Day of the Dead: Self Portraits

Day of the Dead: Self Portraits 

1. Description and Rationale:

Students will learn about Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) and how it is traditionally celebrated in Mexico. Utilizing Styrofoam printmaking technique, students will create drawings of personalized sugar candy skulls for themselves, which will serve as self portraits. The drawings will be designed to resemble traditional sugar candy skulls with personal symbols and interests featured as the pattern elements. By drawing their interests into their designs, students make a personal connection with what is important to them. After completion of 5 prints with their self portrait plate, students are required to complete a second plate with another Halloween-themed design.

a.    Instructional Concepts

·      Using symmetrical drawing techniques to imitate the appearance of the decorated sugar candy skulls.

·      Resources: google images, teacher samples

b.    Relation to Life: Sugar candy skulls are traditionally presented as offerings to deceased members of a person’s life – we have modified the owner of the skull to cater to student interests. The subject matter created by students should include personal interests, passions, favorite things, and personality quirks they possess.

2.   Objectives:

General Objectives:

·      Students will learn about Dia de los Muertos

·      Students will understand the origin of sugar candy skulls and traditions surrounding them

·      Students will learn how to create pattern work and symbols from their personal interests and favorite objects.

·      Students will learn how to create printmaking plates and pull 5 high quality original prints.

Artistic and Technical Objectives:

·      Students will view traditional practices from Dia de los Muertos.

·      Students will create an artwork using drawing paper, pencil, sharpie, and their personal interest inventories.

·      Students will learn how to create Styrofoam printing plates as well as the complete process of block printmaking.

3.   Grade Level Content Expectations:

o   ART.VA.II.7.5 Demonstrate reflective thinking practices at an emerging level.

o   ART.VA.V.7.1 Recognize and describe, personal, family, and community connections with artworks at an emerging level.

o   ART.VA.II.8.5 Consistently demonstrate reflective thinking practices when identifying, designing, and solving creative problems.

o   ART.VA.III.8.2 Effectively interpret artwork, searching for embedded meaning, function, and personal connections.

 

4.   Materials Needed:

·      9x6 inch piece of drawing paper

·      pencil

·      sharpie or overhead marker

·      Styrofoam printing plate

·      Ballpoint pen

·      Block printing ink

·      Paint tray for ink

·      Brayer

·      Baren

·      Newspaper

·      Drawing boards

·      Print surface (to be determined)

5. Supportive Instructional Activities

·      Internet research.

·      Discussion of presentation images

o   Traditional and contemporary Dia de los Muertos celebration items

o   Short description of traditional process

o   Teacher samples

o   Demonstrations

Process

1.    Discussion of images: traditional and contemporary Dia de los Muertos celebrations

2.    Students research the holiday and make an interest inventory to reference

3.    Demonstration for symmetrical drawing

4.    Drawing skull design

5.    Tracing skull design into Styrofoam printing plate

6.    Demonstration for inking plate and pulling prints

7.    Demonstration for printmaking clean up

Drawing Process & Script [Breakdown]:

Brainstorming and drawing:

Script: “What interests you? Do you have favorite foods? Music? Places? How can you transform these ideas into images? Shapes? Patterns? Find images that inspire you to create and write.” Draw symmetrically. CHEAT. Create your outline on one side of your drawing paper, trace over that with dark marker, and flip your paper to create the opposite side from your outline. Make your job easier and make your design SYMMETRICAL. You can always add more detail to your print plate.

Transferring drawings to print plates:

Script: “Today we will learn how to transfer our designs onto our printing surface. Use a ballpoint pen and apply even pressure on your existing drawn lines. You should HEAR the Styrofoam giving way under your pen tip and SEE lines pushed into the surface. This should be done slowly and carefully. Try to only draw in one direction to create clean lines and, just like with our xacto knives, only create lines you are comfortable finishing.”

Preparing to print:

Script: “Cover your drawing board in newspaper. Prepare your print surface before inking your plate. Know where you want your print to be on your paper. Make registration marks with tape on your paper, if necessary.”

Printmaking:

Script: “Add a small amount of block printing ink to the tray. Use the brayer to spread an even layer of ink and to take care of any air bubbles in the ink. Apply ink to the front of your plate (the carved side) evenly and carefully with the brayer. Holding your plate by the edges, turn your plate over and line up your stencil with the registration marks on your paper. Use the baren to firmly press down your plate onto your print paper. Remove your plate from the paper CAREFULLY and hang to dry. Repeat process (you need 5 prints total!)”

5. Clean up

6. Display of work and walkabout critiques

5.   Assessment Criteria:

·      Interest inventory completion – along with three inspiration images

·      Well-drawn and designed print plate design

·      Carefully traced and complete print plate

·      5 high-quality prints of each plate design

·      Participation in discussions and informal critiques

Ms. K