Trash day and I hustled to flatten boxes and set out the bins before heading to teach at American International College. The day before I had spontaneously decided to teach an introductory block print lesson to my History of Art class.
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| Trash Can Packing Box Trash |
I had chosen a simple pattern to teach. However, I fell in love with this gorgeous cardboard nest for my recently purchased cylindrical trash can.
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| Patterned Seat |
Within hours of this discovery, I had deconstructed the pattern into elemental shapes and taught a one hour introduction to block printing. As I Certified Zentangle Teacher, I am familiar with this process of noticing patterns in the world and then teaching workshop participants how to draw them.
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| The Prof's Show and Tell |
As students printed their carved blocks, I inked the bottom of the cardboard packaging and pushed it down on paper.
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| Not a Deep Impression |
After this first iteration, I refined my creative process by applying more ink...
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| Packaging Totem |
... and this time pressing the paper down onto the upturned inked cardboard.
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| That's What I am Talking About |
Here are some results from students:
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| A Complement to Looking at Art |
A novice printer "accidentally" moved his block while printing, laying down two slightly offset impressions, creating this lovely, energized offering. Where would we be without mistakes?
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| Only Way to Learn is to Live (Chapter Title from The Midnight Library) |
John Nordell teaches courses in the Visual and Digital Arts Program that he created at American International College in Springfield, Mass. He blogs about the creative process at CreateLookEnjoy.com
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