Useful Tips: Printmaking for all – a Mini Lesson

Multilayered Repetition Foam Print

Time to think of greeting cards, gift paper and other goodies that can be made using these very easy and economical printmaking techniques. Printmaking is a great technique that can be done at home or at school. A printing block can be printed on different surfaces like paper, calico bags, paper bags, big sheets of paper to create beautiful gift wrapping paper and many other applications.

For young students printmaking is a source of fascination and challenge. Opposite to drawing and painting, printmaking is an indirect process. To make a print, something has to be done to one surface; the block, in order to produce an effect on another surface; the paper.

This mini lesson provides you with practical ideas on how to hand print a simple block with minimum equipment and without mess. The setting up is suitable for a small space at home or to create a printmaking centre for a TAB classroom. The setup is also good for an normal classroom,  provided that students do printmaking in small groups.

Setting up for a printmaking experience in the classroom at home or at a TAB centre can be an easy task. No matter what kind of prints you will be making, the set up can be the same. Click these links to find the full PDF and video lesson on our website.

• Cardboard Printing
• Lino Cut Printing

Printmaking normally requires four areas:

1. Block preparation area – students work at their desks designing and preparing their blocks, dry media.
2. Inking area – set up two fish and chip trays per colour, see picture. One tray for rolling out the paint and the other for the paint application on the block.
3. Printing area – this area will have the paper to print – the printing tools such as barens or cork/wood blocks
4. Drying area – a drying rack or a clothes rack and pegs is also good

Right: Printing with a round piece of wood, printing a linocut block and applying strong pressure.

Note: for best results when hand printing lino blocks, use heavy body tempera paint or a fluid acrylic paint and apply with a foam roller.

Apply pressure using your hand. Hold the print with one hand and gently rub the paper with your hand in a flat position, no knuckles or fingers.