Art and Design · Year 8

Active learning ideas

Collograph Printing Processes

Collograph printing demands tactile experimentation to grasp how material choices and pressure translate into visual effects. Active learning lets students test cause-and-effect relationships directly, turning abstract concepts like depth and repetition into visible results with immediate feedback.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• KS3: Art and Design - Printmaking
• KS3: Art and Design - Relief and Intaglio Processes

• 25–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Peer Teaching
• 45 min · Small Groups

Small Groups: Texture Building Stations

Set up stations with recycled materials grouped by texture: rough (cardboard, grit), linear (string, twigs), soft (fabric, foam). Groups layer three to five items on card bases, test inking and printing at a central press. Rotate stations after 10 minutes, noting depth effects in sketchbooks.

Explain how the process of layering materials creates depth in a print.

Facilitation Tip

During Texture Building Stations, provide pre-cut cardboard strips and fabric scraps so students focus on arrangement, not cutting tools.

What to look for

Provide students with a small sample print from a collograph plate. Ask them to identify two specific materials used to create texture on the plate and explain how they think those materials affected the final print.

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

Activity 02

• Peer Teaching
• 35 min · Pairs

Pairs: Repetition Edition Challenge

Pairs design one plate inspired by urban decay, print five editions varying ink color, pressure, or paper type. Compare results side-by-side, justifying improvements in pattern strength. Photograph editions for digital portfolios.

Justify why repetition is a powerful tool for visual artists.

Facilitation Tip

For the Repetition Edition Challenge, set a timer so pairs produce three distinct impressions in ten minutes to emphasize quick, iterative thinking.

What to look for

Students display their collograph prints. In pairs, they use a checklist: Does the print show evidence of layered materials? Is the ink applied primarily to raised areas? Does the print effectively capture industrial textures? Partners provide one specific suggestion for improvement on the next print.

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

Activity 03

• Peer Teaching
• 25 min · Whole Class

Whole Class: Print Critique Carousel

Display all prints around the room. Students rotate in pairs, using sticky notes to evaluate depth, repetition power, and edition advantages per key questions. Conclude with whole-class vote on standout examples.

Evaluate the advantages of creating multiple versions of the same image.

Facilitation Tip

Run the Print Critique Carousel by posting prints at waist height so students can circle and annotate without bending over.

What to look for

On an index card, students write: 1) One way layering materials created depth in their print. 2) One reason why repeating a shape was effective in their design. 3) One challenge they faced during the printing process.

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

Activity 04

• Peer Teaching
• 30 min · Individual

Individual: Sketch to Plate Transfer

Students sketch industrial patterns first, then build personal collograph plates matching their designs. Test print once, reflect on depth translation in journals before group sharing.

Explain how the process of layering materials creates depth in a print.

Facilitation Tip

Guide the Sketch to Plate Transfer by having students outline their sketches in pencil before gluing materials to avoid messy over-adhesion.

What to look for

Provide students with a small sample print from a collograph plate. Ask them to identify two specific materials used to create texture on the plate and explain how they think those materials affected the final print.

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

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers should model selective inking on a sample plate to show how flat zones remain uninked while raised areas hold color. Avoid demonstrating only perfect prints; instead, show failed trials to normalize revision. Research supports that peer demonstration stations improve skill acquisition faster than whole-class demos alone.

By the end of these activities, students will confidently assemble textured plates, ink selectively to emphasize layers, and critique prints by explaining how materials and repetition contribute to meaning. They will also adjust techniques based on peer and teacher feedback.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Texture Building Stations, students may believe that piling on too many materials will create richer prints.

  Remind students to test one material at a time by pressing a clean sheet over their plate after each addition, so they observe how each layer affects ink transfer directly.

• During Repetition Edition Challenge, students may assume identical prints are boring.

  Have pairs compare their first and third prints side by side, pointing out subtle ink shifts or material displacement to show how repetition rewards careful observation.

• During Print Critique Carousel, students may think hand-pressed prints are inferior to machine-made ones.

  Place a hand-rubbed print next to a spoon-rubbed one on the same plate to demonstrate that consistent pressure yields reliable clarity regardless of tool.

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Methods used in this brief

• Peer Teaching