31 Days of Children's Books Inspired by Artists- DAY 6: Klee

Title: The Cat and the Bird
Estimated time: 45 minutes-1 hour
Project: Paul Klee Relief Printmaking
About the artist:(1879-1940) Paul Klee (pronounced CLAY) was born in Switzerland. His mom and dad both were musical. Klee loved art at a young age. In 1911, he met a few other famous artists that influenced his work and joined the Der Blaue Reiter (The Blue Rider) group. This group included Kandinsky and Marc. It was fundamental to the expressionist movement.
Summary: Read The Cat and the Bird, then study Klee's work. Follow this lesson to create prints inspired by Paul Klee.
Objectives: Identify the elements of art (line, shape, form, space, value, texture and color), Understand and apply media, techniques, and processes, Understand the visual arts in relation to history and cultures.
Vocabulary: Brayer: A roller usually made of rubber with which ink is applied to surface of plate, Plate: The surface on which the image is created, Press: Machine that creates pressure to transfer the image from the plate to paper, Artist's Proof:, Edition: Set of prints that are identical, signed and numbered.

Supplies for Printmaking :

• Card stock or construction paper
• Cardboard, Cereal boxes work well too!
• Foam sheets (found in kids section at craft store)
• Glue, if sheets are sticky back
• Ink or acrylic paint works just fine
• Scissors
• Brayer/roller or ink pads
• Scrap cardboard or styrofoam plate.

Twittering Machine: 1922, Cat and Bird: 1928, Castle and the Sun: 1928

 

What shapes do you see? What colors are the shapes? Do they look realistic? How do they make you feel? Can you count all the shapes in the Castle and the Sun painting? Do you have any questions you would've liked to ask Paul Klee?

Paul Klee Prints:

1. Cut: cardboard to size and cut foam sheets into different shapes. 
2. Glue foam shapes onto cardboard. We arranged ours in a bird shape and castles.
   But you can get creative! Allow to dry a couple minutes.
   
3. Squirt a line of paint on your scrap cardboard or styrofoam plate. You can try multi-colored line too, just keep rolling in the same direction.
4. Roll your brayer in the paint, making sure to coat the whole roller.
   
5. Once you have your image covered with a thin coat it's time to flip it!
6. Place face down on your paper.
7. Press firmly. Try to not let it shift. You can turn it over and rub gently with palm of the hand to make sure it gets enough pressure.
   
8. Carefully lift the plate from paper. When first layer of paint is dry you can add another layer and make more prints!
   
9. Voila! A Paul Klee inspired print. 
   
    
   These images are suitable for children, please be aware when doing a search for artists you may find imagery that is not age appropriate.  

TIP: Make multiple prints from your plate. Sign the bottom and number. You number them in order so, if you make 10, the first one you make will have 1/10, second will be 2/10 and so on. How many are in your edition?
31 Children's Books Inspired by Artists