Why Your Students Will Love Metal Tooling Foil!

One way that I've found to engage my students is to periodically provide new materials to explore. They're very familiar with traditional drawing and painting media in my classroom. Whenever I can, I like to introduce new materials that students have never used before. They're naturally curious, and want to experiment and play with the supplies. I've found that this helps breathe life back into the classroom when student motivation is low.

New materials doesn't always mean teaching a completely new process. You can simply change the surface students draw or paint on. For example, I recently introduced my 6th grade students to Mayan glyphs. Rather than limiting this project to drawings on paper, I asked students to try creating their glyphs using metal tooling foil.

You can download my Metal Repousse Glyphs lesson plan here!

Metallic Magic 

The shiny metallic quality of tooling foil alone is enough to attract the attention of your students. I buy the Colorfoil Economy Tooling Foil from Blick. I usually get a couple rolls of the gold and coppertone. This lasts me quite awhile, because I cut the foil into approximately 4 1/2" squares for students to use.

The material is new and flashy to most students. They're amazed at how easy it is to carve or engrave designs in. I explain to them that the directions are simple, it's just like drawing, but on a different surface. I have them place a small stack of newspapers or a notebook underneath the foil. This soft pad underneath helps with the engraving. 

We finish the project with Sharpie permanent markers. The colors look great on top of the foil. They're still shiny and metallic-looking underneath. I do limit students to only using the color as accents. I explain that we don't want to lose the color of the metal completely. I share that they should pick elements of their design that they want to highlight with a pop of color. This usually helps, but there's always one or two students who want to go overboard with the markers.

Art History Applications

My 6th grade Egyptian project :)

​There are lots of potential art history applications you can use with metal tooling foil. You can flip through any art history book and find tons of gold statues, jewelry, and artifacts. I remember being a sixth grader in my mom's Language Arts class (she was also an art teacher) and she had us use tooling foil to create Egyptian pharaohs. Her Social Studies class made Masks of Agamemnon. 

I imagine that experience is where I got the idea to use tooling foil in my 6th grade curriculum. Throughout the year, I'm introducing students to an ancient civilization and then following that unit with contemporary examples of art from the same region. So far, we've covered cave paintings vs. graffiti art, Ancient Egyptian vs. Fathi Hassan and Hossam Dirar. This month we are learning about the Maya and the Aztec, and next month I will introduce students to artist, ​Paula Nicho Cúmez.

Personal Projects

While I structure the bulk of my curriculum on art history and contemporary artists, I never want students to make exact replicas or copies of the work. I want them to be inspired by the artwork and cultures they are learning about, to create something personal. I am often suggesting students incorporate their own hobbies, interests, and experiences. At this point of the year, I know my students well enough to give them personal suggestions. 

Popular subject matter in my classroom:
Star Wars
Lionel Messi
Bad Bunny
Rod Wave
Flags of different countries
The solar system
Sports
One Piece (anime television series)

Students can take the concepts, skills, techniques, and/or media and apply it to their own life. This allows students opportunities to express themselves and take more ownership of what they're creating. 

Metal tooling foil can be another great tool for students to use to create personal symbols, or glyphs, to communicate something unique about themselves. Try it out in your classroom!