Elementary School art - Collagraph with hand colour application

Food by Ariel

Grade 6

Teacher: Mr. Van Hatten

St. Martin Catholic Jr. Elementary School

Thunder Bay, ON

This post features some process description and a few photo examples from a collagraph plate printmaking project I undertook recently with the same Grade six class that were also featured in my last post (drypoint and wet media application).
The class chose the theme of Social Responsibility and through research and development of rough sketches ideas came to light as low relief collage plates. Various materials including string, glue, cut out paper shapes, organic and man-made fibers were used and adhered onto a thin card plate surface using modge podge adhesive. 

Once again I began the session by giving a viewing of short duration instructional videos courtesy of You Tube on the technique. I brought along a few examples of some of my own work that married collagraph print imagery with colour applied using washes of watercolour and/or acrylic inks.

Students made pencil drawings on the thin card plates and these were used as their guides to apply the various materials that would ultimately create the final print on paper.

application of small cut paper shapes to create a tile roof 

materials included wood shavings, plastic mesh, paper, bark among other things

a study the examines the importance of food in the scheme of social issues. Notice that the student wrote her words in reverse (although the L in milk was incorrect...but she corrected this before proceeding)

Students applied Caligo Safewash etching ink to the plates using soft bristle tooth brushes and sponge foam brushes. Ink was also applied to the higher relief areas using finger tips and brayers. Plates were printed onto 250 gm white cotton rag paper using medium pressure when passed under the top roller of my small table top etching press. I added a bit of magnesium carbonate as a drier for the ink and in about a weeks time we were able to add the watercolour to the prints when the ink had dried enough not to create a blending problem.

this plate became the print at the beginning of this post

collagraph printed with oil based black etching ink

application of watercolour to the print

prints were affixed to pre-cut scrap core-plast boards with masking tape 

before the wet media application was made..