Architectural Printmaking at the Library

January 27th: Cityscape: Architectural Print Making and Watercolor

Materials

  • Scratch-Foam Printing Board (you could also use a square styrofoam plate!
  • Watercolor paints, large paint brushes, water bowl
  • Printing ink, brayer (Hobby Lobby/Michaels’, you can get them 40% off)
  • Scissors, pencil, white paper (preferably watercolor paper)
  • An extra plate to roll ink on the brayer and a dollar store tablecloth or newspaper (just to make clean up easier)

Step By Step: Introduce the lesson with the powerpoint: Architecture and Culture. Architectural Print Making

Procedure:

  1. Paint: Place your watercolor paper vertically in front of you. First, wet the top half of the paper and paint using warm colors: Red, yellow and orange. Wet the bottom half of the paper and paint using cool colors: Blue, Violet and a little green. Set aside to dry. 
  2. Draw: Draw your city on the printing foam using a pencil. Sketch first and once you have all of your details in place REMEMBER to look at the common shapes and characteristics of the city you chose. Go back and press firmly into the foam so you can feel the valleys of the lines. 
  3. Cut: Cut out the top outline of the foam.
  4. Print: Put a dab of the printing ink on your extra plate and “load” your brayer by rolling forward, picking it up, and rolling forward again until its evenly coated. Spread a think layer of ink onto your foam city. Then, line your city on the top half of the watercolor paper and press down all over the backside of the foam. Carefully life to reveal the first print.
  5. Print Again: Use the same piece of foam without re-inking, but line it up on the other side so it appears like a mirror image and press down. Carefully lift and there it is!

For class: ALL STUDENTS NEED: Paint Brushes, Reusable water cup, watercolor paints, and printing ink.

 

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