A Bird in the Hand - Art Gallery of Alberta

The Alberta Foundation for the Arts Travelling Exhibition ProgramStyrofoam Relief PrintsGrades 4-8Objectives:Students will, through the studio activity, gain an understanding of:a) What a print is (multiple images).b) How a simple Styrofoam print image is created.c) How a Styrofoam print image is related to other types of prints (i.e. linocuts).Materials:–Styrofoam printing plates (1 per student (approx. 3 ½ x 7”) these could be collected from grocerystore meat departments or deli departments and should be cut before class– 2-3 block printing watercolour inks (the ink dries very fast so make sure to wait until the lastminute to roll it out on the glass and the plate. Use immediately. You could also use temperapaints.– Small plexiglas pieces to roll out ink on (one for every 4 students)– Brayers-one per Plexiglas plate– Pencils or nails for mark-making, crosshatching/shading,etc.– Construction paper (for printing on) two 8x10” pieces per student– Drawing paper (for rough design work)– Newsprint– Pressing tools such as clean brayers, spoons, or even fingertips– Still life set-up/landscape or an image based on the exhibitionMethodology:1. Using drawing paper, have students create their drawing. Drawing encourages students tothink about subject matter.–Ask what they are interested in drawing within the still life/landscape/or an image based onwhat they saw in the exhibition.– Have students draw at least two small images they would like to print and have them showexamples of what they draw on paper before they make their plate.2. Demonstrate the use of Styrofoam as the printing plate as well as how to draw into the Styrofoamwith a pencil (or nail) to create their image. Remember the marks that are created do notgo through the plate but only indent the Styrofoam or create grooves.3. Pass out Styrofoam plates (one per student) and pencils and have students transfer theirimage to their plates.4. Roll out ink evenly on the plexiglass and show students how not to over-ink their plates. If thishappens, ink will get in the grooves and the lines will not show. Explain that the lines they havedrawn will be white.AFA Travelling Exhibition Program, Edmonton, AB Ph: 780.428.3830 Fax: 780.421.0479youraga.ca