses images and icons that are popular in the modern world. This includes famous celebrities like movie stars and rock stars, commercial items like soup cans and soft drinks, comic books, and any other items that are popular in the commercial world. There are a number of ways that artists use these items to create art such as repeating the item over and over again, changing the color or texture of the item, and putting different items together to make a picture. 

Pop Art video

Let’s look at some of Warhol’s work….

Discuss what you see. What did you learn in the video about Pop Art and Andy Warhol?What do you think of the idea that are can be made about anything?

Student art inspired by Warhol

You are going to create a Pop Art inspired print.

HOW?

1. The first step is making a drawing from which you will create your printing plate. We will use pieces of foam.You can chose from the following for your subject:

1. a portrait or self-portrait2. an animal3. something you see everyday in your community

Make a line drawing of the subject of your choice. The drawing needs to fit within the boundaries of your printing plate. The size of the plates is 9 x 7 inches.

You are going to create a Pop Art inspired print.

HOW?

2. Next you will trace your drawing onto your foam piece using a sharp pencil. Begin by lightly tracing through the paper once. Then you can remove the paper and make deeper more detailed lines.

You are going to create a Pop Art inspired print.

HOW?

3. Then, you will make your first prints. You will learn how to use a brayer to roll out printing ink and transfer the image on your foam printing plate onto paper.

You will make 3 prints total.

You are going to create a Pop Art inspired print.

HOW?

4. You will not cut out the main outline of your foam printing plate. You will ink up this piece in the same way as in step 3. You will chose a different color from your first print. You will print a second layer of color on your 3 prints.

You are going to create a Pop Art inspired print.

HOW?

5. You will then cut another piece from your foam plate (an eye, a nose, something small with an easy shape to cut). You will then print this with another color from steps 3 & 4, and print a third layer on your prints.

Final Print with 3 Color Layers

What are we going to learn?

Our learning objectives are outlined by NM Visual Arts Standards. Here are your goals for this project:

• I can participate in the process of making and looking at art to understand the elements of art. (VA.1A)

• I can explore and develop skills using art materials, tools, and techniques. (VA.1B)• I can use art materials and tools safely and responsibly. (VA.1C)• I can solve artistic challenges using preparatory sketches, divergent production

and various sources of inspiration. (VA.4A.a.)• I can examine works of art with a focus on their sources of inspiration. (VA.4A.b)• I can reflect on the process of creating my own work of art. (VA.4B.a)• I can examine the success of my intent in creating my art work. (VA.4B.b)• I can make interpretations of art that reflect cultural and historical influences. (VA.6A.a)• I can experiment with creating art that reflects cultural and historical influences. (VA.6A.b)

How will we be assessed?