One Thing Leads to Another

The Grand Canyon drawing is finished.  I think I nailed it. Now whether I can nail it in color remains to be seen.  It was fun to do once I got started and in the groove of it. It took serious concentration to keep myself oriented, but I like the feel of it.

Completed and ready to transfer to a painting surface.  I'm not going to lie, this one makes me nervous, but I'm going to give it a shot.

Once it was finished I was still in drawing mode, so started on a project I needed to get done for school.  The kids are starting a print-making section so I got a couple of examples done for a demonstration this afternoon.  Oh boy, I may have created a monster.  They got so excited after they saw the first print come up that it was all I could do to get them to practice their designs on paper before they started the plates.  

Styrofoam pieces with the designs ready to print

Having never really done much with print-making, I had no idea how fun it would be.  I am as excited as the students are about this unit.  What I assumed was kid stuff has turned out to be addictive and very fun.  

The grandkids would love this project

In case you want to play with this, here's what to do- On a piece of plain old styrofoam, you know, like your meat would come on from the grocery store, draw your design with a ball-point pen using good pressure to make a deep line down into the foam.  Everywhere you want to stay white, draw.  Everywhere you want to be colored, leave alone.

The 7th graders said this was sick, which is 7th grade-ese for cool.  

You can use printer's ink or acrylic paint.  If you don't have a roller/brayer to apply the ink to the foam, use a brush and paint it on in an even coat.  Place a piece of paper centered over the foam (ink side up) rub the back of the paper over the stamp till you can see it soaking up the ink, then pull them apart.  Ta da! You have a print.  

My favorite

I can hardly wait to see what the students come up with- there will be some fun ideas there.  

Thanks for stopping by! Alice