Class #3
9-28-18

Project: 

Cyanotype Printing - In today's class, students will create their prints. Students will coat their paper with Cyanotype solution, arrange objects found in nature to create a composition, and expose their papers to ultraviolet light.

Key Concepts:

• Observation, planning, exploration, language of art

Essential Understandings:

• Artists and designers observe and explore their surroundings to gather inspiration in order to communicate/document ideas using a variety of art making methods.

• Artists and designers create pleasing compositions by planning/experimenting with line, shape, and value to make patterns and rhythm.

Objectives/Learning:

• After demonstration of the cyanotype process, students will be able to create a cyanotype print using line, shape, form, and pattern to form a purposeful composition. (Bloom’s: Create/Standard: Create/GLE: Utilize different media, processes, and studio skills to create works of art and design/Art Learning: Materials and techniques/Literacy & Numeracy: negative, exposure time) 

Skills:

• Documentation, planning process, following steps to a procedure, creative problem solving.

Art Focus:

• In today's class period, students will be  continuing the process of cyanotype printing.  Students will use the sketches they created and the objects they gathered from the previous week in order to create their prints.  Today, students will go through the process of coating paper, arranging objects, exposing, and washing treated paper to create at least two prints.

Literacy Focus:

• Cyanotype, composition, preliminary sketch, found objects, exposure, agitation, art language

• Students will utilize their sketches to create compositions for their prints.

• Exposure and agitation will be defined to students during the printing process.

• Use of art vocabulary will be encouraged when appropriate.

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This class period began with students quickly shuffling to their workstations.  The students were eager to begin working on their Cyanotype prints.  Daniel began the day with asking the students, "Can anyone tell me the steps to creating a print?" The students were very insightful and worked as a team to come up with the correct steps and proper safety procedures necessary to create their prints. 

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After this brief introduction, students began coating their paper with the Cyanotype solution to start their artwork.

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One student in this group explained, "Putting this stuff on the paper is just like painting! I thought it would be hard since it's dark in here, but now I know I can do it!" This student's comment shows how they are using previous art knowledge to assist them in Cyanotype printing.

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A student in this group stated, "I now know what my paper should look like when it is dry.  When it's dry, that means there is not shiny and the liquid doesn't move around.  It really helps when you spread it evenly across the paper many times." This student demonstrated a clear understanding of this part in the Cyanotype process.

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As students' papers began to dry, each of them began placing the objects they found last week onto their light sensitive papers. One student in this group expressed their excitement for their artwork.  "I am really excited to see how these leaves turn out! I like the shape of them a lot. The edges of them are rough so I hope that part comes out when I print it." This student utilized personal interests and elements of art language to describe their creative process.

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One student in this group explained, "I think that all of these things are kind of neat! I just piled them all together onto my paper and I guess we will see what happens!" This student demonstrated experimentation while creating their artwork today. 

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Once students arranged their compositions onto their paper, teachers brought the students outside to expose their Cyanotypes to create their artwork. The students expresses a lot of excitement in this part of the class period.  One student exclaimed, "I can see my paper turning green and blue! That means it was working!"  This student showed an understanding of exposure and how light is important to this process.  Overall, the students demonstrated knowledge of the Cyanotype process and how to create a print.  Be sure to check out the video of the students working on their prints!

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After teachers brought back the students back into the classroom to wash their prints, a small hiccup in the process was noted. One student said, "When I put my print in the water, everything washed off! I can't see any of my objects." As a class, it was determined that the prints needed to be exposed to light for a little bit longer to create a proper print.  The class as a whole demonstrated creative problem solving and how to combat this mistake in the future.

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The class once again began arranging objects onto their pieces of paper to create a composition.  This student explained, "I want to try and create a face this time! I cut out pieces of construction paper and put them on my print to make a face.  It's a little bit different than the leaves and things I have already found, but I wanted to try this out."  This student displayed innovative use of materials and experimentation in their artwork today.

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Another student expressed interest in creating a face in their artwork. They explained, "I am using these rocks and little seed things to try and make a face.  I sketched a few faces last week in my sketchbook, so now I want to try it for real!" This student demonstrated using their preliminary sketches as inspiration for their art making today.

 

 

 

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The students finished arranging objects on their paper, and everyone shuffled outside again to make another attempt.  This time, everyone exposed their prints for nearly twice as long as the previous attempt.  One student commented, "I tried to put my things on the paper almost the same way as last time.  Even though it washed off, I kind of saw the design it made and I liked it. I wanted to try it again for this round."  This student explained how they used their previous attempt to help them in this printing attempt.  

 

 

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This class period concluded with students washing their prints and cleaning up their workstations and the classroom.  Next week the class will discuss their artwork and the process of making prints. Be sure to check out next week's blog to see how it turns out!

 

 

 

 

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