I heard of a great product called Blueprints on Fabric during the 2010 University of Wyoming Art Museum Transforming Learning Teaching Institute.  Blueprints on fabric is
type of printmaking/photography called cyanotype.  If you haven’t heard of cyanotype, it is technique done on sun sensitive chemical treated paper to produce blue monochromatic photographs and is one of the earliest forms of photography in the world. What is unique about Blueprints on Fabric is that the cyanotypes chemicals are pretreated on cotton fabric instead of paper and of course it is easy and safe for students.

Last school year I used this product in a rhythm lesson.

Blueprint Rhythm Prints

Lesson Topic:  Visual Rhythm

Grade Level:   4^th  Grade

Time line:  75 minutes

Lesson Objectives:

• Students will recognize that artists repeat lines, shapes, or colors to create rhythm in their art.
• Students will use and create a design on Blueprint Fabric.
• Students will analyze stamp cloth, printing block, and a video clip.
• Understand the history of printing fabric

 Materials:   

Vocabulary:

•  Rhythm
• Visual Rhythm
• Random Rhythm
• Regular Rhythm
• Alternating Rhythm
• Motif
• Pattern

• Introduce lesson by asking
  the students as a group what they know about rhythm and what they know about
  patterns?  Before beginning the Preiz presentation discuss how patterns and rhythm are the same and in art, when you talk about rhythm and pattern you are talking about Visual Rhythm.
• Start the Prezi presentation
  and discuss the steps presented
  • Step one –  What is visual Rhythm
  • Step two –  Recognizing Rhythm
  • Step three  – Seeing like an artist, identify Visual Rhythm in a video clip
  • Step four –  Describe and analyze artwork from Kenya and India
  • Step five  – Practice making rhythm in groups
  • Step six –  Create rhythm on blueprint fabric and tell the students about Cyanotype
  • How to make the prints on blueprint fabric (Cyanotype)
  • Make the design indoors out of direct sunlight
  • Tape the fabric on a sheet of paper
  • Arrange materials on the fabric
  • Tape the material to the fabric
  • Take the prepped fabric outside or in a window where the UV is not blocked.
  • Wait  about 5-30 minutes  – depends on the weather
  • Remove the fabric from the sunlight and all the materials on the fabric
  • Rinse the fabric until the water is clear
  • Let the fabric dry out of the sunlight
  • Demonstrate  Cyanotype process has steps
  • When the Cyanotypes are dry have the students glue the fabric on a sheet of paper or design a frame around it.
  • When finished have a critique.

Questions:

• What do you know about rhythm? 
• What do know about patterns?
• Look at the clip and see if you can recognize any visual rhythm.
• How can you use the materials on the tables to create your own rhythms?

References

Cyanotypes Instructions from Blueprints on Fabric http://www.blueprintsonfabric.com/index.php

If looking to teach a fun, magical, and engaging printmaking lesson or introduce photography to elementary students try this product.   My students and I enjoyed using the product and I think you and your students will too. For more info about this product, go to http://www.blueprintsonfabric.com/index.php.