Corrugated Cardboard Relief Prints

Submitted by: Robin Mendenhall, at Pittsfield Elementary School, Ann Arbor, MI
UNIT: Printmaking - Op Art - Math Integration
Lesson: Corrugated Cardboard Relief Print Project
Grade Level: Upper Elementary through Middle School

Objectives:

1. Explore Geometric design, Basic shapes (Circle, Square, & Triangle), and the play of Vertical & Horizontal Lines

2. Practice Relief Printing (printing plate, inking plate, embossing, & color print registration)

Materials:

1. Each student will need two 8 inch by 8 inch (20.3 x 20.3 cm) pieces of white Drawing Paper, one 8 inch by 8 inch (20.3 x 20.3 cm) corrugated cardboard, and one 8 inch by 8 inch (20.3 x 20.3 cm) firm board as base plate to create their printing plate, and then lots of paper larger than the printing plates to make the prints.

2. The class will share a "Rubbing Plate" (made out of a larger than 8 inch by 8 inch (20.3 x 20.3 cm) piece of corrugated cardboard to be used for Crayons' rubbing lines), Drawing Pencils, basic shape stencils, Scissors, White Glue, Acrylic Gloss Medium, Block Printing Inks, rollers (Brayers), Inking Plates, Wooden spoons, Colored Markers, Crayons, Colored Drawing Paper, etc.

Print Plate Paper collage

This project was created and taught in the Spring of 2006. Robin had the good fortune to get enough corrugated cardboard (one smooth liner side and the "flutes" exposed on the other side) for two classes. This inspired the printing project she did with 4th & 5th graders. To see examples of their finished work, go to the Ann Arbor Public School Student Art Gallery. View the relief prints from her other students in the archive of the student gallery. The Gallery has been updated since then.

Note, the Sunburst Cardboard Prints with the 2nd grade will also come up along with the 4th and 5th grade Corrugated Cardboard Relief Prints.

Vocabulary:

Geometric - Op Art - Relief Print - Rotate - Vertical/Horizontal - Registration - Embossed print

Motivation/Instruction:

1. Optional: show examples of Op Art using geometric shapes

2. Optional: show examples of relief prints using geometric shapes (Judy Pfaff is a good one to use).

3. Demonstrate steps

Figure 1. Crayon rubbing and templates

Figure 2. Make a plan using templates

Figure 3. mock up using rubbing and plate

Figure 4. Embossed print and plate

Steps:

1. On the class "Rubbing Plate", line up a 8 inch by 8 inch (20.3 x 20.3 cm) white paper to create parallel lines over the paper's surface by rubbing with a black crayon (Robin makes crayon "cakes" for this using melted crayons) See figure 1.

2. Use the collection of basic shapes stencils to make a design where the shapes do not overlap or go off the edge. See figure 2.

3. Make a mock up of the printing plate by cutting out the shapes and rotating them until a design is created that is worth repeating with the corrugated cardboard. Glue down design on another sheet of white paper. (This can be a finished project by itself.) Using the same stencils, repeat the design on the smooth side of the 8 inch by 8 inch corrugated cardboard, cut out, and glue to a firm board base plate. See figure 3.

4. Once the printing plate is glued down, paint with a sealant (polymer medium). Before printing with ink, an embossed (inkless print) print can be printed. This works better with dampened paper (plastic wrap can be used to prevent paper from sticking to plate) See figure 4.

5. Roll ink onto plate applying thin layer of ink. Gently center printing paper over plate (on clean newspaper surface). Rub back of paper with flat side of wooden spoon to transfer ink. Pull print. Place prints on Drying Rack to dry.

6. The first black ink print can be used as a template to make colored registered printing papers for further printing exploring the relationship between an unchanged image (the printing plate) and embellishment (doctored printing paper). See example above. Place printing paper over dry print. Arrange colored paper onto paper (fadeless paper or Tissue paper). Glue paper shapes in place (glue sticks work well). Marker color may also be done on blank paper placed over dry print. Register inked plate on top of color accented paper - carefully turn over to pull print. Many good examples can be found in the Ann Arbor Student Gallery.

7. Class critique

Extension:

More advanced students could print on different colors of paper - then cut dry prints a part and rearrange - piece different colors together like a puzzle alternating colors. Glue.

Assessment Rubric: (Adapted from Marianne Galyk)

Student Comments:

Teacher Comments:

National Standards (Standards covered depend on how much discussion you have)