By Alena Bardey
Top to Bottom L-R: printing with the texture plates, linoleum block print, ideation sketch and carved out linoelum block being inked, showing how to trace design from laptop screen on screen printing screen, me doing the screen printing demo, a completed screen done by a student, an inked linoleum block and the demo table setup with examples.
This was our first day back and on in our class me and Jakobe were teaching everyone how to get started on screen printing. We got everyone started today with some ideation time of larger designs that they might want to get working on for their screens. The first half of class everyone spent drawing up some designs on paper we passed out, and we explained that you are easily able to trace your design on the screens directly from your sketch or even a computer screen. When we reached the half point of class, and many students had at least some kind of designs going, I got everyone gathered around the middle table to do a demo on screen filler. I had a design drawn out on a screen and was showing them how it all worked to fill in the spaces where they didn't want the ink to go through with screen filler. I also had a smaller screen on an embroidery hoop already prepped and showed them how it would be to actually apply the ink through the ready screen directly onto fabric. I made sure to check for understanding and there was one student that asked a question which me and Jakobe helped clarify for them. The class went by so quick today because of how much was going on, and the clean up took a little longer than expected, but it was a very successful work and demo day overall!
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Glow
All of the students were engaged with the material and techniques that they have been learning from us and were all at different points in their process. Most of the students had a finished linoleum block and were getting to drawing up their screen print designs and transferring those onto the screens. Everyone seemed happy to be working on their pieces and were not afraid to ask us for help or approach us with any questions they had which means they are comfortable with us.
Grow
I think that for next time we will start clean up at least 10 minutes before the actual end of class. Announcing clean up just 5 minutes before class ends is not enough time for everyone to wash off all their inks and pick up all the linoleum block scraps. Other than this, I think the class went really well overall and it is fun to see what everyone is designing and creating.
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Curiosities, Questions & Curricular Ideas
I think it would be best to set more clear expectations about cleaning and be specific about what needs to be done before students can leave class in addition to announcing clean up time at least 10 minutes before the end.
If I were to do this lesson again I would have a more defined timeline of what students should have done by each class so that everyone is on track to finishing all aspects of the assignment on time.
I wonder if it would be better to have a choice, out of a list of choices, of a fiber piece (eg. hoodie, bag, t-shirt) that students want to alter and have them stick with that piece specifically for the whole project.
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