Day 5 – First Layers, Fake Nails, and Forearms

Day 5 – First Layers, Fake Nails, and Forearms

So today was a day where things finally started clicking. Teaching a process where things sound backwards is sometimes nearly impossible. Getting students over the hump of idea struggling and color choices is soon over. Today students started cutting their plates and printing their first colored layer. Seeing that first color being applied to the paper started getting them excited, no turning back now!

But with every positive insight is a not to positive one. Comments of sore hands, not being able to draw, or cut straight lines fill the classroom. One student today was even trying to opt out of the project today because she had just gotten her nails done the day before. As a woman I never want to stand in the way of anyone looking their best, but sometimes nails must be sacrificed for the sack of art. Physical beauty and art can go hand in hand, when students spoke about their hands hurting, I informed them how printmaking is a great workout for our hands and forearms. Outrage from the girls came yelling out, but then they proceeded to tell me how nice my forearms where.

 When it comes down to it we all have our different preferences. One student told me today he's really enjoying using his brain in a different way, that creating his plate takes time but he's finding it calming. I tell them printmaking is something not meant for everyone, but they don't know that until they are forced to. At the end of the day what does warm my heart is being asked if they are allowed to take carving tools home to work, sometimes a TV and carving are two things that go hand in hand.

Every student has their own self portrait idea:

List of Self Portrait Ideas:

Flowers

Heart

Hockey Sticks 

Chicken Wing

Darth Vader

Skeletons

Dogs

Shoes

Ballet

Maps

Crying Faces

This is just a super short list of what our 90 students define as themselves. What image would you pick to represent you?

Students at the end of this residency will have one of their prints placed into a permanent installation inside the school but also their work will be on display at the Filln' Station Coffeehouse for the month of January. Students are doing great, they're learning to think independently and how it's important to use both sides of their brains, which to be honest I still need to learn.