Introduction artifact

 

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Blocky Bots - foam plate printmaking

 Blocky Bots - foam plate printmaking

Materials- Sketch paper, pencil, foam plate, printmaking paper (watercolor paper or mixed media paper should also work), Print making ink (watercolor soluble is best), ink rollers, and flat plates/tray or surfaces to roll ink onto.

 

 Sketch, Etch, and Print!

 Section 1 Sketching-

I’m giving the students sketch paper and I will have them trace the outline of their foam plates. To ensure their sketches will fit onto the foam plates. 

Students will then sketch out their blocky bots! I have a quick video tutorial on how I broke down the steps. 

Any words students write will have to written mirrored/ backwards. This can be a hassle for any age group. You will most likely have to help students individually if you give them the option to add letters, words, numbers, and sometimes symbols. 

Optionally they can sharpie their sketches. 

Students will then cut out their sketches to the size of the foam plates.

 

 

 Section 2 Etching- 

Students will then Emboss their sketch onto their foam plates . For my project I gave students 6” X 9” foam plates. 

Students can hold the paper to the foam plates or optionally you can tape the paper on the plate for extra stability. 

Students will emboss their sketch onto their foam through the paper. Students can use pencils for this. Unless you have embossing tools available, careful not to give your students too sharp or small of embossing tools since they can easily poke through their foam. 

Students will then remove the sketch paper and directly onto the foam outline their sketches again. To ensure their embossed/etched lines are deep enough. 

 

Tips- Guide students on the pencil pressure. Using terms like “light as feather” when sketching.

Make sure students aren’t using too much pressure when embossing so they don’t poke through their foam. keep the foam as sturdy as possible through the process. 

Section 3 Printing-  

As a student teacher I get the benefits of being able to set up two station to help students 1 on 1. Depending on class size, material available, and grade level. You can trust students to print independently at stations. 

Accommodations: Tape is your friend here. Taping down your sketch paper to the foam plate can help students emboss their sketch onto the foam paper. Further more taping the foam plate onto sturdy paper or cardboard can further sturdy the foam plate. Instead of having to fiddle with the smaller 6” X 9” paper or foam. 

Extension Activity - After the print has dried before students cut out their prints. Students can cut them into book marks depending on the size of foam plate you had them use. Simply leave enough room for a whole punch and pull some string/ yarn for a tassel.