Printmaking

For the third class in this 4 week session, we're learning about monoprints. Valentines Day is coming up so I decided that we could make use of our prints by turning them into cards.
Each child was given a small acrylic box frame as a base. They started off painting it with a brush and we made our first prints with these brush strokes as the positive space on the card.

Then they used the rollers to cover the surface completely and drew a design into the paint with cotton swabs (I got this idea from a truly inspiring blog called The Artful Parent).

Their drawings became the negative space in the design.

Kirsten was more interested in the easels today, so she took her brushes and paint and moved to a new workspace.

Karuna promptly joined her.

Our next printing exploration was with bubble wrap. I taped it to the table and gave the kids a few more paints.

Then we used the same printing process to make cards with bubble prints. Once the bubble wrap was covered in paint, we pressed the cards down into the design, gently rubbed the back with our hands, and then slowly peeled it away.


Kirsten and Karuna collaborated well and continued to move between the easels and table.

Kate and Grace sat at the table (for an entire hour) hard at work on their paintings.


It was a treat to clean up (and check out the garden) in the warm morning sun.