The following four lesson plans are for the Printmaking Unit. This Unit
is accompanied by a website that can be found at:
http://edtech2.boisestate.edu/mollibrown/506/printlessons.html
The site has four lessons and all of the resources for these lesson
plans. If you have any questions they can be directed to the lesson
creator at mollibrown@u.boisestate.edu.
Item
Lesson Title
Grade/Age Level
Subject Area
Time Allotted for Lesson
Brief Description of Lesson
Instructional Objectives
Notes
Intro to Printmaking (Homepage)
Choosing a Subject/Image(Lesson 1)
6th-8th Grade
Art
3 days/3 class periods
The students will understand the basic concept
of printmaking, gain a brief understanding of
each process, and brainstorm ideas to use as a
reference for the entire unit.
Describe the basic concept of printmaking as an
art form.
Name at least four out of the six types of
printmaking described in the lesson.
Accurately identify images as to which type of
print they are: relief print, collagraph, or
silkscreen.
List at least five possible ideas for images for
each type of printing process.
Draw a minimum of two sketches for each of the
three printing processes that could be made into
prints.
Instructional Procedures
Day 1: Students will be introduced to the
concept of printmaking by printing with stamps.
It will be reviewed with them by also discussing
silkscreened shirts as some students are familiar
with this.
Students will be directed to the website to gain a
basic understanding of each type of print. The
image where the six different types of
printmaking is discussed will be printed out and
given to students as a reference. The image with
the supplies needed to make each print will as
well.
Time will be spent identifying actual prints so
students can see the difference between each
type. Instructor will also identify the materials
that are unfamiliar to students for printing, such
as ink, brayers, squeegees, and linoleum.
Students will be told to bring in any reference
materials, such as photographs, or digital
images, that they might need to begin
brainstorming and sketching in class tomorrow.
Day 2: Each table of students will take turns
organizing the supplies used for each type of
print. When they are not doing that they are
working on their brainstorming worksheets that
are found on the website. These should be
printed out ahead of time and given to the
students.
When they feel they are ready to begin sketching
their ideas they can choose from the four
sketching handouts.
Day 3: Continue sketching ideas and make any
necessary notes for each of the three types of
prints: relief print, collagraph, and silkscreen.
Adaptations for Special Learning
Supplemental Activities
Assessment/Learner Products
Images can be printed to get a closer look and
certain sections be blocked off for less
information at once.
Minimized number of ideas and sketches
required.
Variety of sketch sizes accepted.
Oral Accommodations, where necessary
The students will observe actual prints of each
type in person and have the characteristics of
each pointed out to them.
The actual printing supplies for each type of
print will be laid out of them all together. They
will have to organize it all based on what would
be used to make each print.
Organizing supplies activity
Self-check, identifying the types of prints on site
Handout on Brainstorming
Sketching Handouts
Lesson Title
Grade/Age Level
Subject Area
Time Allotted for Lesson
Brief Description of Lesson
Instructional Objectives
Relief Printmaking
6th-8th Grade
Art
5 days/5 class periods
Students will gain a more in depth
understanding of what relief printmaking entails
along with making their own relief prints using
linoleum.
Identify characteristics of a relief print.
Create an original image for relief print linocut.
Successfully operate a gouge tool to cut out
original image from linoleum.
Print a minimum of five prints, at least one black
and one color ink, linoleum prints following
specified printing guidelines.
Use a registration method to align the print in
the center of printing paper.
Instructional Procedures
Properly sign prints with name, title, and edition
number in appropriate locations under print.
Day 1: Students will spend time finalizing their
sketch for their relief print. They should refer to
their sketches and ideas they brainstormed for
lesson one to do this.
Once their drawings are finalized they will
transfer their image onto linoleum by
burnishing the back of their sketch paper.
Day 2: Once images are transferred onto
linoleum students will draw over in black
sharpie all positive areas that they want to print.
These areas are where they will not cut with the
gouge tools.
Students will watch a demonstration on using a
gouge tool so they are able to do so safely. They
will learn how to change blades for different
sizes of cutting marks and will focus on the
direction of their cutting.
Students will spend the remainder of the class
cutting their linoleum blocks.
Day 3: Students will continue cutting their
linoleum blocks today. This needs to be done
with precision and care to be done correctly.
Day 4: Students will watch a printing
demonstration today. They are required to
complete a minimum of five prints. One of those
prints should be printed with black ink and one
with color ink. Printing of the other three prints
is entirely up to students.
Adaptations for Special Learning
Supplemental Activities
Assessment/Learner Products
Day 5: Students will finish up printing today and
will learn how to appropriately sign prints.
Directly underneath the print on the far right
they will write their first and last name, in the
center they will write the edition number, and
on the far left the title of their print if they
choose to title it.
Students unable to use a gouge tool can instead
create a relief print using a Styrofoam printing
plate and a wooden stylus to press their image
into the plate. This plate can them be printed
following the same printing procedures.
Printing buddies can be assigned to help
disabled students or those that need extra
guidance during the printing process. They can
help with clean hands steps like getting paper or
just assist in recall of next steps.
Students can review printing steps via the
handouts or the lesson web page. They can also
link to resources on relief printing from the
lesson page at the bottom to further their
knowledge of this type of printmaking.
Sketches of final relief print idea.
Cut linoleum block showing care and attention
to cutting marks and the direction of those
marks.
At least five prints (at least one black ink and
one color ink) that have been signed correctly.
Item
Lesson Title
Grade/Age Level
Subject Area
Time Allotted for Lesson
Brief Description of Lesson
Instructional Objectives
Notes
Collagraphs
6th-8th Grade
Art
5 days/5 class periods
Students will gain a more in depth
understanding of what collagraphs are along
with making their own collagraph plates and
printing them.
Identify the characteristics that a collagraph
print has that makes it unique to other types of
print.
Recognize and choose appropriate materials to
create an original collagraph plate.
Create an original collagraph plate using any
appropriate materials.
Observe a demonstration of how to apply ink to
a collagraph plate for it to be printed.
Print a minimum of five collagraph prints
applying knowledge of a registration method.
Properly sign prints with name, title, and edition
number in appropriate locations under print.
Instructional Procedures
Day 1: Students will look at various collagraph
examples to get a better idea as to what type of
imagery would work best for this form of
printmaking. They will review as a class the
images created and place on the lesson 3
Collagraph webpage for this unit. Appropriate
materials for making a collagraph plate will be
reviewed.
Students will work on sketches for the
remainder of class and making a list of materials
they need to bring in to begin creating their
collagraph plate in class tomorrow.
Day 2: Finalize collagraph image idea and begin
creating printing plate. This will be done using
Mod Podge and old paint brushes to glue various
materials down to a piece of cardboard to create
the printing plates. Time and attention will be
placed on the proper positioning of each item as
it should look in the final print.
Day 3: Once all objects are placed and glued
down to printing plate, the plate must be sealed
with a varnish so it can be printed and cleaned
multiple times without getting damaged. The
varnish must dry overnight before being
printed.
Students will watch a demonstration after they
have varnished their printing plates. Ink or paint
can be used to print collagraphs. Ink can be
worked down into the crevasses of the objects
glued to the plate and rolled on top of them with
a brayer. Printing paper must be soaked in a
bath of water to make it flexible enough to
withstand objects being pressed into it.
Day 4: Students will work during today’s class to
print minimum of five collagraph prints of
various color combinations.
Day 5: Final day to print 5 collagraph prints.
Students should also sign their prints
appropriate with name and title. Every
collagraph print is unique so each should have
an edition number of 1/1 written in the center
under the print.
Adaptations for Special Learning
Supplemental Activities
Assessment/Learner Products
A reduced size of printing plate can be given to
students who have fine motor skill disabilities
and might have trouble printing a larger plate.
Printing buddies can be assigned to help
disabled students or those that need extra
guidance during the printing process. They can
help with clean hands steps like getting paper or
just assist in recall of next steps.
The students utilize the collagraph resources
found on the lesson 3 collagraph web page.
Sketches for collagraph print.
List of possible materials to be printed.
Handmade collagraph printing plate.
Minimum of five collagraphs that have been
signed.
Item
Lesson Title
Grade/Age Level
Subject Area
Time Allotted for Lesson
Brief Description of Lesson
Instructional Objectives
Notes
Silkscreening
6th-8th Grade
Art
5 days/5 class periods
Students will gain a more in depth
understanding of silk screening along with
creating their own stencil for silkscreening and
creating a print using that stencil.
Recognize what characteristics make a
silkscreen print unique from other forms of
printmaking.
Create an original sketch for a one color silk
screen print to be done using a stencil.
Create a stencil using poster board and an xacto
knife of an original image.
Use stencil to print a minimum of five silkscreen
prints, using black ink, following the specific
printing methods.
Apply a registration method during printing.
Properly sign prints with name, title, and edition
number in appropriate locations under print.
Instructional Procedures
Day 1: Students will observe a number of
examples of silkscreen prints. They will see how
these prints look in comparison to the other
types they have learned about so far. They will
also see a finished example of the type of
silkscreen they will be creating (paper stencil).
They will return to their brainstorming
worksheet and sketches to pull ideas for their
print from.
Students will begin working on their sketches
for their silkscreen stencil design.
Day 2: Once students have finished their
sketches for their stencils they will transfer their
drawing to a piece of poster board with transfer
paper. Next, students will observe a
demonstration on how to safely use an xacto
knife to cut the stencils if they do not already
know how to do so.
Students will spend the remainder of the period
cutting their stencils from the poster board.
Day 3: Students will finish cutting their stencils
from the poster board. Next, they will observe a
demonstration of how to attach their stencil to
the silk screen using masking tape. A printing
demonstration will follow.
Day 4: Students will begin printing their
silkscreens today and are required to print a
minimum of five prints using black ink.
Day 5: Students will use this day to finish up
printing their five prints and sign them
appropriate at the bottom of each print. They
need to have a title on the left, edition number in
the center, and their first and last name on the
left under each print.
Adaptations for Special Learning
Supplemental Activities
Assessment/Learner Products
Printing buddies can be assigned to help
disabled students or those that need extra
guidance during the printing process. They can
help with clean hands steps like getting paper or
just assist in recall of next steps.
The students utilize the silkscreen resources
found on the lesson 4 silkscreen web page.
Silkscreen sketches
Cut stencil for silkscreen (graded before
printing)
Five signed silkscreen prints