Description:
Printing plates made of found objects glued to student profiles provide a foundation for portraits that reveal individual characteristics.

Grade level: Sixth

Stephen Dimitroff, an assistant and model for Rivera, in a 1990 photo, near his 1933 portrait, Detroit Industry north wall. Click the image for more information.

Materials

• Newspaper
  
• White glue
  
• Scissors
  
• Found Objects
  (reflecting our lives) ie. keys, paperclips, buttons, broken jewelry, lace, raffia, charms, medals, nails, screws, washers, sewing machine parts, coins, etc.
  
• Black paper (tissue or other delicate paper - Note: Paper needs to be thin but strong for rubbing)
  
• Metallic crayons (silver, gold, and opalescent work well on black)
  
• Cardboard and cardboard scraps (11 x 14)
  

Procedure

tracing a silhouette on heavy paper (click the image for a larger version)

cutting out silhouettes (click the image for a larger version)

1. Focus a slide projector against a wall so that students may trace each other's silhouette on a sheet of heavy paper or cardboard (or cardboard scraps).
   
   
2. Cut out the cardboard shape (size 11 x 14) and glue it to another piece of cardboard to form the printing plate.
   
   
3. Cut and apply other objects that provide information about the figure you are attempting to describe.
   
   
4. Glue found objects to the plate (coins, feathers, keys, nuts, bolts, nails, etc).
   
   
5. Let the plate dry for at least 24 hours.
   
   
6. Wrap tissue paper around the plate, securing it on the top and bottom with masking tape.
   
   
7. Remove wrappers from crayons.
   
   
8. Gently rub the crayons (held lengthwise) across the plate so that the images appear against the dark paper. Textures may be added to enhance the print by using the tip of the crayon. Use a pattern of lines (parallel or cross-hatching) to create variety.
   

Variations

1. Alter the paper by folding or crumbling, then smoothing it out before rubbing.
   
   
2. Use 2 or 3 crayons, juxtaposing color across the composition.
   
   
3. Using printer's ink and brayer (a hand roller for spreading ink), create a series of prints from collagraphy plate.
   

After found objects are glued to silhouettes, they can be inked. Note the hand tracings students added to these printing plates (click the image for a larger version)

inking silhouettes (click the image for a larger version)

a finished print (click the image for a larger version)