Young children will love to make their mark with print activities using a wide range of materials and techniques that those of any ability can master.

 

Young children are often fascinated by pattern and printmaking, with its emphasis on colour, shape and line. It can be used as a means of mark-making and provides opportunities to make repeats of the same image.

There are many ways young children can take part in basic printmaking. Early printing often involves using parts of the body to make a direct print. These experiences can be extended easily to include natural or made objects to explore and experiment with relief, resist and mono printing techniques and processes. As a child's experience grows, through exploration and experimentation, so prints will progress from the simple and random to more complex layered images.

PRINTMAKING TECHNIQUES

Mono printing This is a form of printmaking where images or lines are made only once and therefore cannot be reproduced exactly. It is one of the exciting ways that children can learn about printing.

There are many techniques of mono printing, but the following are simple enough for young children to gain valuable experiences, while offering challenge.

Children can use a roller to roll out paint on a plastic surface (such as a table top or plastic tray) and draw directly in the wet paint using their fingers. They can then place paper over the top and use a clean dry roller to press down on the paper to take a mono print.

Another version of this method is to roll out paint on a surface as described above and place a clean piece of paper directly over the paint. Then, using a crayon or thick pencil to draw on the paper, lift off and see the result. The print will be a mirror image of what has been drawn.

Mono printing can be extended to include natural or man-made objects. Develop the children's ideas for mono prints by encouraging the use of a variety of surfaces and colours.

Direct printing A direct print can involve using any object (such as a vegetable, shoe or block of wood), applying paint or ink to it and using it to make prints directly on to another surface, like card or paper.

A simple and effective way of direct printing for young children is to use toy vehicles. Provide a large piece of plain paper or fabric and shallow trays of ready-mixed paint. The children can dip the wheels of the vehicles into the paint and 'drive' them across the paper or fabric.

Collography This is a technique that involves making a collage and using it as a printing block to take prints. To make the collage printing block, children can glue a variety of textured materials on to a rigid surface like firm cardboard or wood. Allow them to dry completely then apply paint or ink with a roller or paintbrush. Place paper over the collage and use a clean roller to press down thoroughly; peel off the paper to reveal the print.

Various materials such as corrugated card, pieces of fabric, leaves, string, sandpapers, cut card or grasses are suitable for creating a collograph. It is useful to divide this activity into three parts, as follows.

  • - Collect and select materials from inside and outside (this could involve a trip a local park or beach).
  • - Make the collage from which the print will be taken, and leave it to dry.
  • - Make prints from the collage.

Relief Making impressions in damp sand, mud or clay, using hands or any object, provides a useful introduction for children to explore relief surfaces.

Resist/stencil print This involves masking (covering) parts of a paper surface with, for example, strips of paper or natural materials on to a paper surface and using a roller, spray or brush to apply paint over the top (light on dark, or dark on light). This produces a simple resist print effect when the strips of paper or natural materials are removed to reveal the print.

THE PRACTITIONER ROLE

Children's ability to gain confidence as they explore printmaking techniques depends on the support and guidance of knowledgeable adults. Consider setting aside time for staff so they can develop knowledge and skills in this area. To teach printmaking techniques, practitioners will benefit from experiencing them directly and could try:

  • - using a roller to distribute ink or paint evenly in a paint tray
  • - applying ink or paint to a surface (that a print can be taken from) using the roller
  • - making prints using various methods.

Modelling

Although the processes described above are relatively simple, it is important to model the various techniques and tools confidently so the children can gain the most from this exciting experience. Describe what you are doing and explain the choices you make. Remember to focus on the materials and the process, not the finished product - you want the children to use what you have shown them to produce something unique of their own. Children will begin to learn about the many variables that can affect the 'quality' of the final print, and making the same print a number of times provides unique opportunities to plan, experiment, evaluate, and adapt a method.

Meaningful interactions

Printmaking provides many opportunities for discussion, so encourage children to:

  • - observe and discuss the printmaking process. Help them to become familiar with the materials and equipment that are needed for printing, such as foamlined trays and rollers. Ask them what they notice about the items used to print with and the surfaces to print on. Can they describe the various effects that occur while producing a print? Can they share their ideas as they create multiple versions of the same print and repeat patterns using a single object?
  • - explore cause and effect. What happens when a child changes the amount of pressure applied while making the same print more than once? Which objects make the best prints, and why?
  • - explore the choice of ink and paint colour in contrast to the surfaces for printing
  • - describe processes and techniques, such as rolling the paint out evenly in a paint tray
  • - describe what younger or less verbal children are doing as they experiment with printmaking, providing a running commentary
  • - encourage children to tell you about their choices of colour, techniques, and printing surface.

The use of open-ended questioning is a helpful way to support this process. For example, what do you think might happen if you pressed harder/more softly ... used your hand/a clean roller ... and so on. Give the children time to think and respond.

Use your knowledge of individual children and child development to make professional judgements about when and how you offer the different printmaking activities and teach new skills.

ENGAGING ENVIRONMENTS

While some printmaking activities can be provided on a free-flow basis, others will need to be offered in a workshop session. You could start by collecting and sorting various natural and made objects that can be used in the printmaking process - for example, leaves, fir cones, shells and sponges, wooden blocks and old shoes. You will also need to make sure that printing pads (5mm foam in a shallow tray), brushes, rollers and all the necessary materials are to hand.

Develop the learning environment so resources are accessible and there is a good flow between the printmaking area, drying racks and sink. This will help the children to:

  • - access materials and equipment independently
  • - store finished prints in a safe place to dry
  • - take responsibility for their own washing up and tidying.

Depending on the printmaking method used, allow enough time for the children to develop their ideas further and continue to experiment. You could set up a printmaking table (indoors or outside) to accommodate a small number of children. If you cannot make this a permanent feature, consider providing it for a short period when you introduce a new printmaking technique.

ENGAGING EXPERIENCES

Provide opportunities for children to:

  • - print using different parts of the body, with, for example, talcum powder on black paper, ready-mix paint from a foam pad, or mud
  • - make direct prints by using found natural materials, such as leaves, twigs, vegetables, shells, wood or straws. Press them on to a paint pad and then on to paper. Experiment with different colours and surfaces to build up multiple prints.
  • - print on a variety of flat surfaces (card and paper) using a range of textured objects and shapes (natural and made objects with bumps, ridges and grooves)
  • - experiment with rollers and paint trays of different types and sizes and apply water or paint to make marks and lines on vertical and horizontal surfaces
  • - create repeating prints using the same object, such as screwed-up newspaper or clay to print several images
  • - make impressions in smooth, damp sand, mud or clay, using any natural or found materials
  • - make prints and trails using parts of the body and different movements into sand, clay, mud or paint
  • - choose different ink and paint colours, to make direct prints with found objects on different coloured and textured surfaces
  • - explore light and dark by printing with a variety of objects using white ready-mix paint on black paper and black ready-mix paint on white paper
  • - explore ideas for making prints in response to different patterns found in the natural or the built environment
  • - experiment with ideas for masking (covering) part of a surface outside with the water or sand play equipment. Spray with water using a watering can or hose, then lift the mask to reveal the dry shapes on a wet surface.
  • - make a large collaborative direct print, with objects such as shells and handprints.

FAMILIAR EXPERIENCES

Here are some suggestions for introducing printing into some familiar experiences and commonly used themes.

Theme - My environment

  • - Collect and share photographs of buildings and structures. Ask the children to look for and identify patterns in the pictures. Encourage the children to discuss and suggest ideas for patterns they can create using lines and shapes.
  • - Help the children to take photographs of patterns in the environment that interested them (bricks, tiles, corrugated iron, wire fencing, manhole covers).
  • - Explore and talk about wallpaper and patterned wall coverings and use long strips of paper as a background for printed designs with various blocks (sponges, corks, wood, vegetables).
  • - Children could use wax crayons to take rubbings of textured surfaces in the built or natural environment (bark, bricks, drain covers) and develop ideas by painting over with Brusho. They could also select a range of found objects such as sponges, irregular blocks, strips of wood or straws, and experiment with using them to make prints.

Theme - Creatures and animals

  • - Look at patterning (spots, stripes and camouflage) and textures (long, short and curly hair) as a stimulus for talking about and collecting printing ideas.
  • - Look at the markings on creatures such as ladybirds, zebras, cows or butterflies. Using what they know of printmaking, how can the children express and communicate these ideas by printing on different coloured backgrounds?
  • - Collect, discuss, explore and respond to printed papers, fabrics and ceramics with creature motifs.
  • - Children could make printing blocks from different materials (screwed-up newspaper, clay, Plasticine) to make clay worm prints or dinosaur footprints, and so on. They could experiment with making 'creature' footprints in clay, sand, dough or mud, using different parts of the body and various printing blocks (sponges, wooden blocks, vegetables) and develop the ideas for making trails and tracking outside. They could also explore printing textures in response to animal coats (long-haired cattle, curly sheep) with made blocks using sticks, string and other materials.
  • - Develop ideas for printed marks using various printing blocks.

Theme - Myself and others

  • - Make a large collaborative direct print.
  • - Roll out paint on a plastic surface (table top or plastic tray). Have the children use their fingers to experiment with making marks in the wet paint. Place paper over the top and press down for a mono print.
  • - Children could: experiment with drawing marks, faces and figures into the wet paint surface with fingers (take a mono print as described above); use different printing materials to explore ideas about faces and facial expressions on different backgrounds; roll out a thin layer of paint on a plastic surface, place paper over the paint and draw on to the back of the paper with any mark-making object, then lift the paper to reveal the print. They could also develop ideas for mono prints using a variety of surfaces, themes and colours.

EXTENDING PRINTMAKING

As they gain more experience of printmaking, children will enjoy experimenting with slightly more complex techniques. Within the themes of 'All around me' and 'My environment - natural', you could provide opportunities for the children to:

  • - Produce a stencil print by placing torn strips of paper or natural materials on a paper surface. Use a roller, spray or brush to apply paint over the top (light on dark or dark on light). Lift off the strips of paper to reveal the print. Develop ideas by adding more strips or natural materials and applying another layer of paint to produce a more complex printed image.
  • - Explore how natural materials, such as leaves and seaweed, may be used as stencils. Place an object on paper and dab ready-mix paint over and around it with a sponge (alternatively, spray or brush the paint on), then lift off the objects.
  • - Use natural materials to make impressions into a clay surface. Dab ready-mix paint on to the clay surface with a small sponge, then press paper gently on to the clay to make a print.
  • - Talk about the prints created and experiment with a variety of natural materials, colours and surfaces.
  • - Make a card relief block by sticking cut pieces of card on to a sugar paper surface. When the glue is dry, take a print by using a roller to apply paint over the surface of the card block. Place a sheet of paper over the block and press down, then peel off the paper to reveal the relief print.

Part 6

Collage is published in Nursery World in June

MORE INFORMATION

Suffolk County Council (2006) Art in the Early Years: A Resource to Support Creativity, www.suffolk.gov.uk/childcare

See also reading suggestions in Part 1 (Nursery World, 27 January).