Pottery Bowl

Pottery Bowl
Archies' Base & Pam's Green glazes

Pottery Bowl

Pottery Bowl
with tree appliques

Johnny's Trees

Johnny's Trees
Closeup

Johnny's Trees

Johnny's Trees
Woodburning on plank

All That Jazz

All That Jazz
Fused glass

All Polished UP

All Polished UP
Canvas/nail polish

Thursday, February 18, 2010

How to create kids' collagraphs

My art kids have been working with printmaking for a few weeks. They are making a limited edition of 7 to 9 signed and numbered, hand-pulled prints. Most of them are turning out really nice...here are my helpful hints:

1. Give them a piece of mat board, for their collagraph plate, to work on that is a little smaller than the paper they will print with...they will have a nice white border on the edges of their prints and space to sign, title and number them.

2. Encourage them to use lots of glue to hold their pieces in place...gluing right out to the edges.

3. Suggest they cut shapes and pieces from materials that are fairly similar in thickness...like string, yarn, cereal board cardboard (chip board), fabric, etc. If they cut one or more of their shapes from something much thicker it may cause some of the less thick shapes not to print.

4. Spray shellac over the entire collagraph plate, after the glue is entirely dry...drying overnight is best. Be sure the shellac is completely dry, too, before inking the plate. Don't skimp on the shellac.

5. Tape the inking tray to the table, so it doesn't scoot around, before the kids start rolling out the ink. Spritz the inking tray with a little water before adding water soluble ink with a flexible palette knife. Roll the ink and water to mix.

6. Add a spritz of water and a small dab of ink, roll to mix, before inking the plate again or before inking the next plate.

7. Center the paper over the plate, lay it on the bed of the press, adjust the pressure, roll it through. You may need to hold the paper to the plate as it comes through the press...sometimes it will slide around otherwise.

8. Have a bucket of warm, soapy water and some toweling handy so they can keep their hands clean. Prints, sans fingerprints, are much more attractive!

Happy Printing!

PS We have the most beautiful day blessing us...the trees and bushes are totally white with hoar frost. It is gorgeous!

My Favorites

  • books by Harlan Coben
  • Chagall's I and the Village
  • Our three daughters
  • Touring in Japan, Australia and New Zealand
  • Floating in the Dead Sea
  • My wonderful husband for 33+ years
  • "I love you, too, Grandma" by Taylor
  • Viewing the sunrise from Mount Sinai
  • Van Gogh's Irises
  • Monet's Water Lillies
  • Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

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About Me

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North Dakota, United States
Born and raised in Williston, North Dakota. Degrees in Occupational Therapy (never chose to work in the field) and Visual Arts. Married for 33 years to a super wonderful guy, three daughters - all three are talented, educated, contributing, beautiful members of our great big world. I am so proud of them...they are my best accomplishment to date! I love to make art and teach about it, too. An etsy friend recently shared this quote with me from St. Francis of Assisi: "He who works with his hands is a laborer, he who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman, he who works with his hands, his head and his heart is an artist." I think it is a wonderful statement!

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