Silk Screening/Printing Experiment

Sometimes you see things online & ya just have to give it a try!  

So let me share with  you my attempt at the silk screen project using pantyhose, embroidery hoop, and Mod Podge! I was pretty happy with the results, however...I'm not sure about doing this with a whole class...or whole grade level, but I can see this being an amazing project for small groups/centers/art clubs! 

1)  Buy some cheap Pantyhose! It really doesn't take much to cover a medium hoop.

2) Trim the excess off!  It will get in your way later if you don't.

3) Draw out your design.  You could place a pre-drawn image under the pantyhose, but I was afraid I'd slip and slide.  So I Sharpied it right onto the pantyhose.  

4) Paint on the Mod Podge (note: It is MOD Podge...not Modge Podge.  I did not realize that this ticks some people off when said incorrectly.  You've been warned! ha ha)  Remember that where you place the Mod Podge will remain white/paper color.  Also...pantyhose can be a bit challenging for young artists to "paint" on...so you might need to encourage them to make a thicker/bulkier design.  I think fine details would frustrate them when they apply the Mod Podge.

5) Allow to dry completely.  I did paint two coats of Mod Podge on my design just to make sure it had solid coverage.  One might have worked...but better safe than sorry!

6)  I used acrylic craft paint on mine.  I was afraid traditional printing ink would be too thick.  I placed it along the edge of the hoop.  Not sure how much that matters....but I was just thinking about traditional silk screening/printing.

7) I used an old gift card as my squeegee. You could use cardboard, cut down plastic lids..etc.  It isn't a large area, so use what will work best for the size hoop you are using.  

8)  I'm not sure what happened with my first print?  I printed these one after another...adding a little more paint when needed.  

9) Rinse the excess paint off the surface...CAREFULLY!  Well, that is if you want to use this "screen" again.  I washed mine off under slow running water...and just used my fingers to rub it to help get the paint off.  If you rub too hard or use too much water...you run the risk of removing the Mod Podge.  If you do plan to use it again...I'd recommend repainting it with the Mod Podge just to be safe. 

I HOPE THIS WAS HELPFUL/INFORMATIVE! 

Inspired by Starbucks

While in Fort Worth...my wife and I were at Starbucks, I noticed their interesting display of buildings on the wall.  They were done on what seemed to be collaged backgrounds.  I like the simple lines and grouping.  I was thinking that could make a fun spring/unspring project.  We all go toward flowers and such when spring time rolls around.  I like flowers...but sometimes you just want to change it up!!!!  (my goal is no Georgia O lessons this spring!)  I thought it would be fun to have student try different watercolor techniques for the background.  This would represent the rainy nature of spring.  Then do a simple line drawing...followed by outlining with black tempera.  The images are my test/samples. 

 I think the kids work would be more fun than mine!! ha ha

Experimenting With New Projects: Teacher Examples

I love to try out new ideas...new projects!  I get bored doing the same ol' same ol' !!!!  Having student teachers allows me the chance to experiment....either because my student teacher is bringing new ideas that I'd like to try, during our time ideas get sparked for new projects or new ways to try old projects, or I see something on blogs/Pinterest that I want to see if they'd work in my room.  Here are my latest experiments in the laboratory of Mr. E!!

This was a Pinterest find.  I used acrylic..and then a tempera varnish over top of it to help the paint from getting scratched off.  I warn you...this project is extremely labor intensive!  If you were working with middle/high school...they could do the cutting, but I do not feel that the earlier elementary ages would do the best at cutting the milk jug down.  We're doing this with 2nd grade...and are excited about the end result.  Hopefully worth all the work. The students started this week...so pictures of their work coming soon.

My third graders are creating collagraphs.  As I was observing my student teacher...I started cutting some of the left over cereal boxes.  I thought..."Wonder what it would be like to paint it black(tempera) & then use oil pastels on top?!?!"  Here is the answer.  I really like the look.  We're going to try it...stay tuned.

Our 4th graders have been working on an architecture unit this nine weeks. We went from 2 point perspective...to the clay facades...and now this.  We used St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow as our inspiration.  This project has many components.  If you venture to try this...give yourself two class times.  (TIP: You'll need to have them start the class with their watercolor sky to allow it time to dry.)

In cutting the milk jugs for the mask project...I've been contemplating what I could use the rest of the jug for?!?!  After cutting the back half off...I threw it down on the table on top of a book I was looking at.  I noticed I could easily see through the milk jug , and thought..."hmm...monoprinting?"  I found a section that was flat and cut that out.  After drawing a Koi in Sharpie...I placed the milk jug on top & used water soluble oil pastels to color it..finishing it off with black to define the shape.  I sprayed the paper with water..and then pressed the milk jug onto the surface.   In the picture...bottom left is drawing in sharpie...top middle is the piece of milk jug with oil pastel ...bottom right is the monoprint.  

(TIP: Wash off the milk jug piece when you are finished & you can use it again and again!)

Clay & Glass Experiment

My friend Janet ( msmalonesartroom.blogspot.com ) & I were discussing if we could use glass marbles/beads/etc with our clay lessons.  I don't tend to glaze because of the time/cost of it with the number of children I see.  Sometimes I'll use underglaze and did projects, but usually I just use acrylic with the kids.  Anyways, I made a bunch of little pieces over break so I could give it a try.  Some pieces I did not do a glaze on....some I glazed and laid the glass on top...others I glazed & then put the glaze on top of the glass pieces as well.  

Here are the results:

 The melting of the glass is very irregular.  

The color burned out of some...and the orangish colored ones were red glass. 

 The ones I did not glaze at all...some of the glass popped out.  

The ones I placed glaze over top of the glass....have a film over them.

Janet is going to try some other things...and will post her results as well (right Janet?).  I'm not saying I won't try this with the kids, but I'm not sold on it either.  WORTH A TRY!!! Had fun doing it.  

Experimenting Again: As Seen On Pinterest...Bead Bowl

Here is the pinterest pin link!

http://www.wooz.dk/?page_id=2611

I saw a very cool melted bead bowl on Pinterest & wanted to try it myself.  The blog it came from was in a different language...and even with Google Translator...I felt I was missing some information.

I first rubbed the inside of my dish with veggie oil & heated my toaster oven to 200 degrees(this is info I got from the google translator).  I grabbed a couple handfuls of beads from my craft supplies and spread them out in the bowl. I "baked" the beads for 10 minutes, but could tell hey had not really melted.  I was concerned that the beads were too thick/hard, and may not be the type of beads used on the post I had seen.

After pulling the bowl out after 20 minutes in the toaster oven, I realized I probably was right.  The beads were not the kind used in the images I had seen on Pinterest.  Oh well...I was experimenting...so failure is fine. You learn from your mistakes and try again!

This time I went through my beads and found ones that looked like what I had seen.  These were thinner & seemed to be softer.  I had ones that had painted stripes & ones that were solid.  I placed the striped ones in the bottom and a majority of the solid ones on the sides (no reason..just how I did it?!?).  Back into the toaster oven at 300 (I upped the temp a bit).  I quickly realized the beads on the side were melting, but the beads on the bottom seemed to not be?!?!  I left them in for about 15 minutes, and here are the results.

The bowl worked this time!  However, I do not see this being a lesson I could really use with my classes during a regular school year.  It may be a project I file away for an art camp.