Activity
Woodcut & Linocut
Part of the
Graphic Pull:
Contemporary Prints from the Collection
lesson plan
Synopsis
This activity is part of the Graphic Pull: Contemporary Prints from the Collection lesson plan that came out of a Nasher Museum exhibition of the same name. More specifically, we will focus on linocuts, a relief printmaking process. Through this activity we’ll consider the relationship between the medium of printmaking and its subject matter as a means for exploring why artists pursue a form of art-making that results in multiples, or more than one printed work, to convey their message.
- Downloads
- Woodcut and Linocut Activity (pdf)
DIRECTIONS
Browse the Nasher Collection to find other examples of relief prints. In the search field, type in, “woodcut” or “linocut.” Although woodcut and linocut are categorized separately, both are considered relief printmaking processes. As you look at the various images, consider the following questions.
- What kinds of images are produced using woodcut and linocut?
- Read the labels. For each print, note the date, artist, medium, label text, provenance (the history of the sale of the artwork over time), credit line (how the piece entered the museum’s collection; was it a donation or a purchase?) Think about time period (is the work from the sixteenth century, nineteenth century, twenty-first century?) as well as culture and region.
- How would you describe the artist(s) attitude towards their subject? What meaning is being conveyed?
- Are some images easier to understand? Why or why not? Why do you think that is?
- To your twenty-first century eyes, which images are most legible? Why?
- In your opinion, which images are most relevant to today’s society and culture? Why or why not?