Our last Family Day, in March, focused on the exhibition “Richard Prince: Tell Me Everything.” The show features photographs of Milton Berle’s joke collection that showcase the story of American life through comedy.
Comedy is entertainment that’s created to make people laugh. There are many different styles of comedy, such as joke telling (stand-up) and improv. Improv (improvisation), is a type of comedy that is unplanned and created on the spot by performers.
Let’s use improv to create a string print. String printing is a spontaneous and physical art process; you may not be able to fully control how the string moves and which colors mix. If possible, artists should stand and use full arm motions.
You will need the following supplies:
- large piece of white paper
- washable paint
- small plastic cups
- cotton string
- scissors
- craft sticks
To make your string print:
- Place the white paper on a clean, flat surface.
- Choose 3 or 4 paint colors, and pour about ¼ inch of paint into small plastic cups.
- Use the scissors to cut 3 or 4 pieces of string that are as long as your forearm.
- Dip your strings into the paint. Only use one string for each color to avoid mixing. Use a craft stick to dunk and fully coat your string in paint.
- Hold a painted string above your paper, and let your arm drop. The string will create a unique design each time you make this motion. You can also drag the string across the paper. Try using different movements for each color to create interesting patterns.
- Allow the paint to dry and admire your art.