GRAPHIC INTRODUCTION 4: CRAYON DUO PRINTS

     Very simple art materials can effect excellent graphics by combining art media. This particular unit involves three 9" x 12" designs: print, mixed media and interval.

Click on images for larger views.

   A DUO-PRINT is made by preparing a color plate and transferring those colors by pressure to another print paper. The left image is a pencil drawing on a very smooth, shiny paper--the kind suited for India Ink. This is also the print paper. Another paper of ordinary drawing stock, is then heavily covered with crayons of all desired colors except BLACK as in the top right image.

   The drawing is placed over the colored background FACE UP. Top edges are stapled together in the scrap margin area leaving the bottom edges open. Using a ball point pen, the drawing is firmly traced. Lifting the bottom edge shows the colors being transferred becoming the final print, left bottom. The bottom right image is the colored background plate showing the colors removed in the resulting white areas.

   As the print is being made, one can add stronger color to the plate at any time, to make the print clearer or darker. That was the purpose of the black crayon in the last image, which was added to give more emphasis to the shells. Essentially, there are now 2 designs---the negative background plate, and the print. This completes PART 1.

   The duo print offers a combination of line and texture drawing as well as printing. More prints can be made by recharging the background plate with heavy crayon color. Thinned tempera paint presents a very strong black contrast accentuating the bright wax colors. The left image shows the difference of paint/no paint application. It was a student choice.

   The colored background plate can be recycled into an "interval" design. The area is cut apart into interesting planned or unplanned segments. Each piece must have a small amount of its edges removed to create the interval. All shapes are reassembled and attached to a 9 x 12 black construction paper. The duo-print offers several design opportunities to explore.