Fourth Grades and DCS Middles go from Monoprints to Altered Prints

To make the monoprint, we used brayers to roll water-soluble printing ink directly onto our cleared-off desks. With cotton swabs, brush handles, and gloved fingers we drew quickly into the ink. Putting a piece of contrast-color paper on top, we rubbed it gently all over and gently pulled up to reveal our print.
Usually only one print (mono = one) can be made this way, sometimes there is enough ink for another one.
Because the image we draw in the wet ink is reversed in the print, it was requested that no letters or numbers be included. But some of us wanted to practice backwards-writing.
The ink dries fast, so we can put a new color on top for the next print without cleaning the desk. The layers of colors show through as we scratch into them, adding depth and mystery.
The prints are set aside to dry thoroughly. I mounted some prints to large sheets of colored paper.
Our next session: using a ruler, we drew parallel lines dividing our prints into strips, then numbered them. We used our scissors to carefully cut the strips apart, then laid alternating strips of two different prints on two large contrast-color sheets of paper.

Gluesticks were used to attach the strips to form two new altered, or changed, prints. Some students then created more altered prints with different-sized and shaped strips and pieces. An important step is mounting (I used a stapler) prints to a large contrast or complementary color sheet, to frame it and intensify the color. Presentation is vital! Then all prints are displayed on the wall.
Some altered prints are serene and quiet, some are jazzy and excited.

Discovery Community School Middles, Secret Identities: self-portraits in costume

Artists have been creating self portraits for many years. Sandburg Fourth Graders and DCS Middles drew their self portraits in a costume of their own design.

First we drew a basic face lightly in pencil, paying attention to getting the proportions of the features correct.

Then we circulated around the boxes of hats, sunglasses, scarves, belts, vests and shirts. Everyone looked in the large mirrors and combined the elements until they expressed themselves in a costume.

Then we returned to our basic drawings and began to add our costume shapes to our self portraits. Continuing to look in the mirror, we added hair and eye color, individual features, and then color with crayons and markers.