Mark-Making for Texture

Active learning works well for this topic because collograph printing requires students to physically manipulate materials and see immediate cause-and-effect relationships between texture and print quality. The tactile nature of building plates and operating the press helps students internalize abstract concepts like relief and pressure through direct experience.

• Year 8
• Art and Design
• 3 activities
• 25 min–60 min

Learning Objectives

1. Analyze how specific mark-making tools and techniques create the visual illusion of different textures.
2. Compare the effectiveness of stippling, cross-hatching, and scumbling in rendering the tactile qualities of rust and peeling paint.
3. Design a controlled series of marks to communicate the visual characteristics of cracked concrete.
4. Evaluate the success of their own and peers' mark-making in simulating urban decay textures.

Inquiry Circle

⏱ 50 min·Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: The Plate Build

In small groups, students are given a 'mystery bag' of industrial waste (washers, mesh, card). They must collaborate to build a printing plate that features at least three different levels of relief, testing the height with their fingers.

Prepare & details

Analyze how different mark-making techniques can evoke specific tactile qualities.

Facilitation Tip: During Collaborative Investigation, circulate with a small ruler to gently remind students that plate thickness should match a postcard rather than a block of wood.

Setup: Groups at tables with access to source materials

Materials: Source material collection, Inquiry cycle worksheet, Question generation protocol, Findings presentation template

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Stations Rotation

⏱ 60 min·Small Groups

Stations Rotation: The Inking Lab

Students rotate through three inking stations: one for 'intaglio' (wiping ink into the grooves), one for 'relief' (rolling ink on the surface), and one for 'ghost printing' (using the leftover ink from a previous print).

Prepare & details

Compare the visual effects of cross-hatching, stippling, and scumbling in rendering texture.

Setup: Tables/desks arranged in 4-6 distinct stations around room

Materials: Station instruction cards, Different materials per station, Rotation timer

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

Gallery Walk

⏱ 25 min·Whole Class

Gallery Walk: The Edition Review

Students display their series of prints. The class walks around and uses 'critique cards' to identify which print has the best 'industrial' atmosphere and why, focusing on the use of texture and repetition.

Prepare & details

Design a series of marks that effectively communicate the feeling of a rough, weathered surface.

Setup: Wall space or tables arranged around room perimeter

Materials: Large paper/poster boards, Markers, Sticky notes for feedback

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Teaching This Topic

Teach this topic by letting students experiment with failure first, then guiding them to refine their approach. Research shows that when students see variation as part of the process, they take more creative risks. Avoid over-correcting early prints; instead, frame mistakes as opportunities to learn about texture and pressure. Model safe handling of the press to prevent damage and build confidence.

What to Expect

Successful learning looks like students who can confidently select and combine materials to create intentional textures, adjust plate height for safe printing, and discuss how their choices affect the final print. They should also begin to recognize subtle differences between textures and articulate their effects.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During Collaborative Investigation, watch for students who build plates that are too high.

What to Teach Instead

Gently remind them to compare their plate thickness to a postcard. Offer a ruler to measure and adjust plate height before inking, explaining that subtle textures often print more clearly than bulky ones.

Common Misconception

During Station Rotation, watch for students who expect every print to match their first one exactly.

What to Teach Instead

Encourage them to experiment with monoprinting techniques, such as adding a second layer of ink or dragging a tool through wet ink, to embrace variation and enhance the industrial aesthetic.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

After Collaborative Investigation, provide students with three small squares of paper. Ask them to dedicate each square to demonstrating rust, peeling paint, and cracked concrete using only one mark-making technique (stippling, cross-hatching, or scumbling). Assess for clear attempts to simulate the specified textures.

Discussion Prompt

During Gallery Walk, display student work side-by-side showing different approaches to rendering the same texture. Ask: Which artwork most effectively communicates the feeling of rough, weathered concrete? What specific marks did the artist use that make it successful?

Exit Ticket

During Station Rotation, have students write on an index card two different mark-making techniques they used today and describe one specific texture they attempted to represent with each technique.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge students who finish early to create a second plate that intentionally exaggerates texture for a dramatic monoprint effect, using only one material.
• Scaffolding for students who struggle: Provide pre-cut shapes (circles, squares) to arrange on the plate if they struggle with freeform building.
• Deeper exploration: Introduce a 'print layering' challenge where students build a second plate with contrasting textures and print it over their first edition to explore industrial layering effects.

Key Vocabulary

Mark-making	The process of applying marks to a surface using various tools and methods. It focuses on the action of making marks and the resulting visual qualities.
Visual Texture	The way a surface appears to feel, as depicted through visual elements in a drawing or artwork. It imitates tactile texture.
Stippling	Creating tonal or shading effects by using small dots. The density and proximity of the dots suggest different values and textures.
Cross-hatching	Using intersecting sets of parallel lines to create tone and texture. The direction and density of the lines indicate form and surface quality.
Scumbling	Using scribbled, circular, or random marks to build up tone and texture. This technique can suggest rough or uneven surfaces.