Educational Resources printmaking activities (continued)

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A Monoprinting Experiment

Materials: water-based printmaking ink or thick paint, paintbrushes, sheets of Plexiglas (approximately 12 x 12 inches), paper, soft rubber brayer or small paint roller, popsicle sticks or pencils

Technique 1

  1. Have students use the brayer to roll a thin, even layer of ink onto the Plexiglas, covering it completely.

  2. Instruct students to create a drawing on the Plexiglas by scraping away the paint with the end of a pencil or popsicle stick.

  3. Have students place a piece of paper on top of the inked Plexiglas and then rub lightly.

  4. Have students pull off the paper to reveal a reverse image of the drawing.

Technique 2

  1. Have students use a paintbrush to paint an image or design onto the Plexiglas. They may use as many colors as they like.

  2. Instruct students to quickly place paper over the Plexiglas and then rub lightly with the palm of their hand or the back of a wooden spoon.

  3. Have students peel away the paper to reveal a reverse image of the painting.

Technique 3

  1. Have students use the brayer to roll a thin, even layer of ink onto the Plexiglas, covering it completely.

  2. Instruct students to place a piece of paper over the Plexiglas.

  3. Have students use a pencil to draw an image on the paper, being careful not to press down on the paper while drawing.

  4. Have students peel away the paper. The image will have transferred to the Plexiglas. 

 

Easy Silkscreen Prints

Materials: watercolor paper, paint brushes, an embroidery hoop, clipboard, screen printing ink, a non-water-soluble glue (like Mod Podge), curtain-sheer material, squeegee, masking tape

Procedure:

  1. Have students choose an image that has good contrast (or draw an image in black and white). You can also have students trace the lines of an image and turn it into a black-and-white image by filling in the dark areas with black marker. This could also be accomplished on a computer using Photoshop.
  2. To make the screen, pull the sheer material tightly across the embroidery hoop and screw the hoop together. Ask students to lay the hoop down on top of the drawing with the fabric flat against the paper and then trace the image onto the screen material with a pencil.
  3. Have students turn the hoop over and paint all of the “negative space” (all the places they don't want ink to go) with glue.
  4. Have students place a sheet of paper on the clipboard. After the glue dries, ask them to place the hoop and image where they would like it to appear on the paper.  (They may want to fasten the hoop to their paper to keep it from moving.) Have students squeeze some ink on one side of the screen and use a squeegee to evenly spread it across the image in one smooth motion. 
  5. Once the print dries, students may add detail by printing other colors on top. Students will need a new screen for each print because the glue will not wash out. Encourage students to mark the placement of the screen on their paper so that the image lines up on each print.

 

Silkscreens in a Series

Materials: six screens, six squeegees, curtain-sheer fabric or 70–90 mesh monofilament polyester fabric, water-based printmaking ink or thick paint, six spoons, masking tape, scissors, scrap paper or wax paper (for stencils), printing paper, newspapers

Procedure:

  1. Have students choose four pieces of scrap or waxed paper.
  2. Have them use the paper to cut three to five shapes for stencils.
  3. Have students pick their first color.
  4. Instruct students to place a piece of printing paper on the table, arrange stencils on it, and then place the screen on top.
  5. Ask students to place some ink along the top edge of the screen and spread it evenly over the entire screen.
  6. Have students lift the screen and remove the paper. The paper stencils will now be attached to the screen, and the first paper will be printed. The screen will be ready for the rest of the pieces in the series.
  7. Instruct students to repeat the process on three more sheets of paper, using the same screen with the stencils in place. Have students apply more ink as needed. 
  8. As soon as all four copies are complete, have students peel the stencils off the screen.
  9. Allow the color to dry.
  10. Have students print a second color, following the previous steps. Ask students to put their four prints on the table and then to arrange new stencils, creating some overlap when the second color is printed. This creates new shapes and results in the creation of new colors. (Registration is not a concern as these are abstract shapes.)
  11. Allow the color to dry. Students may repeat the process with additional colors and continue to build up the imagery.
  12. Students may choose to paint or draw into the prints.

 

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