CARD PROBLEMS
CARD mounts furnish a fine field for a study of proportion in simple and effective arrangements of rectangular shapes, and they give a good place for the study of color relations. In the study of pictures an interest is added in the making of suitable mounts., In some cases pictures suitable for framing may be mounted by the children. This mounting work may be handled as a subject by itself, and pictures supplied as needed, or in connection with the work in drawing and art study. In many cases the drawings of the children are good subjects for mounting.
A frequent demand for proper mounts for illustrative matter such as grasses and! samples of papers and fabrics is met by having mounts of heavy material made as needed. Magazine illustrations related to school subjects furnish endless features proper for mounting in the hand work class. Mounts of uniform size for filing enable the teacher or pupil to have availabe at all times supplementary illustrations of interesting details of school work. The blue prints and charts mentioned in the note number 433 are especially valuable both as exercises and finished products. While the cutting and placing of pictures and illustrative material do not require much calculation or difficult manipulation, they do require care and accurate judgment and neat workmanship and so have a place in a primary handwork course.
Besides the making of mounts, whether of heavy cover paper or mounting boards,, there are many other problems which may be grouped as card problems, to be made of tag board and heavy cover papers. These are arranged in places in the schools where they can be handled successfully, and it will be seen that they give a good drill upon careful measuring and cutting to the line. The list may be extended indefinitely, especially if compasses be available. The extensive use of the compass is not advised where the pupils are required to make their own designs as they can seldom produce good outlines based upon compass curves.
The arrangement of card problems and! materials by grades is as follows:
First Grade
131 Mounted drawings (Heavy cover paper, gray drawing paper)
132 Book marks (Medium tag board)
133 Calendar (Heavy cover paper or mounting board)
Second Grade
231 Desk blotters (Blotting paper and heavy cover paper)
232 Photo mount (Heavy cover paper)
233 Glass cover (Heavy tag board)
Third Grade
331 Post card (Medium or heavy tag board)
332 Page holder (Heavy cover paper)
333 Shipping tags (Heavy tag board)
Fourth Grade
431 Postal scale ( Marble board and bristol board )
432 Folder picture mount (Heavy cover paper or mounting board)
433 Desk pad (Straw board, heavy cover paper, thin cover paper )
131. Mounted Drawings
1 piece Heavy cover paper 9"x12"
1 piece Gray drawing paper 9"x12" Paste
Rule, pencil, crayon, scissors
DIRECTIONS
a. Cut two or more mounts from the 9nx12" sheet of heavy cover or mounting paper
In the cut is shown how four mounts of different sizes and shapes may be cut from the large sheet
b. Cut as many pieces of drawing paper as there are mounts
Each piece of drawing paper should be of such size and shape as will look well when mounted
c. Make drawings on pieces of drawing paper
d. Mount drawings by fastening the two upper corners with a little paste
NOTE
The teacher may determine the number, size, and shape of the mounts. The pupils have a chance to study, under the teacher's direction, the size and proportion of the pieces of drawing paper when these are being cut to size. Color is important here,, To simplify matters for public school work the mounting paper may be of a medium or dark gray and the drawing paper of a lighter gray. The same idea works out well in tones of brown.
The directions given above may be reversed and after drawings are made and drawing paper cut, the mounts may be made of sukable size and proportion to fit the drawings.
132. Book Marks
1 piece Medium tag board 6"x9"
Rule, pencil, scissors
Rule, pencil, crayon, scissors
DIRECTIONS
a. The teacher should determine beforehand several rectangular shapes which can be cut from the 6"x9" piece
Four pieces of different sizes and shapes are shown in the drawings
b. Have the pupils lay off on the piece of tag board, shapes as nearly as possible like those shown by the teacher
This laying out is done without measuring. The teacher should indicate the method of procedure by making a drawing on the blackboard
c. After all the pieces are cut to the desired rectangular shapes, lines are drawn across the corners with the rule to indicate the parts to be cut away
d. Some simple line or band decorations may be put on with pencil or crayon
NOTE
In place of following the teacher's arrangement of shapes from a blackboard drawing, pupils may be encouraged to make their own designs and border decorations. In some cases other forms of decoration may be attempted, if the teacher be competent to set adequate limitations.
133. Calendar
1 piece Heavy cover paper, 6"x9", or heavy mounting paper
1 Calendar about 1 1/4"x2"
1 Picture,—halftone or photograph
Paste Rule, pencil, scissors
DIRECTIONS
a. Cut mount to size and shape which is determined by the size and shape of the picture combined with the size and shape of the calendar pad
b. Consider the spaces left at the sides and top and bottom, consider also the proportion of these spaces with the spaces occupied by the picture and pad
TYPICAL ARRANGEMENT OF MOUNT 84 PAPER AND CARDBOARD CONSTRUCTION
c. When picture and pad are satisfactorily located make light pencil marks at the corners in order to know just where they are to be replaced in pasting d. Paste picture in place e. Paste calendar in place NOTE A piece of mounting board may seem more suitable, especially if one wishes to stand the calendar upon a shelf.
231. Desk Blotters
1 piece Blotting paper 9"x 12"
1 piece Heavy cover paper 6"x9"
2 Long narrow pictures about 1 1/2"x5 1/2"
Paste, colored cord (or narrow ribbon)
Rule, pencil, scissors, punch
a. Cut four pieces blotting paper each 3"x8"
b. Cut two pieces heavy cover paper each 3"x8"
c. Punch holes at each end and tie one piece of cover paper over two pieces of blotting paper with colored cord or narrow ribbon; make two models
d. Trim pictures to desired size and paste in place
NOTE
One of these may be used by the pupil, and the other used as a gift, or saved for exhibit purposes.
232. Photo Mount
1 piece Heavy cover paper 6"x9" Unmounted photograph or small colored poster or a colored magazine illustration
A black and white halftone or line drawing will do if nothing else be available
Paste
Scissors
a. Cut out picture
b. Select suitable color in mounting paper Dark colors can best be used with photographs and with colored pictures. White and lighter colors are suitable for line drawings and halftones. Gray is more likely to be used successfully than any other color. Black may be used in pkice of dark colors
c. Cut mount in good proportion and paste Get variation in sizes, and have bottom margin larger than side margin. Avoid over crowding and too striking contrasts
NOTE
In case there are any especially good pictures, they may be mounted first upon paper with a narrow margin and then mounted upoo the larger mount as illustrated at the left and right of both drawings.
233. Glass Cover
1 piece Heavy tag board 6"x9"
Rule, pencil, scissors (also compass if available)
DIRECTIONS
a. Lay out from drawing
Make A and B 3" square, make C and at the top of card, make D right corner of card
b. Cut out A, B, C, and D A and B are to be cut into regular octagons later, C and D will remain only approximately regular
c. Lay out square A as a regular octagon from second drawings
Draw diagonals and measure distance from corner to center with strip of paper or tag board, lay this out from each corner along adjacent sides as shown for one corner in the drawing, connect the points as indicated, cut off corners
d. Decoration by means of border lines or simple center pattern may be added
NOTE
A convenient use for this model is to cover a glass of liquid, which for any reason, as for sickness, must remain for a time unused. If compasses be available, the octagon may be laid out more easily by swinging the distances from the corner with them. In place of an octagonal cover, a circular one may be made with a radius of 1 1/2" or 1 3/4".
The decorations may be made with brush and water color or with pen and ink or with pencil.
331. Post Card
1 piece Medium or heavy tag board 6llx9!l
Rule, pencil, scissors
DIRECTIONS
a. Lay out and cut to size one or two cards
Sizes may vary from 3"x5" to 3 1/2"x6"
b. Put border along top or around the card with rule and pencil
Pen and ink or water color may be used in place of pencil
c. Address the card to self or to a friend
If to be used to send a message to a friend, note may be written and stamp affixed in class, and information given regarding postal rates and the postal system
332. Page Holder
1 piece Heavy cover paper 6frx9" (or 3"x6")
Rule, pencil, scissors, punch
A few punches will be enough for the whole class
DIRECTIONS
a. Lay out vertical measurements See first drawing
b. Lay out horizontal measurements and punch four holes as illustrated
See second drawing
c. Cut inside lines for tab, cut corners from tab at C C, and cut outside corners B B
See last drawing
NOTE
Two of these may be made, or one may be changed to other proportions. If the 3"x6" stock be used, only one can be made of the given size. The use of the page holder as a marker in a book or magazine is obvious.
333. Shipping Tags
1 piece Heavy tag board 6"x9"
1 piece String 10" long for fastening
Glue
Rule, pencil, scissors
DIRECTIONS
a. Cut four pieces of tag board each 2 1/4"x4"
b. Cut eight pieces of tag board each 1/2"x1/2"
c. Draw center lines lengthwise of each large piece
d. At two end corners lay off points 1/2" each way and connect these points with lines
See right of drawing
e. Cut on these lines
f. On center line K" from end, glue one of the small pieces of tag board.
Glue another on the other side directly under the first square
g. Punch a hole thru these squares when the glue is dry
h. Pieces of string or wire may be put in ready for use
NOTE
Very often there are small pieces of tag board that are left from other exercises which may be used in making the shipping tags. It may be well in small classes to use an eyelet to add strength. Other shapes may be made, especially increase in length.
431. Postal Scale
1 piece Marble board 6"x9"
1 piece Bristol board 6"x9"
1 piece String 30" long
1 Top shot wad or small square of Marble board
30 pieces Heavy tag board 3"x6"
For use of entire class for weights
Glue, 2 eyelets
Rule, pencil, scissors, punch, compass
A strip of paper with a pin thru one end and a pencil point thru the other will serve for a compass
DIRECTIONS
a. Cut one piece marble board 5 1/8"x8 1/2"
b. Cut one piece bristol board same size
c. Rub a thin coat of glue on the marble board, place bristol board on the glued surface and press hard
Glue must be spread evenly and boards placed under a heavy weight
d. When glue is dry, draw center line lengthwise of bristol board
e. Measure down 1/2" on center line for hole at A
Punch and set eyelet
f. Locate hole at B Put in eyelet 1/2" from top and l/2" from center line
g. Cut one piece of string about 6" long and tie in hole at A
This is to be made into a loop for hanging
h. Thread the remaining string thru the hole at B
i. Punch a. small hole in the center of the paste board shot wad and thread both ends thru it
Tie a knot at the ends of the string at D
j. Locate the lines at E as follows: Take as many pieces of tag board 3"x6" as will weigh one ounce and place in the string at F; now suspend the scale by the short string in A and place a point at E which shall represent one ounce on the scale. A two ounce mark or a half ounce mark may be located in the same manner with the proper number of card weights
NOTE
This scale may be used to weigh letters and parcels up to two or three ounces and if made carefully is quite reliable. If possible, the work should be placed in some sort of clamp or press as soon as it is glued. If nothing better be available heavy weights may be used. Always place clean pieces of paper on each side of the work while it is being pressed,
If a simpler process be desired, a piece of heavy tag board or heavy bristol board may be used alone, thus doing away with the difficulty of gluing.
432. Folder Picture Mount
1 piece Heavy cover paper
Or 9"x12" if necessary 1 piece Cover paper 6"x9"
Of different color than above
Paste
Rule, pencil, scissors
DIRECTIONS
a. Cut inside mount for picture and paste at top
Allow a little distance at sides and top and rather more at the bottom, being sure that the color g;oes well with the picture
b. Cut outside folder, crease, and paste mounted picture on right inside page of folder
Select color that will go well with both picture and inside mount, and be careful of proportions
c. Outside of folder may be given a simple decoration if desired See drawing at right
NOTE
If intended to stand upon a shelf or table it will be better to use mounting board or heavy mounting paper in place of the cover paper.
433. Desk Pad
1 piece Straw board 8"x11", cut from 9"x12"
1 piece Heavy cover paper 9"x12"
1 piece Heavy cover paper (different color), or binders' cloth 6"x9"
1 piece Thin cover paper 9"x12"
1 piece Blotting paper 9"x12"
Paste, glue
Rule, pencil, scissors
DIRECTIONS
a. Place the piece of heavy cover paper on the straw board and cut the corners off as shown in the drawing at A
The corners should be cut far enough away from the corners of the straw board so that when the paper is folded over the edges it will completely cover the straw board at the corners
b. Paste the folded edges of the paper down to the straw board as shown alt B
c. Cut one piece of heavy cover paper, or the binders' cloth, 5 1/2"x5 1/2" to make the four corners
d. Make the corners as follows: (See drawing below)
1. Fold bottom edge to top edge and crease; open again
2. Fold left edge to right edge and crease; open again
3. Fold in each edge about 1/2" and crease; open again
4. Cut off corners within 1/8" of intersections of last folds
5. Cut on the folds thru the center of the sheet which will divide the paper into four equal parts
6. Fold "a" to "b" in each section
e. Fasten corners in place using paste or glue under folds only, as shown at E on page 93
f. Cut one piece of thin cover paper 7 3/4"x10 3/4"
g. Paste this in place and press firmly as at C
The front of the desk pad is shown at D
NOTE
A sheet of blotting paper 8"x11" may be cut and placed at D if desired. In addition to the desk pad, it may be well to make large mounts for blue prints and charts and other illustrative material.
Below are shown the full number of card problems which have been suggested.
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