Kitchen Lithography

Snapshot Explore how chemistry can help you create real art by doing aluminum foil etching with household materials. Logistics Format Delivery Space: Audience: Activity Time: Set-up Clean-up Time: time: Camps Learning Centre Campers Ages 2 hours, plus practice 20 mins 20 mins 7-12 sketches Kids must help. Materials Must have Learning Goals -rollers -basic acid/base chemistry -etching paint -appreciation of process behind art -coca cola -creative expression -vegetable oil -pastels -sponge -old credit cards -water -plexi square -heavy duty aluminum foil -paper towel -scotch tape -tray -gloves -watercolour paper -spray bottle -mirrors -spoons Prep & Setup Prep is VERY important for this program! Ensure materials are very organized. This process is specific, and defined. The creativity and innovation comes in creating the actual canvas piece. Set up: Station 1 Create your Canvas Plexi squares, old credit cards, heavy duty aluminum foil, tape Sample

Station 2 You Draw Pastels, Mirrors, kids can use their sketchbooks for reference. Instructions (see below) Station 3 Chemistry Cocacola, Paper towel, Vegetable Oil. Tray Instructions (see below) Station 4 Printing Etching Paint, Roller, Gloves, spray bottle, watercolour paper (or any paper available), spoons, sponges Instructions (see below) Samples Instructions Throughout the week, have kids do sketches whenever they have time. To start the activity, have campers do an art walk to think about how things are made. What process went into it? Campers will have to be staggered to start the program, because there is not enough materials for everyone to go at once. Thus, pair the activity with an exhibit exploration. Students will proceed through the stations you have set out for them. As the facilitator make sure: -kids wear gloves when using paint -kids are doing steps in order, so they succeed -to encourage turn-taking -to remind kids their final image will be mirrored -to ensure responsible use of materials, especially expensive paint Other Resources: After a day of testing, we used the following videos to help us refine the process to something that would work for us. Here are the original videos to review. They are good for you to see, but not really kid-friendly or helpful since we changed the final process. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meYr67WLV9w http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oShSYmhgIa0 I would LOVE to have the kids create our own how-to video of this process.

ONE Create Your Canvas! Make sure the Matte side of the aluminum is up. Smooth it with the old cards, and tape it at the back. Make sure there are not holes or nicks in your aluminum foil canvas.

TWO You Draw Grab your sketch book and choose your favourite one! Remember that when printing, your final image will be backwards.use the mirrors to help you out. Try NOT to TOUCH THE CANVAS WITH YOUR HAND! JUST have the pastel touch your canvas. Use the full canvas!

THREE Chemistry You must go in order! Step 1 Set your project in the tray. Pour Coca Cola wherever there is pastel. For one minute, move the tray so the Coca Cola washes over your image. Step 2 Take your image out of the tray, and dump the Coca cola into the sink. CAREFULLY dab off any extra. Put a small amount of oil onto a paper towel. Rub your entire canvas. The pastel should come off, but the coke will have burned the image into your aluminum foil! Make sure you can see it.

FOUR Printing Step 1 Roll paint directly onto your aluminum. Wipe off excess with a sponge. Repeat once or twice more, until you can see the paint on just the image you drew and nothing else. Step 2 Spray the watercolour paper with water a few times. Place it onto your aluminum canvas. Be careful not to move it at all! Holding it in place, move the spoon back and forth to push the paint onto your paper. The more you use the spoon, the better your final image will look.