Endangered Animal Prints.

Integrating Science and Art

In this lesson, elementary education students in an art methods course practiced drawing and learned how to make cardboard relief prints--an economical and effective way to teach drawing and design skills in the classroom. Students also learned how art skills are related to science.

The Art of Observation

Observing realism, fantasy, stylized forms, and other approaches to drawing, painting, and cutting helps students see other style possibilities for their own work. For this project we looked at and discussed artworks of animals in these different styles. Our discussion focused on the visual characteristics and qualities as well as our interpretations of the works.

We looked at drawings by Leonardo da Vinci for examples of realism and scientific accuracy. The imaginative approach of Henri Rousseau showed how isolated details and variety add interest. Scenes by Frederick Church and Albert Bierstadt portray pristine habitats powerfully. Albrecht Durer's detailed interpretation of a rhinoceros contrasts with simplified and somewhat playful forms used in Inuit stone prints.

We used photographs from magazines to focus on unique features, relative size, shape, and proportions of animals, as well as unique features of their habitats.

Students raised biological diversity issues as they compared observations, cataloged colors, shapes, details, and compared sizes and shapes. These skills overlapped with identifying aesthetic qualities in works of art and sketching and drawing from observation.

Sketching and Drawing

Students worked from pictures. I showed them how to identify basic shapes within the outer contours of the animal and combine them to create the complete shape. Some students preferred to work directly from observation using light erasable lines. I encouraged them to try to capture an essence or character rather than many details because successful prints seemed to rely on interesting shapes and effective use of space.

The students made two small (2 x 4", 5 x 10 cm) sketches and worked out problems of relative size, shape, and placement on the paper. They used viewfinders to crop images and focus observations. They encountered several problems with comparing size and shape relationships, creating texture, identifying unique features, and adding habitat elements. They chose one sketch to enlarge into a 7 x 7" (18 x 18 cm) final print. They simplified the composition by the size. Main shapes were kept large enough to be cut from cardboard with space for details of leaves, rocks, or water to suggest an environment.

The final 7 x 7" (18 x 18 cm) pencil drawings portrayed a protected or endangered animal, showed size and shape relationships appropriate to the animal shown, and included texture, pattern, and details.

Procedures

Demonstrate the printing process and remind students that everything will be backwards when printed. Cut two equal pieces of cardboard--one for a base and one to cut. Transfer enlarged sketch to the cardboard by covering the back of the drawing with graphite (like carbon paper). Lay it right side up on the cardboard and trace over the lines leaving a light tracing.

Cut out individual shapes and arrange them on the second board. Once all the pieces have been cut out and the composition is the way the student wants it, glue pieces down with a thin layer of white glue.

Press and leave it to dry flat overnight. Keep in mind that cut out shapes (positive shapes--like the animal and the leaves) will print because they are in relief. Negative shapes print only when they are very large, open spaces and catch ink from the roller. To reverse an image, flip shapes over or trace the image through the back of the paper.

Cutting Hints: Use good quality scissors. Create lines by cutting shapes apart and placing them slightly apart. When they are glued down this will leave a line in between. For small interior shapes, make a careful cut going into the shape, cut out the inside shape, then rejoin the extra cut when it is glued down. Additional details like feathers can be added on top of cut out shapes, but these should be very small and placed inside a larger shape. These produce wonderful shadows.

Printing Preparations

Set up two printing stations for each group of six to eight students. Station one is for inking and contains brayers, ink, and inking sheets. It gets very messy. Station two is for printing and includes precut printing paper. The printing station should be kept very clean to prevent smudging prints. Cut three or four sheets of paper per student before printing. Use 9 x 9" (23 x 23 cm) or 9 x 12" (23 x 31 cm) to allow for a 1" (2.5 cm) border on all four sides.

1. Cover tables with newsprint.

2. Roll out ink on inking sheets. Start with a bead of ink the length of the brayer. Roll the brayer through the ink, back and forth until it covers the roller evenly.

3. Place cardboard images on the table (relief side up). Roll the brayer over the surface of the shapes to be printed. This should be done fairly quickly, but carefully. Too much ink will make details disappear, too little ink will make the image difficult to see.

4. Place the relief print "ink side up" on the printing table. Try to center the paper on top of inked image and lay it down directly. Use the back of your hand to press the paper flat so it sticks to the image. Gently rub in a circular motion over the entire surface. Carefully lift up the paper from comer to comer. Check for missing details, smudges, too little ink, off-centered paper.

5. Place wet prints on drying rack. Print three or four images. Make additions or modifications if desired and try printing again.

6. Have students write the title on the lower left hand side of the dried prints and sign the lower right hand comer just below the image. Trim prints so the image is "square with the paper" and mount it on construction paper.

RELATED ARTICLE: Materials

* 4 sheets 9 x 12" (23 x 31 cm) construction paper per student

* 1 16-ounce can water soluble, linoleum block printing ink

* 4 printmaking brayers (1 for each 6 students)

* 4 inking sheets, cookie sheets, or smooth plexiglass

* 1 poster board, Bristol board or tag board per student

* sketching paper (notebook paper)

* pencils, ballpoint pens and fine line markers 

* drying rack or clothes line for drying prints

* newspaper

* sink for clean up of brayers, inking plates and hands

* smocks or old clothes

These prints were made by college students with limited art experience. Drawing was a challenge for them but working through the process enabled them to develop skills and confidence in a new media.

This lesson can easily be adapted to fifth or sixth grade by allowing additional class time for sketching, cutting, and gluing. For grades two and three, and students with disabilities use lightweight Bristol board or index cards that are easier to cut. They may want to cut out individual shapes and collage them together rather than cutting out an animal shape. Incorporate creative writing activities or thematic explorations of art and nature.

NATIONAL STANDARD

Students intentionally take advantage of the qualities and characteristics of art media, techniques and processes to enhance communication of their experiences and ideas.

Candice Schilz is an assistant professor of art at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana.