Categories: Activities for Kids

Printmaking Lesson For Kids

Printmaking is an artistic technique that many children are still unfamiliar with. We’ve prepared a printing lesson for kids to make it easier for you to introduce this technique to your students.

If you teach art at home to your children or to a group of children, this is a wonderful lesson that they will really enjoy and will never leave them, because once you know how to do it and you will create your own work. stamps, you can reuse them many times.

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A great way to explain the idea behind it to them is to show them some company logos that they will recognize, then show them a rubber stamp to illustrate how you can take a photo. If you have a tool like a stamp, reuse it over and over again to put it on ads, signs, t-shirts, mugs, etc.

I will have plenty of stamps and general supplies available for them to use and try out. Layering them on top of each other or different types on a print also works great and they can have a lot of fun with it.

TIP – If you need to find the foam stamps I’ll be talking about, you can ask for the foam sheets they use at the grocery store for meat.

I just asked the butcher if I could get a stack of them and I was teaching art classes where we would use them. So far, they always give them to me. You can also cut them in half and take 2 of each.

Printing lessons for children

What you will need for each student:

  • Many sheets of white and other colored paper for children to choose from and multiple prints can be made
  • Additionally, brown or white paper bags are also fun to print on
  • pencil, slightly dull – not sharpened
  • Acrylic paint in many different colors
  • stamps, foam applicators or anything they might like to add texture or images with
  • paint brushes and rollers if you have them
  • drag
  • glue sticks
  • sheets to roll paint on – foam sheets work well and I ordered one for each paint color
  • one or two flat pieces of foam, cut into rectangular pieces (TIP- Don’t make them too big or your child will feel overwhelmed drawing too much detail on them)
  • wet towel
  • and also, I recommend placing a plastic tablecloth where they will do most of the work.

Instructions step by step

Start by asking them to choose colored paper for their first print, and explain that they should choose a paint color that will show up well on it (unless they choose white, any color will work.)

Then, give them the Styrofoam rectangle and pencil.

Ask them to create an interesting image of something fairly simple and then add some accent lines or other smaller designs to it to add interest.

But they need to know that if they add too much, the paint may dry out before it’s ready to print, so don’t go overboard with the details.

Additionally, they can also overlay other things on top or next to it on the print.

The reason why pencils become dull is because if they are too sharp, they will puncture the foam layer and damage the stamp.

After they draw the image, ask them to gently redraw it a second time to give it depth, keeping the paint from sticking to that part of the stamp.

It basically works like a rubber stamp but in reverse. The image is below the stamp instead of floating on top.

If you are teaching this to multiple children, I would create paint stations around the room – put some paint on a plate and then they can rotate to the color of their choice.

It would be chaos if you kept trying to pour paint on everyone’s plate and especially since half of them would want to use the same colors.

If there are only a few children sitting at a table, place paint in the middle of the table and let them take turns carrying it.

They can now paint or roll on a layer of paint in the color of their choice, on top of the stamp image they created.

If the paint goes down the lines of the image, they can go over it with a pencil to remove the paint.

But it’s important to work quickly so the paint doesn’t dry out. If the paint is too thick, it will run and they will know that they need to thin it out a bit as well.

Now, ask them to flip the stamp over and place it carefully on the paper, pressing down but being careful not to slide it around, or the image will be ruined.

It may take them a time or two to get the hang of this part, but once they do, they can continue to produce more prints in a variety of colors.

Make sure they understand that with their own stamp or any other stamp or tool, they need to wipe it off immediately with a wet cloth so it can be reused.

Now, all you need to do is let them get creative!

Cover them with a variety of colors or use a paintbrush or sponge to add details or objects.

They can also make cards or laminate them by stamping multiple sheets of paper, then cutting and pasting them together. They mostly dry quickly because the paint layer has to be thin to begin with.

Important TIP – If they want to write a word on a stamp, it must be written backwards.

Most of them will ruin the stamp if you don’t tell them this before letting them start. For younger kids, I use small sticky notes and write their names first so they can see them and then copy them, and that works.

Encourage them to have fun, be creative and don’t stress about the stamps looking perfect, it’s all about the process being fun.

Do as much as you like.

Happy crafting.

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Categories: Activities for Kids
Source: fetb.edu.vn

Matthew Oldham

Name: Matthew Oldham Title: Author and Professional Illustrator Biography: Matthew Oldham is an accomplished author and illustrator, renowned for his engaging educational books published with Usborne. With a background in English literature, he has a flair for making complex subjects accessible and enjoyable for young readers. Before his writing career, he worked with the BBC, where he produced comedic radio programs. His transition into illustration allowed him to combine his love for storytelling with his artistic talents. Skills and Interests: Matthew’s illustrations are characterized by their vibrant colors and intricate details, bringing life to the subjects he writes about. He is an avid cyclist who enjoys exploring the outdoors, often drawing inspiration from nature for his artwork. On quieter days, he can be found lounging with a good book or sketching new ideas for his next project. Contributions: Matthew’s books cover a wide range of topics, from history and science to the wonders of the Earth. His illustrations not only complement his writing but also stand alone as works of art, exhibited in galleries and used in educational materials worldwide. His dedication to both writing and illustrating has made him a beloved figure in children’s literature and art education.

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