Goal (Terminal Objective):

Students will learn the process of monoprint and apply improvisational techniques to express personal aesthetic feeling through art media and design.

Objective:

Monoprinting lends itself nicely to the theme of improvisation in art. By using an old CD as a printing plate, students will create a set of monoprints that will be mounted together as a final mixed media visual project.

National Standards:

Visual Arts Grades 9­-12 Content Standard 1: Understanding and applying media techniques, and processes

Visual Arts Grades 9­-12 Content Standard 3: Choosing and evaluating a range of subject matter, symbols, and ideas

Visual Arts Grades 9­-12 Content Standard 5: Reflecting upon and assessing the characteristics and merits of their work and the work of others

Visual Arts Grades 9­-12 Content Standard 6: Making connections between visual arts and other disciplines

Purpose:

When teaching printmaking techniques, the monoprintis a good place to begin. No elaborate tools or equipment are needed, and the students can enjoy a spontaneous experience with improvisation. By using an old music CD as a printing plate, this project lends itself nicely to incorporating music as inspiration for color and movement of media. Students learn the joy of “happy accidents” and letting ideas emerge from one step of the project, to the next, and then finally to the completion of the final piece.

New Vocabulary:

improvisation, monoprint, radial balance

Materials:

old music CD’s, white drawing paper, music, and the following Sargent Art art supplies:

#22-1403 Washable Glue Stick

#22-4116 Graytone Square Pastel

#22-4101 Half-Size Colored Square Pastel

#17-5099 Metallic Tempera

#24-2499 Acrylic Paint

#22-1106 Metallic Acrylic Paint

#32-2007 Metallic Oil Pastels

#32-2009 Fluorescent Oil Pastels

#22-8811 16 oz. Acrylic Glitter Glaze

Time:

approximately 3­4 class periods

Introduction and Motivation (Set):

Start by showing students examples of monoprints and explain to them the process and different use of media to create a monoprint. Play different types of music and have students describe how they picture the music in visual art form (color, type of mark making, etc.). Since an old CD is being used as a printing plate, discuss with the students compositions based on radial balance. Play a variety of music while the students are working on this project! Wassily Kandinsky is a good artist to feature.

Instruction:

1. Have students bring in old CD’s ­ ­ ones that they no longer listen to or ones that are scratched or damaged. The CD becomes the printing plate for their monoprints. While listening to music, students paint on the CD’s with Sargent Art acrylics to form a spontaneous image. Encourage nonobjective abstract images based on the rhythm of music they are listening to or a mood that they are feeling at themoment.



painting directly onto the CD (printing plate) with acrylics and liquid metals





2. Working rather quickly, students place a piece of white drawing paper on top of the CD and create a monoprint of the image they created. Rub (burnish) the paper in order to transfer the paint evenly to thepaper.



burnishing the monoprint

3. After the students have created 5­8 prints, have them decide which ones they are most pleased with to incorporate into their final mixed media piece. Using pastels, create a background for the monoprints to be mountedon.



background done with pastels on white drawing paper

4. Students cut out the chosen dry monoprints that they have decided to use in their final composition. Mount these on the created background with a Sargent Art gluestick.



5. After the monoprints have been mounted, students can add finishing touches withoil pastels.



Four monoprints chosen to be mounted in a grid format. Oil pastel added in center and around edge of each mounted monoprint to pull out certain colors.

Activities:

(1) Guided Practice:

a) Students use aesthetic scanning to view examples ofmonoprints.

b) Students listen to music and try to visually express the rhythm and mood in colors and brushstroke.

c) Students create a series of monoprints using an old CD as a printingplate.

d) Students demonstrate creative problem solving by incorporating the monoprints that they find most aesthetically pleasing into a final mixed media composition.

(2) Independent Practice and Check forUnderstanding:

a) While students work, teacher offers individual help with the monoprinting process.

b) Teacher asks students about the mood, rhythm, and overall expression they are feeling while they work on theirmonoprints.

(3) Closure:

a) Teacher stimulates a dialect among students about how music inspires art making. How did the theme of improvisation work into their final projects?

Evaluation:

Level One — The student has very successfully mastered the monoprinting technique. The choice of colors and brushwork evoke individual creativity and expression. The student has demonstrated outstanding creative problem solving in the unique mixed media approach to the final visual project. Effort is pure enthusiasm and craftsmanship is excellent.

Level Two — The student has demonstrated good understanding of the monoprinting process. The use of color and brushwork are interesting to the viewer. Creative problem solving skills are evident in the final mixed media composition. Craftsmanship is good.

Level Three — The student has shown minimal success with the monoprinting technique of printmaking. The use of color and handling of the media is mediocre. The final mixed media composition fails to demonstrate the capability and potential of the individual student. Craftsmanship is fair.

Level Four — The student has failed to find success in the monoprinting process. The handling of the media is poor. No considerate effort is shown in the creative development of the final mixed media composition. Craftsmanship is poor.

Extension:

Tempera paint can be used to create successful monoprints. If tempera paint is used, the students’ desktops may be used as the printing plate. Also, plexiglass works well as a printing plate.

Resources:

http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/kandinsky/
http://www.albertbeach.com/prints.html
http://springhillstudio.com/print.html
http://abcgallery.com/K/kandinsky/kandinsky.html