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Fieldnotes 3/1

abenjamin's picture

Modern class with Ms. B

Printmaking! (My concentration!!) Block printing with styrofoam plates

Show images of block prints, mostly animas, woodcuts, etc. b/w only

Ms. B did this with a group at her church last week and it was such a success that she wanted to try it again with this group. 

I cut the center circles out of plates for them. She had stencils of animals for them to trace. Trace in marker, then press image and designs into plate with pens (sketch) whale, squirrel, coyote

Some kids continued to draw, design with markers, they didn't quite understand the full concept of the printmaking

Maybe if Ms. B had done a full demo at the beginning??

I suggested that they check to see if they pressed hard enough with the pen by running their fingers over the designs.

Challenging concept, but they managed to complete.

Once completed designs, Ms. B and I had to go around to check whether they pushed in enough. I went over many lines myself, to make sure their image could be printed.

Then printed! One by one, they had to make a line. I helped roll the ink, Ms. B helped printing the plate onto paper. Some kids wanted to do 2 or 3 prints.

Wash hands, snack and story time

A's birthday, brownies

Walk over to big gallery art show. Radnor residents. Ms. B had 2 paintings. 

They see a nude painting showing a butt, they are all very amused. "It's a BUTT!"

Ms. B and I: everyone has a butt there's nothing funny about it.