We got Totally Tubular in the June First Friday Art Club. Printmaking is a great way to personalize any surface, but cost of materials can be prohibitive. Using the power of plants, we had cost-effective printing implements and developed new skills along the way.
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| Potatoes to Print |
In order to make prints, an artist needs a block. Printmaking blocks are usually made of linoleum or wood. Linoleum is easy to carve, but expensive to supply for a free library class. We used linoleum block carving tools to learn the proper way to cut a printing block, but took advantage of the soft surface of potatoes to equate as a printing block.
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| Careful Carving |
Considering the sharp edges of these carving tools, careful carving was required. We discussed the ideas of positive and negative space and how to get each image exactly as it was desired. This concept is difficult to grasp, but once achieved, the options are endless.
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| Ready to Print |
Once the potatoes were cut and dabbed on a towel to dry off excess moisture, students were ready to print. We used flour sack towels as our printing surface. Mother's Day followed this class, so a ready-made gift was achievable.
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| Color Palette |
We used Folk Art Fabric Paints and paper plates as palettes. Foam sponges were great for evenly applying paint to the potatoes. It is advised to dab the potato surface with color rather than paint it on. Just a bit of color will transfer from the potato surface to the printing surface with a little pressure.
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| Dab and Press |
Once colors were chosen, the process was dab and press for each print made on the fabric. Composition was considered. Some students worked random prints across their printing surface. Others chose to create a border.
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| Random Placement |
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| Borderline Love |
After mastering the dab and press method of printing with potatoes, I showed students the option of multi-colored monoprints. A monoprint uses a regular printing block, but is treated in such a way that only one of it's kind exists. By painting each segment of the printing block, a unique print is made.
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| Monoprint |
That's a wrap for our Potato Printing session. Check back in July to see how "Libraries Rock!" Guest artist, Shannah Warwick of Blckbts, will instruct students on felting rocks.
This is an event you don't want to miss!
Thanks for visiting.
I'll check you on the flipside in July.
xo,
Erica
