Printmaking involves making prints on normal paper through creative processes. Prints are often created by the artist and then printed onto a paper medium. Prints can be created in and through almost virtually anything. The piece created is not a direct copy of the original print, but rather a mirror image.Materials:
Print making mediums (flat styrofoam, rubber, potatoes, pinecones, rocks, and many other materials), "gauges" and other tools for creating indents in the styrofoam or taking sections out of the rubber (tools selected depending on mediums available and used), paint (tempra- black, white, red, yellow, blue), paint trays, flat paint trays, rollers, and plenty of paper!
Process:
1) Introduce students to print making and print making materials (show examples, and be sure to point out how the image produced is a mirror image of the created print)
2) Allow the students to gather material and begin making their prints (encourage the students to create prints of all kinds- styrofoam, natural elements, and rubber)
3) Allow students to gather paint and paper materials
4) Engage in printmaking!!
* a huge part of the process in printmaking is time, as well as exploration. Allow students a very decent amount of time to create their prints and to experiment with different paint and paper colours. Students should be free to observe others to spur ideas and encourage creativity*
