One of my favorite quotes is by Edward Hopper: "If I could say it in words there would be no reason to paint". In this case I want my students to express themselves with printmaking. They will make editions of prints with copies they can share with the community, family and friends.
My school is in a small town/rural setting, most of the students are on free or reduced lunch.
Unfortunately, art is not always considered to be a priority in this area, even though there are so many students who love creating and producing it. I want to allow the students to express themselves in new and creative ways and to share with the community.
My Project
A printmaking project involves many steps and will encompass different areas of art. We will study the history of block printing and explore examples by other artists. Students will begin their project by brainstorming for ideas, creating thumbnail sketches that will be appropriate for medium of block ink. They will then carve or incise the printing plate and finally print the copies of their design on a variety of paper and cloth surfaces.
A project like this can expand into other projects such as hand-made books, printed and quilted fabrics, single prints that can be enhanced with further drawing and design and other projects.
My students will discover the joys of creating art in a rather old-fashioned method and be able to share their work with many others.
Printmaking can expand into so many other creative endeavors and the students will experience making independent decisions about the direction they want their own art to go.
DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.
As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. McGugan and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.