Our
Four-Year-Old Class recently learnt about printing, during an engaging and
interactive visit to the Art Gallery. They also toured and viewed the gallery's
Art Showing called 'Transference'. The field trip was led by Melanie, the
Gallery's School Program Coordinator, who did a wonderful job engaging the
children throughout the visit.
The
children created monotype prints using a printing press. Melanie led the
children in a discussion about prints and how they are all around us... in
books/comics, on signs, labels, and endless more items. As Melanie pointed out,
you could even see a print on the T-shirt that Matius was wearing! He had a
print of a dinosaur on his T-shirt. That had all the children looking down at
the clothes they were wearing, and calling out the prints they could see.
The children collected their artwork and took them back to the tables. There the paper was peeled back, revealing their very own print. This was a very intriguing and enjoyable process. Once on the shelf to dry, the children washed the ink from their hands.
It seemed each child thoroughly enjoyed their morning at the Art Gallery, and the new learning experience they all shared.
The
various ways prints can be made were discussed (hand-prints, stamps, potatoes,
etc.) and the children had their own ideas about what could make a print, “a shoe”,
“a foot”, a dog”....
With
the aid of a projector, Melanie explained about the tools needed for their
printing activity that day. The ink, the brayer, a printing plate and the
printing press.
Once
the ink was spread on each child's plate, they then drew a picture of their
choice with a Q-tip. This process was expanded upon, with the addition of
various small and flat items (feathers, sequins, toothpicks...).
The children collected their artwork and took them back to the tables. There the paper was peeled back, revealing their very own print. This was a very intriguing and enjoyable process. Once on the shelf to dry, the children washed the ink from their hands.
It seemed each child thoroughly enjoyed their morning at the Art Gallery, and the new learning experience they all shared.
Until next time,
Barbi
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