I missed getting Kathy Douglas' last screen printing
post shared... I don't want to miss this time. I will
eventually get this added to IAD...In the meantime
enjoy her words of wisdom.
From Kathy:
This is one of my favorite teaching weeks. Eight year
old students have been introduced to silk screen.
Simple paper stencils are cut and fingerpaint is the
pigment. (From Judy: wax paper makes great stencils -
and cheap!)
Students print on 12 x 18 construction paper of
various colors. Each student who chooses this makes
four copies of their first stencil (this so that a
number of students may have a turn using the six
screens) Each screen has one color. Stencils are
thrown away after the first printing of four. The
second week students cut another stencil and print
another color on their first four prints; some
students, now familiar with the process, have time to
cut a third stencil and print their third color. Then
comes week three. I tell the students that printmakers
reflect on what they have done and that
printmaking is the art of second chances. The students
are invited to lay out their four prints. If one (or
more) look great, then they may be finished! That is
up to the artist.
Some of the four may need another color; that is
another choice and students can cut another stencil
and add that color, protecting the parts of the print
that they like with the new stencil which blocks the
paint. But the most fun is the occasional print which
looks not too good--or TERRIBLE (Note from Judy: those
"Terrible" prints are GREAT for collage projects - or
for paper weavings! "Terrible" prints can be
awesome!). With this print the students have nothing
to loose. Some use the paper trimmer to change the
shape or discard smudgy parts that they do not like.
Others "spice" up the print with oil pastels or paint
or chalk or ?? Some of the most interesting prints
were painted. I noticed that students who had been
nervous about painting in the past (with that scary
blank piece of paper defying them to begin) were very
comfortable painting in to their unsatisfactory print.
There were some wonderful images which emerged that
day! Reflection on and manipulation of the art work
were the big ideas this week. I love to teach silk
screen printing.
Folks you CAN do screen printing. You don't have to
use expensive screens. Many years ago, I made all of
my own silk screen frames and stretched cheap organdy
fabric on them. It was doable - while not
"professional". Glue stencils (LaPages Glue)worked,
too. I loved screenprinting -- just hated the clean
up. I bet finger paint cleans up much easier from the
fabric.
Be sure to check out Kathy's Knowledge Loom site
(Craig Roland had shared it with Getty list quite some
time ago).
Judith
P.S. Getty folks - ignore any post from my address
that comes with an attachment - they are NOT mine. It
is actually from earthlink.net according to full
header. There is an old post about sketchbooks now
making the rounds with a virus attached - NOT from me.
Use your delete key and save time.
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