Printing techniques

silkscreen

stencil

monotype

kindergarten: 15 students between 5 and 6 yeas old | Merton Elementary (Montreal) | January to April 2010

Lesson 2

Title: How is clothing decorated?

Technique: stamping, mono-printing, stencilling, silk-screening

Vocabulary: print, stamp, pattern, repetition, shape, color, silk-screen, stencil, mono-print

Duration: (2 sessions of) 45 minutes

Preparation for part 1: pick out from the books (see the resource section) certain patterns you think may be appropriate and/or interesting to the students and mark these with post-its or bookmarks. Cut sponges into different shapes and make sure you have at least 2 5x5 inch pieces of canvas per student. Pour out some paint in the trays: one color per tray, a few different colors of paint per table, and a few sponges for each color in each tray.

Motivation for part 1:

• look at the clothing of different people in the class. Discuss the decorations on them and find patterns. Explain patterns.
• Take out the two books on patterns and flip through them. Ask the students to describe the patterns seen, putting emphasis on color and shape. Ask the students how they would describe patterns: aim for the word repetition. Explain these terms if necessary.
• Ask the students how they think the decoration is made on their clothes. Explain the stamping techniques and the reason they are used by introducing it in this manner: “what if you had 10 thousand t-shirts to make in one day cause 10 thousand people asked you? How would you do it? How long would it take? Lead to the answer: printing and stamping is used mostly by machines as an easy, quick way to mass-produce.
• It may be necessary to show the stamping technique- press stamp in paint, press stamp on support.

Procedure for part 1:

• Have the students put on their smocks and explain the procedure: every table has a few colors, and every color has a few sponges. Explain not to mix the colors (for cleanup and mess reduction).
• Hand out a piece of canvas to each student and let them stamp patterns with the various sponge shapes.

Response for part 1:

• Review the terms: print, stamp, pattern, repetition, rhythm, shape, color and have the students explain the process for stamping.
• Look again at the canvas and how it is made: review the previous session’s terms pertaining to texture, and point out that weaving itself is a type of pattern as well.

Clean-up for part 1: with the students, wipe all used surfaces, clean rollers and sponges and leave work in safe area to dry.

Preparation for part 2: prepare 3 stations: one for mono-printing, one for stencilling, and one for silk-screening. Make sure all materials are present: glass or jell-o plates, paper, flat shapes (and/or stencils), paint and rollers/brayers (or paintbrushes) for the first; stencils, paint, paper, paintbrushes for the second; and a squeegee, silkscreens (made from thin porous fabric in embroidery hoops), paint, flat shapes (and/or stencils), and paper for the third.

Motivation for part 2:

• Review last session’s terms and activity. The goal was to decorate clothing.
• Explain there are many different ways to decorate clothing other than stamping. These are called silk-screening, stencilling, and mono-printing. Explain the origins of the words: silkscreen comes from silk, stencilling comes from the word stencil and the last is called mono-print because not one print will look the same (mono means one).
• Go to each station with the students and demonstrate each technique:
• Monoprinting: use the roller/brayer or paintbrush to cover the glass or jell-o plate with paint. Add flat shapes and/or stencils on top of the paint, and place a piece of paper on top. Without moving the paper, rub it gently and peel off carefully. Reveal the paint on the underside.

• Stencilling: place the paper on the table, then place a stencil on top. Paint over the stencil and peel it off, revealing the stencil marks painted onto the paper.

• Silkscreening: place the paper down on the table, then flat shapes and/or stencils and place the silkcreen frame on top, fabric-side down. Place some paint inside the frame and spread the paint with a squeegee making sure to hold the frame so it doesn’t move. Always spread the paint in one particular direction for best results.

• NOTE: Make sure to repeat everything and ask questions to make sure all students understand.

Procedure for part 2:

• Have the students put on their smocks and explain the procedure: every table has a few colors, and each stencil, plate and silkscreen frame has to be used for only one color. Explain not to mix the colors (for cleanup and mess reduction).
• Have an equal number of students at each station and let them change stations after a predetermined amount of time (10 minutes for each station is ample time).

Response for part 2:

• Review the terms: print, stamp, pattern, repetition, rhythm, shape, color
• Have the students explain the process for mono-printing, stencilling, and silk-screening, using their works as an example.
• Ask their opinion about each activity: which is the most fun, which is the easiest, which is most difficult and why? Review the reason for printing techniques: printing and stamping is used mostly by machines as an easy, quick way to mass-produce. Explain that although the activity was done on paper, these techniques are also used on clothing.

Clean-up for part 2: with the students, wipe all used surfaces, clean rollers and brushes and all other materials and leave work in safe area to dry.