Recent Fresh Artists Wallpaper Design Lab for 6th - 12th graders led by Flavor Paper’s Jon Sherman and sponsored by IIDA and Canon USA
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
Kids Who Print answers the real desire printers have to introduce the next generation to cool jobs in the printing world in a turn-key and minimal-effort package.
We have heard many printers wish that they had a way to connect with kids by having them visit their print shops. We have also heard that it's difficult for printers to keep these same kids' attention by pointing to equipment and explaining how they work in a way that isn't boring. Printers aren’t teachers. They tell us they struggle to keep the kids’ attention throughout a tour. The print industry bemoans the problem of finding future employees and families are eager to have their children learn about sustainable careers in the creative economy but don’t know where to start.
We have a solution that's neatly packaged and fun for your staff!
Kids Who Print is a fun, innovative program for printers across the country to invite small groups of children on a field trip led by their art teacher! We will provide you with the tools for a well-organized one-hour visit to your workspace with a purpose and a product at the end!
Fresh Artists will offer this program to print shops, design companies, and interior designers as an introduction to these creative careers for 6th through 10th graders. The process starts with a partnership between an art teacher, PAL or Boys & Girls Club activities person, or a scout leader and the host Print Shop. Fresh Artists is designing a corresponding lesson plan and will provide the design assets to the art teachers. We can also help print professionals connect with public schools in most American cities and towns through our enormous list of registered art teachers, to whom we give grants of art materials.
A BASIC SHOP TOUR FLOW
WHAT’S THE HOOK?
The kids become CLIENTS with a product they desire and design.
The print shop plays the role of FABRICATOR, magically making the products these young CLIENTS need produced!
The art teacher/chaperone starts the process by using the Fresh Artists Cool Job video introduction to designing your own logo. In it, the kids will meet Jason James, Fresh Artists Board member and accomplished graphic designer. He'll introduce them to logo design step-by-step, guiding them as they create a colorful 3” x 3” logomark that represents their personality. The art teacher/chaperone will then accompany the kids to the print shop, where they will meet the owner, submit their logos for replication, and get a private tour, learning the process as they watch their designs get scanned, color-corrected, put into RIP software, and printed on shiny vinyl. They'll follow along with the magic of "kiss-cutting," watching their stickers emerge and be packed into a tidy box or small branded plastic bag labeled with the print shop's logo, address, and maybe a brochure to share with their parents. Most importantly, they'll go home with a stack of their own personal logos to stick on their laptops and notebooks or trade with their friends!
SHORT WRAP UP AT THE END:
Before leaving with their “products," the kids will be led by their art teacher/chaperone through a short discussion with the owner of the print shop, covering questions like:
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How do you become a printer?
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What kind of education do you need?
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What summer internships or CTE placements can kids interested in printing look into?
The kids will each shake hands with and thank the owner personally, and pose for a group photo under a simple banner featuring their company’s name (and logo!). Their art teacher/chaperone will have secured a signed permission form authorizing each child’s visit and allowing a group photograph at the end.
When back at school or clubhouse, the art teacher/chaperone will revisit the experience by asking the kids to share their observations about what was interesting, noisy, exciting, surprising, and fun. Kids would be encouraged to make a poster as a thank you to the printer that their art teacher will mail to their hosts.
KIDS WATCH THE KIDS WHO PRINT INTRODUCTION VIDEO IN SCHOOL
Art teacher/chaperone shows students a short Cool Jobs Fresh Artists Video about a graphic designer who designs logos. He talks to the kids about logos, branding, using the Nike, Addidas, and other famous brands that kids recognize. He walks them through the process of designing their own logo, showing different of ways it can look and what colors are most successful. He talks about art or design school that he went to, and why he loves his job. About 5-7 minutes long.
MAKING ART IN SCHOOL
Designed to fit on a special template paper Fresh Artists provides, each child makes their own, personal 3” x 3” logomark. The art teacher/chaperone puts each logo into a template containing the whole group's artwork so it becomes one neat file – like a “quilt” of 15 kids’ artwork. This template with the kids logos in each “square” will be put into a special large manilla Workshop Portfolio for the art teacher and her students to take to Fresh Artists Kids Who Print Workshop.
VISITING DAY ARRIVES:
The art teacher/chaperone brings the kids and the Workshop Portfolio with their 3” x 3” artwork to the print shop. They will enter playing the roles of “Clients” visiting their “Manufacturer,” and will hand over the “quilt” page of 15 small logos.
WHAT IS A RIP:
WATCH IT PRINT:
CUTTING AND TRIMMING.
GRAPHICS ON LOGO SHEETS
SHORT WRAP UP
Discuss how this works and what this does. Maybe show other jobs in the queue, and then send them to the roll-to-roll. Kids go to this position and are shown what it looks like and how it puts print onto the vinyl. If a Colorado or the like, watching the printheads is fascinating to kids.
Then they watch the printed artwork pour out of the printer.
PHOTO OP: Great opportunity for some photos or video for the school or your social media. Have kids gingerly hold the medium as it comes out of the printer. The owner is in the photo with the art teacher/chaperone and kids. The photo gets sent to owner's designated person for filing.
This is usually mesmerizing. Kids watch as the cutter follows the unseen “instructions” to kiss-cut their logos, and cut them into sheets. Each kid gets 3 of the Group Logo Project Sheets (enough to be completely thrilled and surprised!). One for the art teacher/chaperone, and one to the owner's marketing person.
These logo sheets are designed to accept the owner's print shop branding, address, and phone number on them. Maybe a coupon if desired.
Before the kids leave with their commissioned “product," the art teacher/chaperone will gather the group for a short discussion about: how do you get to be a printer? What education do you need. A pitch about summer internships, or CTE placements for schools that have such programs. The conversation will vary by age groups.
FIRST STOP:
Scanning the artwork
Many kids have never seen a huge computer monitor and Photoshop or In-Design. They gather around and behind the designer and watch them scan the artwork. Tweek, color check, clean them up a bit, then send to the RIP.
SIGN UP TO HELP
SHAPE THE FUTURE OF
THE INDUSTRY
Fresh Artists welcomes and encourages you to embrace our new Kids Who Print initiative as an educational program that will inspire children to pursue the many fun, creative, and interesting jobs the world of printing has to offer. Together, we can encourage the creative young people of color whom we represent to discover, explore, and plan for a future career in the print industry - a job to love for life!
Be a Print Pal for Kids Who Print!
Fresh Artists would love to hear from printers who will help us build bridges to sustainable, creative career paths in printing to youngsters in under-resourced public schools.