What is frottage?
From the French frotter, to rub, frottage is an art technique popularized by surrealist artists at the beginning of the 20th century.
At it simplest, frottage is done by lying a thin sheet of paper on a textured surface and gently “rubbing” over it with a soft pencil to highlight the embossed texture.
You can find more info about the history and application of this technique here.
Frottage can be done with many different supports and pigments. For this project, we are using the printmaking ink and rollers technique.
I have previously dedicated a post on how to make color theory more fun and intuitive. Clearly, Kandinsky is the perfect artist to reference when discussing colors. However, the monochromatic quality of frottage is perfect to reflect on a different aspect of his art: shapes and composition.
Why should you try this activity?
The concept is quite simple: cut out abstract paper shapes and rub some pigment onto them. Children of all ages can enjoy this technique and create artworks with various levels of complexity. The sky is the limit!
*Bonus point: this activity is also a great way to make use of leftover paper.*
How to get started with cut-out paper frottage art (wow, that’s a mouthful!)
1 sheet of watercolor paper
2 sheets of “used” watercolor paper (dirty, drawn, tore, thick paper works perfectly)
Pencil for drawing
Glue (I used common stick glue, but Elmer’s liquid glue works just as well)
Printmaking ink in darker shades. Like most times, I enjoy using Marie’s colors. However, the one I used is oil based and hard to remove. I believe it’s better for artworks, but I wholeheartedly recommend using water-based printmaking ink when working with kids.
Spare ceramic tile or acrylic board, plus solvent for cleaning.
Frottage tools: I found that the rounded edge of color containers work pretty well.
Reference material if you wish to use it. “Vibrationen 160“, “Violett,” and “Blue Painting” are some of my favorite paintings for this project.
Use one of the dirty papers to draw shapes inspired by the artist’s work. No need to be too precise, some outlines will do. Remember however to separate each detail and layer into different shapes.
Cut out the shapes, keep related pieces organized together. Don’t throw away scrap paper away too soon: save them to add some extra pieces and details, or for the kids that might be running a little behind.
Arrange and glue the paper in place onto the remaining sheet of reclaimed paper; a bit of glue in the back will do. Note: the size of this paper will determine the size of your final print: I like to size it a couple of inches smaller than my final artwork paper to leave a clean white frame around the print.
Once the paint is evenly spread, you can start rolling over the paper composition.
When using oil based ink, I am usually the one preparing the pigments, with the exeption of more experienced print-making students. Start by squeezing a glop of paint on the tile and spread it out with the roll. You will note how sticky this paint is. That’s why is paramount to use a roller instead of a brush!
The painting should be applied evenly and rolled in multiple directions to minimize white spots.
turn the negative onto your final paper making sure not to slide it over
The paint doesn’t need to be too thick, but try to roll in multiple directions to minimize white spaces around cut-out shapes. Print-making ink dries very slowly, so there is no need to rush through this process. Once you are happy with the coverage，flip the paper in place onto your clean watercolor paper. Be careful not to move it until you are done rubbing.
Press and rub the back of the negative onto the paper making sure to cover every spot. I like to use a paint container, but any rounded item would do.
Carefully lift a corner for a quick peek!
Now comes the fun part! Using a rounded plastic tool, rub the back of your negative print. To transfer as much detail as possible, make sure to press on the edge of the shapes particularly well. Now and then, check on your progress by carefully lifting the corners. Be careful however not to move the negative. Children are surprisingly curious (duh) and will want to peek over and over again; to minimize the risk of shifting the negative, I like to use a little bit of paper tape to hold it in place.
Once you are happy with the level of details, carefully lift the negative. Hang the print to dry; it will take up to 72 hours to dry completely if you used oil based ink, so some patience is necessary. The brilliant news, is that tThe negative can be used over and over again to create new prints. You can even use different printing colors once the negative has dried.
So this is how I have come about frottage printmaking with my students. I personally enjoy this class for how easy it is to adapt it to different age groups, and also, I love the polished look that print-making artworks have.
What do you think? Have you tried frottage in your projects before? What is your experience? Would love to hear your suggestions and feedbacks in the comment section.
Frottage ni nini? "Kutoka kwa Kifaransa ""frotter"" kwa ""kufagia,"" frottage ni mbinu ya sanaa iliyopendekezwa na wasanii wa surrealist mwanzoni mwa karne ya 20. """ Kwa njia rahisi zaidi, frottage hufanywa kwa kuweka karatasi nyembamba kwenye uso wenye muundo na kwa upole <unk>kutikisa<unk> juu yake kwa penseli laini ili kusisitiza muundo uliochongwa. Unaweza kupata habari zaidi kuhusu historia na matumizi ya mbinu hii hapa. Frottage inaweza kufanywa kwa msaada mbalimbali na rangi. Kwa ajili ya mradi huu, sisi ni kutumia uchapishaji wino na rollers mbinu. Mimi hapo awali kujitolea post juu ya jinsi ya kufanya nadharia rangi zaidi ya furaha na intuitive. Ni wazi kwamba Kandinsky ndiye msanii bora wa kutaja tunapozungumzia rangi. Hata hivyo, ubora wa monochromatic wa frottage ni kamilifu kutafakari juu ya kipengele tofauti cha sanaa yake: maumbo na utungaji. Kwa nini unapaswa kujaribu utendaji huu? Wazo hilo ni rahisi sana: kata maumbo ya karatasi yasiyoeleweka na kutikisa rangi fulani juu yake. Watoto wa umri wote wanaweza kufurahia mbinu hiyo na kutengeneza michoro yenye viwango mbalimbali vya utata. Mbingu ndiyo kikomo! * Bonus point: shughuli hii pia ni njia nzuri ya kutumia karatasi iliyobaki. * Jinsi ya kuanza na kuchonga nje karatasi frottage sanaa (wow, kwamba ni kinywa kamili!) 1 karatasi ya rangi ya maji 2 karatasi ya rangi ya maji ya kutumiwa (karatasi chafu, iliyochorwa, iliyokatwa, ya unene inafanya kazi kikamilifu) Kalamu ya kuchora Glue (Nilitumia gundi ya kawaida ya fimbo, lakini gundi ya kioevu ya Elmer inafanya kazi sawa) Wino wa uchapishaji katika vivuli vyenye giza. Kama mara nyingi, ninafurahia kutumia rangi za Marie. Hata hivyo, ile niliyotumia ni ya mafuta na ni vigumu kuiondoa. Ninaamini ni bora kwa ajili ya kazi za sanaa, lakini mimi wholeheartedly kupendekeza kutumia maji-msingi printmaking wino wakati wa kufanya kazi na watoto. Vipande vya ziada vya kauri au ubao wa akriliki, pamoja na kioevu cha kusafisha. Frottage zana: Niligundua kwamba makali ya mviringo ya vyombo rangi kazi pretty vizuri. Vifaa vya kumbukumbu ikiwa unataka kuvitumia. "Vibrating, ""Vibrating"" na ""Vibrating"" ni baadhi ya michoro ya kuvutia zaidi ya mwaka huu." Tumia mojawapo ya karatasi chafu kuchora maumbo yaliyochochewa na kazi ya msanii. Hakuna haja ya kuwa sahihi sana, baadhi ya maelezo ya jumla yatatosha. Hata hivyo kumbuka kutenganisha kila maelezo na safu katika maumbo tofauti. Kata maumbo, weka vipande vinavyohusiana vikiwa vimeandaliwa pamoja. Je, si kutupa mbali scrap karatasi mbali mapema sana: kuhifadhi yao kuongeza baadhi ya vipande vya ziada na maelezo, au kwa ajili ya watoto ambao wanaweza kuwa mbio kidogo nyuma. Panga na gundi karatasi mahali pake kwenye karatasi iliyobaki ya karatasi iliyopatikana; kidogo ya gundi nyuma itafanya. Ukubwa wa karatasi ya mwisho huamua ukubwa wa uchapishaji wako wa mwisho, kwa hivyo ni muhimu kuamua ukubwa wa karatasi ya mwisho ili kuondoa sura nyeupe ya karatasi. Mara rangi inaposambazwa kwa usawa, unaweza kuanza kugeuza karatasi hiyo. Ninapotumia wino wa mafuta, kwa kawaida mimi ndiye ninayepanga rangi, isipokuwa wanafunzi wenye uzoefu zaidi wa uchapishaji. Anza kwa kufagia glop ya rangi juu ya tile na kueneza nje na roll. Utaona jinsi rangi hii inavyoambatana. Hiyo ndiyo sababu ni muhimu kutumia roller badala ya brush! Mchoro huo unapaswa kutumiwa kwa usawa na kupinduliwa katika pande nyingi ili kupunguza madoa meupe. Kurejea hasi juu ya karatasi yako ya mwisho kuhakikisha si slide juu ya rangi haina haja ya kuwa nene sana, lakini kujaribu roll katika pande nyingi ili kupunguza nafasi nyeupe karibu cut-nje maumbo. Wino wa kuchapisha hukauka polepole sana, kwa hiyo hakuna haja ya kukimbilia kufanya hivyo. Mara baada ya kufurahishwa na chanjo, flip karatasi katika mahali juu ya karatasi yako safi watercolor. Jihadharini usihamishe mpaka umemaliza kutikisa. Bonyeza na kutikisa nyuma ya hasi juu ya karatasi kuhakikisha kufunika kila doa. Ninapenda kutumia chombo cha rangi, lakini kitu chochote chenye umbo la mviringo kingeweza kutumika. Kwa uangalifu kuinua kona kwa ajili ya peek haraka! Sasa inakuja sehemu yenye kufurahisha! Kwa kutumia kifaa cha plastiki chenye umbo la mviringo, nyunyizia nyuma ya chapa yako mbaya. Ili kuhamisha maelezo mengi iwezekanavyo, hakikisha kushinikiza kwenye ukingo wa maumbo hasa vizuri. Mara kwa mara, angalia maendeleo yako kwa kuinua pembe hizo kwa uangalifu. Hata hivyo, uwe mwangalifu usihamishe picha hiyo hasi. Watoto ni kushangaza curious (duh) na itabidi wanataka peek juu na juu tena; kupunguza hatari ya kuhamisha hasi, napenda kutumia kidogo ya mkanda wa karatasi kushikilia mahali pake. Mara tu unaporidhika na kiwango cha maelezo, ondoa kwa uangalifu picha hiyo mbaya. Kufuta kwa wino wa mafuta huchukua muda wa masaa 72 au zaidi, kwa hivyo unahitaji kuwa na subira. Habari nzuri ni kwamba negative inaweza kutumika tena na tena ili kuunda prints mpya. Unaweza hata kutumia rangi tofauti za kuchapisha baada ya negative kukauka. Kwa hivyo, hii ni jinsi nilivyoanza kufanya uchapishaji wa frottage na wanafunzi wangu. Mimi binafsi ninafurahia darasa hili kwa jinsi rahisi ni kurekebisha kwa makundi tofauti ya umri, na pia, mimi upendo polished kuangalia kwamba kuchapisha kazi za sanaa kuwa. Unafikiri ni nini? Je, umewahi kujaribu frottage katika miradi yako kabla? Uzoefu wako ni nini? Ningependa kusikia mapendekezo yako na maoni katika sehemu ya maoni.