Lesson video

Hi, I'm Miss Miah.

Thank you so much for joining me in this art lesson.

I hope you really enjoy it.

Let's begin.

Today, you will cut bold shapes and print powerful words to create a protest placard.

Your keywords are on the screen now, and I'd like you to repeat them after me.

Placard.

Protest.

Symbol.

Super.

Let's find out what these words mean.

Placard: a large sign, often held in a protest, used to share a clear message through words, shapes, and colors.

Protest.

A protest is when people come together to show they support or oppose something, often using signs, chants, or art to express their views.

Symbol: an object, shape, or image that stands for or represents an ideal meaning.

Super.

Let's move on.

This lesson title is "Cut, color, speak: Pop Art placards for protest." There are three lesson cycles in this lesson.

Our first lesson cycle, we will be cutting stencils and print with shapes.

Then we're going to move on designing a placard with paper cuts and words.

And lastly, we're going to screen-print our placard with words and symbols.

I'm super excited and I hope you are too.

Let's begin.

What matters to you enough to share and speak out on a sign? Sometimes people share their concerns or opinions using signs as part of a protest.

A protest is when people come together to show they care about something.

It can mean asking for change or showing support for a cause.

Sometimes this happens by walking together, sometimes by writing letters, or by holding up signs with clear messages.

People have used placards and banners for hundreds of years to share messages and ask for change.

Historically, the suffragettes marched for the right to vote, carrying bold purple, white, and green banners.

During the anti-apartheid marches, people held signs calling for equality.

People have used placards and banners for hundreds of years to share messages and ask for change.

Today, families join climate marches to show care for the Earth.

Even at school, a group might make signs to save a playground or share kindness.

Over to you.

True or false? People have only used placards in modern times to share messages.

Is this true or is this false? What do you think? You can pause the video here and click play when you're ready to rejoin us.

So what did you get? If you got false, that is correct.

Well done.

Why do you think this is? You can pause the video here again.

People have used placards and banners for hundreds of years, from the suffragettes fighting for voting rights to people protesting apartheid and asking for equality.

Placards are big, bold signs.

They work because you can see them from far away, and one word or picture can say a lot very quickly.

Not everyone can read words, but most people can understand symbols like a heart, peace sign, or a recycling logo.

That makes your message clear for everyone.

Pop art was an art style that used bright colors, bold shapes, and everyday words or pictures, like adverts and comics, to make art feel modern and eye-catching.

Just like pop artists, you can use color, shape, and symbols on your placard to make people stop, look, and think.

You could use symbols to communicate, such as scales for justice, sun and moons for time and truth, shaking hands for friendship and unity.

For today's lesson, you will need scrap A5 paper, scissors, masking tape, newspaper, sponge, ready-mix paint, small tray for paint.

We can share messages through words, shapes, and colors.

This artist is exploring how shape can be used to tell a story.

What do you notice about the areas that are not covered by the ink? I focus more on that area that's not covered by the ink.

It's almost like a focal point.

I think this is quite effective.

We can cut stencils to print with shape.

This might look like folding your paper in half and then cutting a shape along the fold.

You can then stick both the cut shape and the hole it left onto the newspaper using loops for masking tape.

Dab the sponge in paint and tap over the shapes.

Be careful not to lift the shapes.

Peel off the stencils and see what's been left behind.

The shape you cut is called the positive space.

The gap it leaves is the negative space.

You will use both to make a bold print that pops off the page.

And here we can see a candle.

Look at how the color sits on top of the newspaper.

Look at how both the shape and the space around it tell a story.

Over to you.

Which part of the stencil shows the negative space? Is it A, the shape you cut out, B, the space left behind, or C, the paint on top? What do you think? You can pause the video here, have a think, and when you're ready, click play.

So what did you get? If you got B, you are correct.

The space left behind is the negative space.

Fantastic.

Let's move on.

This is the main task for this lesson cycle.

I would like you to print over cut stencils and print with shape.

You should cut your shapes thinking about the feeling that you aim to create.

You could use organic shapes, geometric shapes, or even repeat your shapes.

You're then going to arrange and stick your shapes onto newspaper using masking tape.

You'll then explore positive and negative space as you position your stencils.

You can use paint and a sponge to print from your stencil.

You can now pause the video.

Off you go, have fun, and click play when you're ready to rejoin us.

So how did you find that task? Well, here is an example of print with cutout shapes showing positive and negative space.

Let's move on to the second lesson cycle, designing a placard with paper cuts and words.

Corita Kent made artwork to protest against war and injustice.

She used color and bold words to support peace, care, and action.

Her work was part of the pop art movement, art that uses big shapes, contrast, and everyday language to make ideas stand out.

Over to you.

Pop art uses colors and bold shapes to share everyday ideas.

What do you think? You can pause the video here and click play when you've got the answer.

So what did you get? If you got bright, you are correct.

Pop art uses bright colors and bold shapes to share everyday ideas.

Let's move on.

To design your placard, you will need large piece of cardboard, larger than A3, colored paper, scissors, glue stick, scrap paper, long paper strips.

You could design your placard like this.

Choose two colors.

Cut shapes or blocks from colored paper and then arrange them on the cardboard.

Talk with your group about a word you want to show, something you support or something you want to change.

Izzy says, "I stand up for kindness.

One word like care could really make people stop and think." Lucas says, "If I didn't use words, I'd draw two hands holding each other.

That could show togetherness without saying anything." Choose one clear word, for example, peace, or in this example we have art.

You're then going to cut out each letter or build the word with long strips of paper.

Back to you.

Why are you choosing two colors and cutting shapes or blocks from paper for your placard? Is it A, to make the placard look busy and confusing, B, to cover for the whole cardboard with random colors, or C, to help your message stand out clearly and boldly? What do you think? You can pause the video, and click play when you've got the answer.

So what did you get? If you got C, you are correct.

You are choosing two colors and cutting shapes or blocks from paper for your placard to help your message stand out clearly and boldly.

Great.

Let's move on.

This is the main task for this lesson cycle.

So you are going to cut shapes from colored paper and stick them onto cardboard.

You're then going to add a single word that communicates a message your group cares about.

You can pause the video here.

Have fun, and click play when you're ready to rejoin us.

So how did you find that task? You should have a clear, bold placard with strong shapes and one powerful word that shares what your group cares about.

In this example, we can see the word art.

Let's move on to our final learning cycle.

So you are now going to screen-print your placard with words and symbols.

Let's begin.

Screen-printing is a process where paint is pushed through a fine mesh to make a flat, bold image.

This is how artists repeat strong designs and messages again and again.

Over to you.

Why do artists use screen-printing for placards? Is it A, it's a quiet and slow process, B, it makes bright, repeated designs, or C, it hides the colors of the designs? You can pause the video here and click play when you've got the answer.

So what did you get? If you got B, you are correct.

Artists use screen-printing for placards because it makes bright, repeated designs.

Let's move on.

To make your screen-print, you will need: your cardboard placard, screen-printing frame, printing ink, squeegee, masking tape, your word made of long paper strips, newspaper.

You can make a screen-print using your placard like this.

Place your placard flat onto the newspaper.

Add your chosen word across it.

Add a paper-cut symbol like a heart, fist, or flame if you like.

Place the screen-printing frame on top of your placard.

Use masking tape around the inside edges to stop the ink escaping.

Add a squeeze of screen-printing ink along the inside top edge.

Drag printing ink through the screen using the squeegee.

What do you notice about the way that the artist drags the ink through the screen? You can see that the artist is using one smooth pulling motion.

And the artist is pulling from the top of the screen down towards yourself.

Then you'll gently lift off the screen to reveal your printed placard.

The paper letters can be peeled off before the screen is washed.

What is the correct order to create a print? You can pause the video here and click play when you've got the answer.

So what did you get? If you got B, A, C, you are correct.

Good job.

Let's move on.

Once you've laid your paper or card flat on the table, you will squeeze small lines or blobs of paint across the top edge of the paper.

You could at this stage use two to three colors so they blend nicely without turning muddy.

You'll then hold the squeegee firmly with two hands and place it just above the paint line, and in one smooth movement pull the squeegee straight down the paper.

Try and keep an even pressure so the colors spread and blend across the surface.

You'll then lift the squeegee off the paper at the bottom.

Look at the color that you've created.

This is the final task for this lesson.

You'll now screen-print over your placard to share your message through color and image.

You'll do this by arranging your stencil word and symbol on your placard and placing the screen frame over the top.

You'll then print over your placard using your chosen color.

Two, you're going to reflect on the questions below.

What do your group's colors, words, and symbols say about your message? What could you add to make the message clearer? You can pause the video now and go ahead and screen-print.

Once you've finished, click play, and I look forward to you rejoining us.

So how did you find that? Our placard says "art" with a red, yellow, and blue background.

It feels calm but strong.

The red background makes the word pop so people notice it right away.

Fantastic.

Let's summarize our learning for this lesson.

You now understand that art can communicate powerfully without sound.

Protest placards combine shape, words, and symbols to share big ideas.

Color, simplicity, and repetition make messages bold and memorable.

Thank you so much for joining me in this lesson.

Bye.