Here are some vital points to keep your art programme moving this year...

Printing Tips:

Hint when using paint for printing activities
(a) Have a damp towel on each table to wipe slightly messy and painty fingers.  The towel can be kept in a plastic bag and then washed at the end of the day after several lessons.
(b) Stamp printing with preps - make stamp pads with plastic fried rice containers, a sponge and add the paint.  The paint is refilled easily because I put some paint into a plastic container - Shower Gel with a pump action dispenser.  Only small amounts come out and this is easily carried around from room to room in a box.
Hints sent in by: Rita Di Grazia, Strathmore Primary School

Printing for Primary School children
Written for Zart Art by Lois Windridge

What is printing?
The process to repeat a shape that you made once

What do we print with?
Straws, Cotton Filters, Rollers, Screwed up Paper, Lids, Natural Objects, Fingers/Feet and hands, Sponges, Cardboard, etc.

What skills do we learn when we print?
Cutting into: With carving tools on wax/soap/plaster.  The surface can be a POSITIVE or NEGATIVE design, i.e. dig out design or cut away background.
Adding Onto: Raising the surface of wood/cardboard by gluing on shapes, string, etc.
Stencil Prints: Can be POSITIVE or NEGATIVE design.
Mono Prints: Paint on table/acetate sheets/glass. Printing can be applied to paper or fabric.

ACTIVITY: What do we do with our prints?
Display them in their own right.  Use as background for murals.  Decorate with them - on book covers and tins.  Cut out and create other creative shapes.  Use as backgrounds for individual collages, drawings or paintings.  Wrapping paper, etc.

ACTIVITY: Finger Prints
Use a stamp pad to create finger prints and fine point markers to turn them into characters.

ACTIVITY: Hand Print
Turn it into something by using collage scraps.

ACTIVITY:  Rubbings with Drawing Blocks
Use shapes from formcuts, found outside or natural objects.  Turn them into something when finished.

ACTIVITY: Build Up Surfaces
On cardboard, woodblock, etc., with cut out cardboard shapes.  Use P.V.A. to adhere shapes. Allow to dry.  Roller Paint over top with a soft roller.  Print.  (Use hard roller to roll over cardboard).

ACTIVITY: Carve a Design
In soap, plaster, wood, wax, lino or plaster.  Wax, soap and plaster is best for primary school children.  Cut a little bit...print a little bit...change colours.

ACTIVITY: Splatter Prints
Cut a shape out of cardboard and place on paper.  Hold a screen over the top of it and brush wet paint/food dye over it with a toothbrush to create a splattered effect.  Use different colours.

ACTIVITY: String Prints
Fold paper in half, open up and place painted string inside (use a brush to coat the string).  Leave the ends hanging out, fold the paper, hold down firmly with one hand and pull string out.  Repeat with another colour.

ACTIVITY: Bubble Prints
Add liquid detergent to food dye.  Blow with a straw.  Lay paper over the top to create a bubble print.

ACTIVITY: Sandpaper Prints
String can be glued onto sandpaper/PVA dribbled on.  When dry, print.  Line and texture will be emphasised.

ACTIVITY: Vegetable Prints
Cut vegetables in half.  Try corn, strawberries, pears, cucumbers, radishes, oranges, apples, avocado, onion, tomato, lemons, etc.  Carve shapes out of a potato to print - use carving tools, spoons and blunt knives.

ACTIVITY: Stencil Prints
Cut a design out of the middle of a piece of cardboard.  Roller over the negative design AND the positive design.

ACTIVITY: Footprints
Roller paint on the bottom of feet, sneakers or gumboots.  Take a walk on paper.  (Shoe designs can be coloured in later with crayons or markers).

ACTIVITY: Roller Printing
Glue yarn design on rollers, tin can, rolling pins, bottle or cardboard tube.  Roll on cloth or paper.  Cardboard shapes can be pasted on also. (Hair rollers and cob of corn is fun also!).

ACTIVITY: Mono Prints
Cut to size acetate sheet, either add Chromacryl Gel to paint or spread over the sheet, (this prevents the paper sticking to the paint).  Paint, or roller onto the acetate.  If design is not satisfactory, redo on the sheet.  Apply print paper to the acetate and rub with the back of hand.  Scratch back.  Pen on the back of the paper will also work well.

ACTIVITY: Silk Screen Prints
Cut out a design and lay it on top of paper.  Place screen on top and squeegee paint over the design.  Lift off.  Print should be made and the design stuck to the screen for re-print.

ACTIVITY: Lino Prints - Relief Printing
Cut to required size.  Carve into lino the design required.  Where the carving is done, the paint will not go in, leaving white areas on the paper - this being the design.  Roll paint over surface of lino.  It should not be too thickly applied.  Place paper over the block and with the back of the hand gently rub.  (HINT: If time is available to you, varnish the lino.  This seals the surface and gives a better print.)

ACTIVITY: Collagraph - Relief Printing
Use box board as a base, cut to required size.
Two methods:  1.Carve into the cardboard if it is heavy enough.  This result will be similar to a lino print.
2. Glue down found objects (leaves, feathers, soft materials) with P.V.A.  After this has dried,
mix P.V.A. with water and brush over the base.  Roller over the base and print.

REMEMBER:  CHILDREN NEED TO DEVELOP A CONCEPT OF PRINT.
PRINTING IS NOT SCRIBBLING
PRINTING IS A REPETITION OF A SHAPE
PRINTING IS PATTERN MAKING