Printmaking: Using Children’s Literature as Inspiration for Illustration and Nonsense
October 28, 2003
Casey Freeman
caseyseawell@hotmail.com
I. Topic
Sometimes work is created without the intention of making it logically comprehensible.
Sometimes the artist wants to say something that shouldn’t necessarily
be understood. In this lesson students will explore traditions of nonsense
poetry and illustration. Students will consider the art of illustration with
examples from children’s literature. Students will explore illustration
through the work of Calef Brown and various other author/illustrators. They
will consider the whimsical and sometimes nonsensical nature of this work
and apply that concept to the medium of printmaking.
II. Objectives/ Expected Learner Outcomes
Students will be introduced to the history of printmaking and it’s various
forms. The students will consider the lightheartedness and rhythmic architecture
of the poetry and the way that is viewed in combination with the illustrations.
After creating their own print, they will share their creation with the class
and consider the following questions: Does the illustration supplement the
poem or vice versa? What elements and principles of design were incorporated
into the print? Do you think this is a successful print? How is the medium
of printmaking especially suited to this form of illustration?
III. Standards of Education
Virginia Visual Arts Standards of Learning:
AIII.8 The student will demonstrate initiative, originality, fluency, commitment
to tasks, and openness to new ideas in the creation of works of art
AIII.22 The student will analyze the attributes of a work of art in terms
o fits ability to evoke a viewer response and command sustained attention.
AIV.5 The student will demonstrate confidence, sensitivity, and advanced skill
in applying media, techniques, processes, and craftsmanship to achieve desired
intentions in works of art.
National Standards for Visual Arts Education:
1B: Students conceive and create works of visual art that demonstrate an understanding
of how the communication of their ideas relates to the media, techniques,
and processes they use
IV. Student Group Targeted
Secondary – Art III, IV
V. Time Required
One 90-minute class period
VI. Materials and Resources
Copies of the following books:Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith, The stinky Cheese
Man and other Fairly Stupid tales, 1992
Sarah Perry, If…,1995Sara Fanelli, Mythological Monsters of Ancient Greece,
2002
Sketchbook or Journal
Pencil
Small Animal Figures
Carving tool, needles, nails, skewers
Scissors
Styrofoam trays
Printing Ink
Brayers
Printing paper
Plexiglas, cookie tray or glass sheet
Tape
VII. Itinerary and Strategies
1. Begin by reading the students selected poems from the book Polkabats and
Octopus Slacks by Calef Brown.
2. Discuss the student’s responses to the work and the various characters
the artist chose to write about and illustrate. Ask if them to consider the
following questions:
What is similar about all of these characters?
What characters do you remember from your childhood?
Have any of you ever written a poem? If so, what kind? Was it funny?
What kind of mediums did these artists use to illustrate their poems?
3. Bring discussion into the art of printmaking. Give a brief explanation
of the history of printmaking and explain about the various styles of printmaking.
(See vocabulary and historical notes attached)
What is print making?
Explain the difference between Relief and Intaglio Printing processes and
provide examples of each method.
4. Explain the technique of printmaking with Styrofoam plates (or tyvec paper
as supplies allow) with the following demonstration:
First cut the edges off of the Styrofoam tray so that you have a flat surface.
After you have a sketch you are happy with, take a carving tool such as a
nail, pin or skewer and etch the drawing into the Styrofoam tray.
Place a small amount of ink onto a piece of Plexiglas, a cookie tray or glass
sheet.
Roll both ways to allow the roller to evenly pick up the ink, roll until the
ink comes up in little “points”
Roll away from yourself slowly – to pick up ink
Roll towards yourself quickly – to remove excess ink
Once the roller is “inked”, roll onto the printing plate. You probably
have to go through this process several times before enough ink is placed
onto the plate
Once the printing plate is “inked”, place paper on top and using
your hand, a wooden spoon, or a clean brayer, rub lightly over the inked surface
of the paper
Remove paper and repeat process for more prints
5. Explain the Artmaking assignment; students are to use the plastic animals
provided to create an animal character.
They should start out brainstorming with sketches. Make at least three sketches
combining two or even three animals to make a new one. Encourage them to exaggerate
features to make a new animal. In combination with the sketch they should
be creating a unique character, ask them to name their creature and write
a short, three or four line poem to accompany the illustration.
Once they have a sketch they are happy with, they can follow the printmaking
steps above.
6. With thirty minutes left in class, or as they are all finishing, bring
the class back together and ask the students to share their characters. Ask
questions such as:
Does the illustration supplement the poem or vice versa?
What elements and principles of design were incorporated into the print?
Do you think this is a successful print?
How is the medium of printmaking especially suited to this form of illustration?
7. Allow for time at the end of the period to clean up.
VIII. Evaluation Strategies
Students will be familiar with the history of printmaking and it’s various
forms. They will successfully create their own print and share their creation
with the class. Students will be able to explain some of the characteristics
of their own work, including the degree to which they felt they succeeded,
the incorporation of elements and principles of design, and if they feel the
medium of printmaking especially suited to this form of illustration.
IX. Suggested Supplemental Materials
Create a book out of the prints created from this lesson!
Delve further into the history of printmaking, studying examples of the work
of Albrecht Durer, William Blake, Toulouse-Lautrec, etc.
Create a unit around the techniques and history of Japanese printmaking
Explore any of the other methods of printmaking, especially Collagraphs