Printmaking for all ages.Foam printing offers all ages and abilities a way to explore textures in the classroom and to develop personal creativity and imagination. Polystyrene polystyrene (pŏl'ēstī`rēn), widely used plastic; it is a polymer of styrene. Polystyrene is a colorless, transparent thermoplastic that softens slightly above 100°C; (212°F;) and becomes a viscous liquid at around 185°C; foam trays (commonly known as "meat trays") are readily available, inexpensive, lightweight, portable, and receptive to a wide variety of surface treatments. The printmaking printmaking Art form consisting of the production of images, usually on paper but occasionally on fabric, parchment, plastic, or other support, by various techniques of multiplication, under the direct supervision of or by the hand of the artist. process requires only a few basic tools and no printmaking press! The water-soluble inks are nontoxic, and the entire process is designed for safety. Many teachers use foam trays from the school cafeteria cafeteria: see restaurant. . All sizes and shapes will work. The raised edge of the trays can be torn off, removed with scissors scissors Cutting instrument or tool consisting of a pair of opposed metal blades that meet and cut when the handles at their ends are brought together. Modern scissors are of two types: the more usual pivoted blades have a rivet or screw connection between the cutting ends , or (when students are older) with the aid of a utility knife A utility knife (also called a box cutter, a Stanley knife, a razor blade knife, a carpet knife, or a stationery knife) is a common tool used in various trades and crafts for a variety of purposes. or paper cutter. Anything can be used to create texture and draw onto the surface--a finger, pencil, ballpoint pen, Popsicle stick--the list is endless. Students can collect textures by pressing the foam onto shoe soles, watchbands, spiral notebooks, and objects close at hand. Students can doodle on the plates with a variety of instruments. The plates can then be printed on a variety of paper, including magazine pages, old newspaper articles, etc. The following method can give some very exciting results. 1. Place a textured plate face down in the center of a piece of all-purpose white paper. Trace lightly around the edge of the foam plate with a no. 2 pencil. Using a brush and many colors of water-soluble paint, fill in the area inside the outlined area. 2. Place the painted paper aside to dry while you prepare the ink. Water-soluble ink for block printing is ideal for this process, and for this lesson, you will only need to use black ink. If you are working with tubes of ink, squeeze out approximately one inch of ink onto a piece of Plexiglas that is approximately one square foot (30.5 cm). (If you are working with ink in large containers; a spatula spatula /spat·u·la/ (spach´u-lah) [L.] 1. a wide, flat, blunt, usually flexible instrument of little thickness, used for spreading material on a smooth surface. 2. a spatulate structure. or putty knife can be used to transfer the ink.) 3. Work the ink with the brayer bray·er 1 n. One that brays, especially a donkey. on the surface of the Plexiglas until the ink is evenly distributed over the surface of the brayer. Brayers that are 4" or 6" (10 or 15 cm) work well. Roll the ink onto the foam plate. Return the brayer to the Plexiglas for more ink and continue transferring the ink until there is a uniform coat of ink over the surface of the foam plate. 4. Pick the inked plate up by the sides of the foam and carefully place it face down on the area previously painted with many colors of water-soluble paint. Apply pressure to the back of the plate. Use clean hands freedom from guilt, esp. from the guilt of dishonesty in money matters, or of bribe taking. See also: Hand to keep the margins of the paper white. Check your print by sliding it to the edge of the table and pulling one portion of the paper away from the foam plate. Without removing the plate from the surface of the print, apply additional pressure if desired. Remove the foam plate and admire your beautiful print! Cleanup is easy. No soap is needed. Just run water over the plate and your hands and dry both with a towel. When additional prints are going to be made, dry the plate before you print again, otherwise, water trapped in the recesses of the plate may spoil the next print. NATIONAL STANDARD Students use art materials Techniques and materials related to art: Traditional techniques:
WEB LINKS www.foamiswheretheartis.com www.oculuspress.com Annette W. Mitchell is a Professor of Art at Plymouth State College in Plymouth, New Hampshire Plymouth is a town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, USA, in the White Mountains Region. Plymouth is located at the convergence of the Pemigewasset and Baker rivers, both of which are components of the Merrimack River watershed. . annette@mail.plymouth.edu |
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