Thursday, October 14, 2010

Block Printing For Young Children

Experiment Number Two: Block Printing With Paper
(The more advanced method of block printing
uses Soft-Kut printing blocks. The version on this blog uses
paper strips since this exercise is designed for younger
children who are not able to control the use of a carving tool.
So for safety reasons, pre-cut paper strips work best.)




You will need:
•Strips of recycled corrugated board.
I used a shoe box for these strips
•A hard rubber brayer (roller)
•Block Print paint. Any color.
For this exercise, I've used black.
•Paper (5 or more pieces. Thin board quality.)
•Any plastic sheet - this will be used as the surface for spreading
the block print paint. Prepare a small piece of board that will be
used as a spatula to spread the paint on the plastic sheet.
•White glue



Position the pre-cut strips to form your design.
Make sure that the glossy (or printed) side of the
board faces up. The more absorbent side should be
face down - the glue will work it's magic easily
on the more porous side. Next...



...glue your design onto the paper.


Place a heavy book over your design.
A heavy book helps flatten your glued strips.
It also ensures that your design will be printed
with all your elements on the print.

Now comes the messy part.
Don't worry, this block print paint
is water soluble. All you'll need is soap
and water to make the mess disappear.


Cut a piece of board. This serves as a make shift spatula.
Spread a thin layer of block print paint.
Try to spread it as evenly as possible.

Place your paper face down onto the plastic sheet.
Rub it gently so that all the paper strip surfaces
get a bit of paint on it.


Lift it up, lay it on the table. Face up.
This is called your printing plate.
Don't worry about the paint drying up.
Block print paint is formulated to stay
moist for just enough time so that you
can make as many prints as you wish.

Place a blank sheet of paper onto your printing plate.
Take the rubber brayer and roll it over the paper.
Be gentle. You just want the paint on the printing plate
to touch the surface of your blank sheet.

Now peel it off...Voila!!! You have your print!


You can do this process over and over again.
Each print is the same design but it will always have
it's own unique mark.

Have fun!!! Please remember that children will need your
assistance, love and patience for this project :)



(All the materials I used for this project are available at Art Friend)