Row House Prints

As we think about cities with the children, we have been using many art languages.  Some children are really drawn to drawing and easily use this to express their thinking.  Others are builders and the blocks area is a place where they work through their understandings of the concepts we are considering.

This week we have begun to explore a new technique in paint.  Ms. Santos has introduced printmaking and many children are excited about this opportunity.

Printmaking involves preparing a plate, covering it in ink, and then pressing it on a background, sometimes repetitively. It often involves special tools, which are very engaging to the children.  

First, the children practiced making prints with small boxes pressed into ink
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On Monday, they were introduced to the brayer or roller for spreading ink evenly.

The children spread the ink on a large rectangle and then pressed the shape on to a paper.  Then children added details of windows and a cornice by dipping small boxes into ink and by rolling ink on a long strip of paper.

Soon we will combine our drawing skills with this work.  For the time being, however, children can see how the forms of the buildings in our city are constructed out of particular shapes.  This work often supports their drawings, as they begin to understand how the lines work together to form shapes and how the shapes work together to form an image.