cyanotypes in elementary school

[removed account4]

i was invited again to be a guest by our local grammar school's art teacher.
2 years ago it was a 5th grade
... today i worked with 20 or so 4th graders
... they made cyanotype photograms.

and in 2 weeks i'll be doing this with a 2nd grade class as well.

when they saw the images turn blue, it blew their minds.

 

[BrianShaw]

That is a wonderful experience for those kids!

 

[Newt_on_Swings]

I did this over the summer with my classes, it's very fun indeed! We first did a scavenger hunt for items to print, and then took turns using a few sheets of plexiglas to expose them in the park. We also made book markers too by first trimming the paper into strips then exposing/wash/dry and mounted then on strips of mat board.

I recommend to buy the sun print kits and self coating is messy and can stain.

 

[SuzanneR]

Sounds fun!

 

[BradS]

How fun!

 

[Oxleyroad]

i was invited again to be a guest by our local grammar school's art teacher.
2 years ago it was a 5th grade
... today i worked with 20 or so 4th graders
... they made cyanotype photograms.

and in 2 weeks i'll be doing this with a 2nd grade class as well.

when they saw the images turn blue, it blew their minds.

This is like how I was introduced to photography, and both my son and daughter. In my case my father used an old soup bowls for the developer, another for the fixer, a bucket of water and a contact printer set out on the garage floor. When I saw the picture appear on the paper in developer I thought dad was magic. Then he showed me how easy it was to do myself. I was in kindergarten 1973. I still remember it vividly.

I have done the cyanatype sun kits with my kids when they were about 4 and the look on their face was priceless. The remainder of the kit does not last long once the first print is done. They are now 7 and 5 years old asking to make pictures in the dark room rather than watch TV. A nice problem to have.

I feel the key is to show the young children these processes in a fun way, and they will never forget the moment.

 

[removed account4]

yeah, its fun

 

[davido]

I don't recall the details but a good friend did something similar with his daughter's elementary school class. He brought in a banner sized piece of canvas. It was coated and the children were asked to bring in items and they did a large photogram outside (which also included themselves). The banner was then hung permanently in the school.
My kids are now of school age, so I hope to do something like this. It would be to inspire them with the magic of "old school" photography.

 

[aleksmiesak]

How fun! I have to remember to do that with my boyfriend's kids, they would love it!

 

[Vaughn]

When teaching older kids (about 11 yrs old thru high school) I first had the kids make pin hole cameras out of old 250 sheet boxes of 8x10 photopaper. We used 8x10 litho film, and then we made cyanotypes from those negatives. A lot of fun!

Freestyle once sold squares of cloth be soaked in the cyanotype chemicals -- I had the students print their pinholes onto those and we strung them on a line -- sort of like Buddhist prayer flags.