Alex,
grade nine
black and white with no other values or shading. These images were
transferred to the block with transfer
paper.
The original assignment called
for students to produce a series of six
good, clean prints. Each print was to
be on a different color paper with a
different color
ink. Each of the
four prints were
to be mounted
on yet another
color of paper
and trimmed
so that a very
small border (or
halo) remained, imitating the halation technique employed in some
pop art.
Finally, the four prints were
mounted on black mat board in one
of three ways: four horizontally, four
vertically, or two and two in a square,
leaving a border of black all around.
A fifth print was created by merging
two or more other prints to create a
unique image. This merged print was
finished in the same way as the previous four, but mounted on a scrap of
foam board in order to “float” above
them. It was placed in the center area
of the four prints.
Moving to Three Dimensions
I created 6" ( 15 cm) foam board cubes,
assembling them with straight pins.
When finished they resembled a cube-
shaped “blank canvas.” Students were
instructed to
make extra
prints and to
experiment
with different
types of papers
such as news-
paper, maga-
zine pages,
wrapping papers, brown Kraft paper,
and rice paper in preparation for the
second part of the project. They were
very enthusiastic about finding new
paper possibilities.
Once all of the first linoleum
prints were completed and on display,
students were each given a blank, six-sided cube. The new challenge was
to make their YouCube completely
different and unique from every other
one in the class. They were to cover
the six sides of their cube with six
entirely different prints.
I was inspired to have students
create a three-dimensional
“YouCube” using their linoleum
prints as an extension of the
original project
The prints could extend into the
realm of collage and mixed media by
the addition of other materials such
as ribbon, tooled metal, string, wire,
buttons, sequins, small found objects,
etc. The additions, however, could not
be so large that they prevented the
cube from sitting flat on every side.
One of the six prints was to include
written text in the negative spaces of
the face such as a journal entry, but
could be song lyrics, poetry, etc. At
least one should be a composite or
“merger” of several prints, but in a
different way from the first project.
A third required print was to be
done on patterned paper of some kind,
and the remaining three prints were
open to students’ ideas, but all six
were to be completely different from
each other. Other media such as colored pencil, pastel, ink, or paint could
also be added.
Students responded to this assignment with great enthusiasm. The
variety of results was very broad and
even exceeded my expectations. The
original finished print
projects, along with
the YouCubes piled
like blocks, created a
