The objective in the first part of this unit is to connect new ideas with techniques of working with clay and about printmaking. It takes a good deal of preparation of materials for this to take place. There needs to be available about 25 lbs. of sculpee clay. This is to be cut up into 100 small pieces. Since I will be teaching this to two classes, only one piece or 1/4 lb. per student is allotted. We need wires for cutting, small squares 6”x6” of masonite to work on, paper towels (1 clay roll) and small plastic bags (baggies). Also cutting tools are needed such as wooden sticks (popsicle) or pottery tools with wire beads. Little cups for water are needed. A shelf or drying area will be needed. Sponges and large sheets of plastic for storage are helpful.
Each student needs to be outfitted with a cup of water, a base to work on, such as a square of masonite, 1/4 lb. of clay, a wooden tool, and a plastic baggie and damp paper towel.
Other Materials for “Our Book of Names” Project
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18” x 24” white arches paper folded into 6 columns (each column measures 4” across x 9” down)/sponges/newsprint/ newsprint for practice printing/ printing inks and primary colors of red, blue and yellow/ paper towels/ black magic markers/ scissors/ 3” rollers for printing
After we make individual clay stamps, we can combine them into a printed book called “Our Book of Names.” It will be a nice way to share one another’s work in this project. The pages of this book will be accordion pleated (6 pleats) and when opened up a full view of the names is afforded. Tiny printed footprints will connect each name stamp to the other. There will be six columns and about four stamps or prints on a folded column. The style will be informal and the prints will be placed randomly along the length of the column with little footprints leading between each of them. The paper should be weighty enough to retain the fold and accordion pleat. The name stamps shall be made of clay and then dried well before we use them to print with. We will need to make footprint stamps too. The pleats are to be folded first before printing begins. To print we will need three shallow tin trays filled with 3 primary colors of printing ink (red, yellow, blue) and rollers to roll out the ink. To print we press the clay stamp into the rolled out ink and press it again onto the accordion page. The printing of one book can be done in one class period of 45 minutes. There should be room for text on the cover page of “Our Book of Names”.