Printmaking at Home

5 Ideas for Printmaking at Home

Printmaking Idea #1

Foil and Markers on damp paper

  1. Draw on foil with markers.

 2. Continue drawing until you fill the foil (any way you want).

 3. Wet the paper under water.

 4. Blot the wet paper with a towel or wash cloth.

5. You can also paint the paper with just water. 

 6. Lay the colored foil on to the damp paper.

 7. Gently rub the whole surface of the foil.

 8. Peel back the foil to reveal your print.

 9. I was disappointed by the areas that did not print well.

 10. I decided to add a little water to the areas that looked dry.

11. My finished print.

Printmaking Idea #2
Meat Tray and Markers on damp paper.

 1. Cut a styrofoam meat try into a size that will fit on your paper. Also, you can cut your paper to fit the size of your meat tray or section of styrofoam.

 2. Use a pencil to draw by pressing into the styrofoam.

 3. Continue drawing until your image is complete. Draw any subject.

 4. Carefully color with markers any way you want.

 5. Be careful not to press to hard with the markers. If you do , you may scratch the surface of the styrofoam.

 6. Place your styrofoam onto a piece of damp paper. (see Idea #1 steps 3-5 for how to create damp paper).

 7. Gently pinch the styrofoam and paper so it does not move and flip it over.

 8. After flipping, gently rub the surface of the paper. If you do not flip the paper and styrofoam over, the print doesn't work as well.

 9. My first print with gray and blue.

 10. Clean your styrofoam with water and a cloth or napkin.

 11. Color it again in a new way.

 12. Print on damp paper.

 13. Color it again in another way.  Get creative.

14. My third styrofoam print on damp paper. 

Printmaking Idea #3

Cardboard Printmaking

 1. Get some cardboard.

 2. Cut out any shapes and glue them onto a cardboard base.

 3. My finished cardboard stamp.

 4. Use paint (I used watercolor, tempera paint would work much better).

 5. Paint all raised parts of the cardboard stamp.

 5. Press into place. Be sure to press the entire surface before you lift up.

 6. Repeat until you fill the page. Keep the stamp the same direction each time or rotate as you see fit.

 7. This is the print and the stamp I used.


Printmaking Idea #4
Lego Printing

 1. Put paint on a plate or palette.

 2. Use a brush to create a thin layer of paint.

 3. Press a lego into the paint.

 4. Press the lego on to your paper.

 5. Press firmly.

 6. Lift off carefully.

 7. Continue pressing the lego into paint each time before you print. Create any image you want to make.

 8. The finished Lego Print.


Printmaking Idea #5
Leaf Printing

 1. Find a leaf outside.

 2. Paint the leaf with any type of paint. I used tempera paint.

 3. Press the painted leaf on to the paper. Gently press the entire leaf.

 4. Continue painting the leaf and pressing it onto your paper.

5. My finished leaf print.