Japanese Shibori-cloth Stab-bound Books

A Multi-part Lesson Plan for Crafts

I.  Purpose

·  As part of a crafts class, students should be exposed to various traditional crafts media. Both textiles and bookmaking have been practiced by artisans throughout history, as integral parts of daily life as well as and the intellectual and technological development of mankind. Shibori dyeing and Japanese stab-bound books both draw on Japanese cultural traditions, a likely unfamiliar and yet accessible area of crafts production that allows for a wide variety of individual expression. Students will have a wide range of choices for all processes involved in the production of their books, experiencing the inherent chance in shibori dyeing as well as the order and harmony of Japanese stab-binding techniques. Integrating these concepts into their artwork, students experience the challenges faced by artisans throughout the history of crafts. Ultimately, students choose from a wide range of ideas (or generate their own) for filling their books, based on tie-ins with Japanese culture.

II.  Hanover County Art Curriculum Goals

o  FCII.1 The student will create works of art with a variety of media both 2-D and 3-D.

o  FCII.2 The student will recognize and apply the elements and principles of design.

o  FCII.3 The student will communicate and express ideas, thoughts, and feelings through original art work.

o  FCII.4 The student will discuss and analyze art and cultures from various periods.

o  FCII.5 The student will examine, discuss, analyze, and evaluate works of art.

III.  Objectives

·  The student will participate in and take notes from a discussion about the history of textiles and shibori dyeing.

·  The student will choose and execute a shibori dyeing technique for their fabric, following the steps in the dyeing process.

·  The student will participate in and take notes from a discussion about the history of bookmaking and Japanese stab-binding.

·  The student will cut their fabric, follow steps to cover their bookboard, create endpapers for their book, and cut their paper block to size (choosing straight or deckle-edge).

·  The student will glue their endpapers to their covers and stack covers and pages together for binding.

·  The student will choose a binding and ready their books for drilling that binding pattern, then follow steps to sew their chosen binding.

·  The student will choose an idea (or come up with their own) for filling their book pages, that relates to Japanese culture.

·  The student will keep notes and art term lists in their notebook, studying these for a test on the art history and terms covered for the project.

·  The student will answer a self-assessment rubric based on their final product and their performance during the entirety of the project, and take a test on art history and art terms covered during unit.

IV.  Procedure

PART 1

  1. Introduction
  2. The teacher will introduce students to the overall concept of the lesson, showing examples of their eventual final products and steps to be completed along the way.
  3. She will show students a powerpoint on the history of textiles, asking questions regarding the properties of certain fibers and the shibori process. She will emphasize keeping notes and terms lists in notebooks.
  4. The teacher will give an overview of the procedures for the day:

·  Demo shibori techniques (folding, binding, pole-wrap, stitching)

·  Work on shibori fabric

·  Demo dyeing procedures

·  Dye fabric according to desired colors

·  Rinse and hang to dry

  1. Development
  2. The teacher will demonstrate shibori techniques for folding, binding with rubber bands, stitching, or pole-wrapping fabric, showing examples of each and emphasizing that each needs to be done tightly, so some areas will remain white and others dyed.
  3. Students will follow demonstrations to prepare their fabric with a chosen shibori technique.
  4. The teacher will demonstrate the dyeing procedures, including: how dyes are mixed, how to prepare fabric for dyeing, how long to dye, and how to rinse later. She will prepare dyes for students and keep track of dye pots.
  5. Students will prepare their fabric for dyeing by rinsing in water, then choose a dye color and leave fabric in pot. When dye has set, students will rinse the fabrics until their water runs clear, and hang it up to dry.

PART 2

  1. Prior to class, the teacher will have marbleizing trays ready, and paste mixed for paste-graining.
  2. She will give an overview of the procedures for the day:

·  Demo on how to cover books with fabric, how to marbleize paper for endpapers and how to paste-grain paper for endpapers.

·  Cover books, and when done make endpapers (at stations)

  1. The teacher will demonstrate how to cover the bookboard with their dyed fabric, making sure all surfaces are flat, and mitering corners. She will also demonstrate how to marbleize paper and how to paste-grain paper, both for endpapers.
  2. Students will cover their bookboard pieces in their fabric, cutting the fabric in half first, drawing the lines for positioning, brushing paste on, and using a roller to flatten the surfaces evenly. When finished, they will write their names on the cover insides, sandwich them in wax paper, and place them under weighted down drawing boards for drying.
  3. After covering their bookboard, students will go the stations set up with materials for decorating endpapers: either marbleizing, paste-graining, or watercolor wash. Tables will have instructions set up on them, and students will gather materials and create their chose of endpapers (one method only, must match).
  4. When done, students will hang endpapers up to dry.

PART 3

  1. The teacher will show students a powerpoint on the history of bookmaking. She will emphasize keeping notes and terms lists in notebooks.
  2. She will give an overview of the procedures for the day:

·  Demo on how to glue endpapers onto covers

·  Glue endpapers, sandwich between wax paper under weight to dry

·  Demo on how to measure/cut/deckle papers

·  Cut/deckle papers for pages

  1. The teacher will demonstrate how to glue endpapers onto covers, sandwich between wax paper, and stack under weight to dry. She will also show how to measure and either cut or deckle papers for text block.
  2. Students will glue endpapers onto covers, sandwich between wax paper, and stack under weight for drying. They will measure and cut/deckle their pages for their text block. (Students may bring in purchased paper for this part, or use paper from the school).
  3. The teacher will inform students that if they finish early, they have the option of filling their book for extra points with something related to Japanese culture (there are idea lists they can use, or they may come up with their own if approved by teacher), either visual or writing or both.
  4. Students who finish this may go on to work on ideas for filling their books, doing research on internet or in library, choosing media as appropriate for their ideas.

PART 4

  1. The teacher will demonstrate how to stack pages and covers for binding. She will show different Japanese binding designs, and demonstrate drilling holes for sewing. She will instruct students that they must choose a binding technique.
  2. She will give an overview of procedures for the day:

·  Ready for parts for binding.

·  Choose binding design and have holes drilled.

·  Watch demo for binding and follow to bind book.

  1. Students will ready their book parts for binding. They will choose a binding design, and have the teacher drill the holes in their stack for that binding.
  2. The teacher will gather students who have chosen each kind of binding, one kind at a time, to watch and follow her demonstration of sewing that design, ending in their book being bound.
  3. Students will gather to watch/follow their chosen binding design, creating the binding for their book. Those who are not working on this will glaze or finish their clay work.

PART 5

  1. Summary
  2. Prior to class, the teacher will have self-evaluation forms for the project ready.
  3. The teacher will inform students of differences between an “average” book and an “above average” book, in that the above average one has been filled (either with one from a list of ideas, or with own idea that has been approved) with content relating to Japanese culture.
  4. Students will choose whether or not to fill their books, choosing from a list of ideas or coming up with their own.
  5. She will also tell them about self-evaluation forms to fill out on their book.
  6. Students will fill out self-evaluation forms on their books.
  7. TEST: The teacher will give students a test on the material covered during the unit on textiles and bookmaking: textiles and bookmaking history, techniques and processes. Students’ notebooks will be worth extra credit on the test.
  8. Students will take a test on material covered during the unit. They will turn in their notebooks for extra credit on the test.

V.  Materials needed for the lesson

  1. PART 1
  2. Copies of history of textiles term sheet
  3. History of Textiles powerpoint
  4. Examples of different kinds of fibers, textiles forms

SHIBORI:

  1. Pre-cut fabric: 11” x 14” (and one for demo)
  2. Handouts on shibori techniques
  3. Thread, needles, scissors
  4. Rubber bands
  5. Popsicle sticks
  6. Wooden bars/wood scraps
  7. PVC pipe, string

DYEING:

  1. Dye colors
  2. Dye buckets
  3. Measuring cups/spoons
  4. Soda ash
  5. Salt
  6. Water
  7. Mix sticks
  8. Gloves
  9. Clothesline & plastic drip cloths
  10. Iron & ironing board (to iron cloth)
  11. PART 2
  12. Pre-cut bookboard (front & back covers): 5” x 7.5”, 5” x 1”, 6 3/8” x 5” (plus one for demo)
  13. Iron & ironing board (to iron cloth, if not already done)
  14. PVA glue
  15. Old brushes
  16. Brayers
  17. Wax paper
  18. Weights for drying
  19. Instruction sheets for endpaper stations
  20. Marbleizing powder, gold paint, india ink, trays & water
  21. Paste, paint (for paste-graining), combs
  22. Pre-cut paper (for endpaper): 9” x 7”
  23. Clothesline for drying
  24. PART 3
  25. Copies of history of bookmaking terms sheet
  26. History of Bookmaking powerpoint
  27. Endpapers for demo
  28. PVA glue
  29. Old brushes
  30. Wax paper
  31. Brayers
  32. Weights for drying
  33. Paper for demo on making text block
  34. Examples of deckled and cut edges in books
  35. Paper cutter
  36. Deckle bars
  37. Rulers, pencils
  38. Handout on ideas for filling books
  39. Various media (students choose) for filling books
  40. Computer access, library access, etc. for research
  41. PART 4
  42. Handouts on Japanese binding techniques
  43. Examples of three different Japanese bindings
  44. Covered boards, paper for demo
  45. Drills, drill bits
  46. Clamps
  47. Wood to drill on
  48. Crochet thread
  49. Bookbinding needles
  50. PART 5
  51. Self-evaluation forms
  52. Test on history of textiles and bookmaking
  53. pencils

VI.  Evaluation Part A: (pre-lesson assessment)

·  Student self-evaluation rubric

·  Teacher General Grading Rubric (see attached)

o  Did student meet objectives:

§  participate in and take notes from a discussion about the history of textiles and shibori dyeing?

§  choose and execute a shibori dyeing technique for their fabric, following the steps in the dyeing process?

§  participate in and take notes from a discussion about the history of bookmaking and Japanese stab-binding?

§  cut their fabric, follow steps to cover their bookboard, create endpapers for their book, and cut their paper block to size (choosing straight or deckle-edge)?

§  glue their endpapers to their covers and stack covers and pages together for binding?

§  choose a binding and ready their books for drilling that binding pattern, then follow steps to sew their chosen binding?

§  choose an idea (or come up with their own) for filling their book pages, that relates to Japanese culture?

§  keep notes and art term lists in their notebook, studying these for a test on the art history and terms covered for the project?

§  answer a self-assessment rubric based on their final product and their performance during the entirety of the project, and take a test on art history and art terms covered during unit?

VII.  Adaptations/Remediation (for challenged students you expect to have)

·  Difficulty understanding verbal directions: Give one-step directions. May need to be repeated several times. Physically demonstrate. Give one-on-one time if possible.

·  Difficulty understanding basic concepts: Demonstrate using real objects and movements. Repeat information using a variety of modalities.

·  Difficulty reading/writing: Provide many opportunities for oral and graphic responses. Use alternative assessments.

·  Short attention span: Give brief, specific directions. Use attention-getting transitions. Involve many learning modalities. During discussion and lecture have students response orally, sing, or move in relation to lesson.

·  Easily distracted: Limit interaction with other students, if this is a problem. Constantly redirect as necessary. Allow sufficient room to sit during lesson and work. Provide “private” but not isolated work spaces.

·  Lack of self-control/Insubordination: Provide structure. Make rules clear, but allow options. Do not corner the student. If necessary, warn and then follow steps to write up student if he/she continues insubordination.

(Many of these strategies were found in Jean Bouza Koster’s Bringing Art into the Elementary Classroom.)

VIII.  Extensions

·  Gifted students:

o  Students may choose more difficult shibori techniques requiring sewing and wrapping areas with thread. They may also fill their books with research or their own narrative relating to Japanese cultural traditions, doing self-guided research and citing sources.

·  Those who finish early:

o  See above. Also, students may work on previous projects not yet finished, on other classes’ work, they may clean the art room, or work in a sketchbook on personal artwork. They may NOT sit and do nothing.