II The Chop and Relief Print

A four to five day lesson plan for 8th grade by Sue Lindemulder

The purpose is to use the chop to create a multicolored relief print. This project should take 2 to 3 days to complete.

Materials:

A carved chop
Colored water base markers
12" X 18" Paper (Use a light weight paper so that a grid can be seen through from beneath.)
A grid appropriate to the size of the chop

(To create a grid draw horizontal and vertical lines that are the size of the chop or slightly smaller. Use only whole boxes. Trace over the lines with a black marker. Xerox one for each. )

Procedure:

Center and tape the grid beneath the print paper. The grid should be visible through thru the paper.
Students will choose two contrasting colored markers. Students should plan to do all of the stamping with one color before beginning with the second color.
The chops may be printed in one of several chop placements:
- All chop prints printed in the same direction
- Alternate top to bottom (stripes)
- Slide (checkerboard)
- Rotate (turn as the hands of the clock)
Apply marker to the surface of the chop and press within the grid on the paper. Students need a color plan as well as chop placement plan. Students might use stripes of color, a checkerboard of color, frames of color, a spiral or chevron pattern. A plan must be decided on before the print is started. If the markers are fresh 2 or 3 print s can be made before re-inking. Test markers first.