Project #1: The Super Print
Social Justice through Printmaking
We will study artists who have used their work as a means to promote issues related to social justice and create a “super print” using several types of printmaking in this project. Students will choose an issue to focus on and develop and select symbols, imagery and text related to the chosen issue to construct one large or a series of smaller compositions.
The term "super print" is a made up term to encompass multiple types of printmaking. Students will select the types of printmaking techniques they think will best express their chosen issue and message and incorporate these techniques into the planning and making of their project.
The term "super print" is a made up term to encompass multiple types of printmaking. Students will select the types of printmaking techniques they think will best express their chosen issue and message and incorporate these techniques into the planning and making of their project.
Pinterest Board on Printmaking
Pinterest Board of "Art and Social Change"
Artists who address the theme of social justice in their work:
Jose Posada
Banksy Kathe Kollwitz Prune Nourry Kara Walker Shepard Fairey An My Le Jenny Holzer Yreina D. Cervantez |
Tehching Hsieh
Ai Wei Wei JR Barbara Kruger Swoon Sister Corita Kent Self Help Printmaking-East LA Nancy Spero |
Artists who work in the media of printmaking
Shepard Fairey
Kathe Kollwitz Hokusai Hiroshige Lynd Ward Darrel Perkins Yreina D. Cervantez |
Edvard Munch
Tom Killion Jose Posada Ryan McGinness Swoon Tugboat Printshop |
Art 21 Video of artist Nancy Spero working on a large scale printmaking project.
The pertinent issues brought up in class :
Colorism-Latinx
Climate Crisis
Homelessness
Gentrification
Mental Health-Anxiety/Depression etc.
Gun Violence
Amazon Deforestation-Indigenous groups/ Meat Industry/ Consumerism/ Mining
Toxic Masculinity
Immigration Crisis
Lack of Representation in the media-LGBT/Race
The Rise of Nationalism
Eating Disorders
Climate Crisis
Homelessness
Gentrification
Mental Health-Anxiety/Depression etc.
Gun Violence
Amazon Deforestation-Indigenous groups/ Meat Industry/ Consumerism/ Mining
Toxic Masculinity
Immigration Crisis
Lack of Representation in the media-LGBT/Race
The Rise of Nationalism
Eating Disorders
The Noun Project Website-Icons
If you need help finding a symbol/icon to help you as you brainstorm what relates to your chosen topic, browse "The Noun Project" for help.
The Creative Process: Sketchbook work
- Idea Web of chosen issue-1 page
- Research issue: Read 2 peer-reviewed academic articles related to chosen issue and take notes/paraphrase what you learned. Write in your own words. Art notes may ALWAYS include sketches of imagery or symbols that were discovered in your research. Make sure to cite your sources in MLA format.
- Begin sketching out your initial ideas for imagery/symbols/text you could possibly use. You should have at least 1 page of your at least 10 initial sketches laid out.
- Form/Theme/Context of 2 artists. 1 artist should work with the theme of Social Justice, and the other should work with the media of Printmaking. 1/2 page for each artist, so 1 page total. Include all citations of where you pulled information and image, and write in your own words. Include the image of the artwork you are critiquing for the Form analysis.
- Media Testing: Stick media testing (3 types of printmaking) into your sketchbook and label what printmaking technique you used.
- Developing Ideas: Draw out 2-3 rough sketches of how all your stamps/prints will fit together.
-VARIETY of SIZE: small stamps, medium stamps, large stamps
-OVERLAPPING: What stamps will overlap in your composition?
-SHAPE: What variations of stamp shapes will you include?
-REPETITION / PATTERN: How will you repeat certain stamps in your composition OR use pattern in your composition?
-EMPHASIS: What is most important in your composition and how will you visually emphasize it?
-COMPOSITION/LAYOUT? Will you create a series of smaller pieces (diptych or triptych) or 1 larger composition?
-COLOR SCHEME? What limited color scheme will you use in your project?
How will your use of color to help you create UNITY in your work?
How will you use color to help you create EMPHASIS?
- Final Idea: Look below for details about the Final Idea page.
- Group Critique on Final Idea: See below for details on the Group Critique. You will be responsible to collect and record feedback from your group mates in your sketchbook.
Final Idea:
1 page in sketchbook-The final idea page is a thorough plan in your sketchbook of what you plan to do in your project before you begin.
The final idea page should include:
-VISUAL: a quarter to half page sketch in color of what you imagine your project to look like. Think about your layout and composition (organization of shapes within the picture plane). What type of compositional balance are you using? Symmetrical, Asymmetrical? Where will the visual weight lie in the image?
-WRITTEN:
-Your "thesis statement" of your artwork. What is the message/meaning in this piece related to your chosen social justice issue?
-How are you expressing this message visually? This can be from a variety of things: your chosen color scheme, use of value contrast, symbols, imagery, how you create visual emphasis etc.
-What do you hope your viewers experience while looking at your work? How are you thinking of "audience" as you plan? What do you want them to notice as what's most important (EMPHASIS) and how will you create this?
-What will your steps be in making this work? List out your steps of what you need to acquire, what you need to do first, second, third etc.
-What artist has influenced your ideation so far? Explain what you are "borrowing" from them.
The final idea page should include:
-VISUAL: a quarter to half page sketch in color of what you imagine your project to look like. Think about your layout and composition (organization of shapes within the picture plane). What type of compositional balance are you using? Symmetrical, Asymmetrical? Where will the visual weight lie in the image?
-WRITTEN:
-Your "thesis statement" of your artwork. What is the message/meaning in this piece related to your chosen social justice issue?
-How are you expressing this message visually? This can be from a variety of things: your chosen color scheme, use of value contrast, symbols, imagery, how you create visual emphasis etc.
-What do you hope your viewers experience while looking at your work? How are you thinking of "audience" as you plan? What do you want them to notice as what's most important (EMPHASIS) and how will you create this?
-What will your steps be in making this work? List out your steps of what you need to acquire, what you need to do first, second, third etc.
-What artist has influenced your ideation so far? Explain what you are "borrowing" from them.
Student Examples of their Final Idea
Final Idea Group Critique
Critique Sheet-File download
critique-_the_super_print.docx |
Sketchbook Checklist
Download PDF file for Sketchbook Checklist below
the_super_print__social_justice_through_printmaking-sketchbook_check.pdf |
Media Testing:
Collagraph
Linocut Relief
Monoprint
Styrofoam Stamps
Stencil prints
Linocut Relief
Monoprint
Styrofoam Stamps
Stencil prints
*Remember in your final reflection at the end of the project, you will need to show evidence of 4 out of the 5 listed printmaking techniques.
Media Testing #1 -Collagraph PrintsMaking a Collagraph printing plate:
A collagraph print is made by glueing different materials to cardboard and creating a kind of collage. During the inking process the ink will rub off surfaces that are smooth or higher and stay on surfaces that hold more ink, at edges and at lower points thus creating the image. |
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Media Testing #2 -MonoprintA monotype is one of a kind, a unique piece of artwork. It is the simplest form of printmaking, requiring only pigments, a surface on which to apply them, paper and some form of press.
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Media Testing #3-Relief LinocutRelief printmaking is a form of printmaking in which the image to be printed is raised from the surface. Pieces of material are removed from the surface using sharp tools called gouges. This creates a surface similar to a stamp and is sometimes referred to as "block printing".
Media Testing #4 Making a Stencil |
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Stencilling produces an image or pattern by applying pigment to a surface over an intermediate object with designed gaps in it which create the pattern or image by only allowing the pigment to reach some parts of the surface. In practice, the (object) stencil is usually a thin sheet of material, such as paper, plastic, wood or metal, with letters or a design cut from it, used to produce the letters or design on an underlying surface by applying pigment through the cut-out holes in the material.
The key advantage of a stencil is that it can be reused to repeatedly and rapidly produce the same letters or design. Although aerosol or painting stencils can be made for one-time use, typically they are made with the intention of being reused. To be reusable, they must remain intact after a design is produced and the stencil is removed from the work surface. With some designs, this is done by connecting stencil islands (sections of material that are inside cut-out "holes" in the stencil) to other parts of the stencil with bridges (narrow sections of material that are not cut out). |
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Super Print Rubric
Download PDF file of rubric below
rubric_printmaking_social_justice____2019.pdf |
Artist Statement Guidesheet-The Super Print
Your artist statement should be both summarize your intentions with your artwork, how you visually communicated your intentions and also give us insight into your learning.
Click here to view a couple Artist Statements written by students.
Write in complete sentences in paragraph format.
The title of your artist statement should be the title of your artwork.
Your artist statement should fit on 1 page single-spaced.
Click here to view a couple Artist Statements written by students.
Write in complete sentences in paragraph format.
The title of your artist statement should be the title of your artwork.
Your artist statement should fit on 1 page single-spaced.
artist_statement_printmaking.pdf |