Description/Objective
The concepts of spirals and concentric circles are the focus of this project introducing students to the technique of mono-printing. Mono-printing is the creation of a single print. In several other printing processes, the artist is able to create more than one print from a single work - i.e. with woodcut or linoleum print templates, several prints can be created.
Time
45 minutes - 1 hour
Materials
Prints - Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh, Evening Star by Georgia O'Keefe
Old brushes (1 per student)
Laundry starch (1 small bottle)
9" x 12" acrylic sheets or cookie trays (1 per student)
Medium size paper cups (1 per student)
Tempera paints (selection per student or group)
1/4" to 1/2" flat paintbrushes (1 per student)
Q-tips (1 per student)
11" x 14" white construction paper (1 per student) Spiral Circles Concentric Circles
sample sample
Procedure
1. To introduce the lesson, draw a spiral and a concentric circle on the chalkboard. As a class, discuss the similarities and differences between these shapes. (See drawings below).
2. Bring in objects from nature that are examples of spirals and concentric circles. Examples include: flowers, seashells, cut tree trunk, eye balls and finger prints.
3. Display the prints Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh and Evening Star by Georgia O'Keefe. Discuss how both artists used spirals and concentric circles as the symbol for stars. Ask students why they think the artist didn't use a plain circle. Spirals and concentric circles radiate energy, as a star radiates light.
4. Have students close their eyes and imagine what a star would look like close-up. Allow time for visualization.
5. Students now begin the process of making a monoprint incorporating spirals and/or concentric circles.
6. Using the old paint brushes, students paint the acrylic sheet or cookie tray with a thin coat of laundry starch. The starch acts as a _______________. Pour a small amount of starch into paper cups for ease of use.
7. Using tempera paints, students use 1/4" to 1/2" flat brushes to paint their impression of an evening star onto the starch coated surface. The paint should be a thick consistency. A spiral or concentric circle should be used somewhere in the design. For smaller, detailed shapes, paint is applied with Q-tips.
8. When the painting is complete on the cookie tray or acrylic sheet, gently press the white 11" x 14" paper on top of the painted surface, making sure to center the image on the page. The paint will be transferred to the paper giving a __________ effect.
Subject Matter Integration
SCIENCE: This project integrates well with units on the solar system and stars. Studying how a star color corresponds to its temperature would be especially relevant.
Variations/Extensions
1. Monoprints can also be created by painting large shapes of color, and then lifting out lines or shapes with Q-tips, facial tissues and/or sponges (leaving white space in the process as the paint is transferred to the "lifting out" implement). The image is then transferred to paper as above.