MC Escher and Creepy Crawlers

For the past 3 weeks I've been teaching a unit on block printing, with MC Escher in mind, to create radial designs incorporating bug motifs, like legs wings and whole bodies. Thanks to Insectropolis in Toms River NJ, I was able to bring these natural wonders into the classroom so students could draw from life and not a photograph.  Students were inspired to recreate some of the designs and shapes in the various kinds of pinned bugs.

Students then transfered their designs to a rubber "block" to be carved. The only catch was that half of a bug must be drawn on the edge of the pizza pie slice of rubber, then flipped and drawn again on the other side, so when stamped the bugs become whole.  MCEscher probably enjoyed drawing bugs and reptiles because they are symmetrical and balanced, two things he explored in his work. 

If students weren't pleased with the areas that are too white, they can fill in those areas with black prismacolor pencils. 

Some of Escher's bug inspired pieces for your viewing pleasure..

Some more information MC Escher's work: