Art and Design · Year 7

Active learning ideas

Collagraphy: Texture Prints

Active learning transforms collagraphy from a concept into a tactile, memorable experience. Students engage with texture directly, making abstract ideas about relief and intaglio concrete through hands-on material sampling and iterative plate building.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• KS3: Art and Design - Printmaking
• KS3: Art and Design - Materials and Techniques

• 30–50 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Stations Rotation
• 45 min · Small Groups

Stations Rotation: Texture Sampling

Prepare stations with materials like corrugated card, lace, leaves, and twine. Students test gluing samples to small card bases, ink them lightly, and print onto scrap paper. Rotate every 10 minutes, noting which textures transfer best and why.

Explain how different materials on a collagraph plate create varied textures in a print.

Facilitation Tip

During Station Rotation: Texture Sampling, set a timer for 3-minute rotations to keep energy high and prevent overhandling of delicate materials like fabric scraps.

What to look for

Ask students to hold up their partially completed collagraph plates. Prompt: 'Point to one material you've used and explain what kind of mark or texture you predict it will make on the print. Why?'

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Activity 02

• Stations Rotation
• 50 min · Pairs

Pairs: Themed Plate Design

Pairs sketch a simple motif, such as a cityscape or animal. They select and layer 5-7 textures to match, build the plate, and produce 3 prints each. Pairs swap one print to critique surface variety.

Design a collagraph plate that incorporates a range of tactile surfaces.

What to look for

Display a student's collagraph print alongside a simple relief print (e.g., lino cut). Ask: 'What are two visual differences you observe between these two prints? How did the plate construction contribute to these differences?'

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Activity 03

• Stations Rotation
• 40 min · Whole Class

Whole Class: Printing Marathon

Students bring completed plates to central tables with ink rollers and presses. Run a production line: one inks, one prints, one cleans. Produce class set of prints for a hallway gallery.

Compare the visual effects of collagraphy with traditional relief printing.

What to look for

Students write on an index card: 'One material I added to my plate was ______, and I expect it to create a ______ (e.g., rough, smooth, raised) texture because ______.'

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Activity 04

• Stations Rotation
• 30 min · Individual

Individual: Texture Journal

Each student documents their plate construction with photos or sketches, annotating material choices and predicted effects. After printing, add final prints with reflections on surprises.

Explain how different materials on a collagraph plate create varied textures in a print.

What to look for

Ask students to hold up their partially completed collagraph plates. Prompt: 'Point to one material you've used and explain what kind of mark or texture you predict it will make on the print. Why?'

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teach collagraphy as a process of controlled experimentation rather than precision crafting. Focus on guiding students to notice cause and effect between material properties and print outcomes, using quick test prints to build intuition. Avoid over-directing; let mistakes become learning moments through reflective discussion after printing.

Students will confidently select and arrange materials to create intentional textures, demonstrate safe use of tools and inks, and critically evaluate how plate construction affects print quality. Success looks like varied, deliberate marks on prints that reflect informed choices.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Station Rotation: Texture Sampling, watch for students assuming all textures produce the same print effect.

  Have students make two prints side by side from a raised texture (like corrugated cardboard) and a flat one (like sanded wood). Ask them to describe the differences in line weight and tone before moving on.

• During Pairs: Themed Plate Design, watch for students treating collagraphy like lino or woodcut relief printing.

  Provide both a collagraph plate and a simple lino cut for students to compare before designing. Ask them to list two ways their collagraph plate will behave differently under pressure than the lino.

• During Whole Class: Printing Marathon, watch for students believing more materials always make a better plate.

  Before inking, have students hold their plates up to the light and point out areas where textures overlap. Ask them to predict which areas might muddy their prints and adjust by removing or isolating textures.

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Methods used in this brief

• Stations Rotation