Printmaking: Drypoint

Materials:

Plastic container or laminated cardboard*
Paper
Chalk or powdered makeup

*try drink cartons, milk jugs, produce containers

Tools:
Towel or old shirt
Scissors
Spoon
Bowl of water
Pushpin*

*Or screw, needle, nail

Step 1:

Cut out 2 squares of equal size from a smooth part of your carton. One square will be the printing plate. The second square will be the blanket.

Step 2:

Sketch a design onto one square. Use a pushpin to etch the design. This is your printing plate.

Step 3:

Rub chalk onto your etched design. The powder should fill the lines. Use your fingers to spread the chalk and wipe away any excess around the lines.

Step 4:

Put the printing plate face up on the towel.

Step 5:

Cut a piece of paper the same size as the printing plate. Dip your paper into a bowl of water. Let it soak for a few seconds. Remove the paper and shake off the excess water. The paper should be damp, but not dripping and soggy. This may take some trial and error.

Step 6:

Place the paper over the printing plate. Take the blanket square and place it over the paper.

Step 7:

Take the spoon and rub it back and forth across the blanket. Apply pressure while rubbing.

Step 8:

Peel off the blanket and paper to reveal the print! Rinse off and reuse the printing plate. Tip: To reduce wrinkling, lay the print between a towel and stack books or other heavy objects on top until it is dry.

Step 9: Experiment

Embellish your print!

Draw or color on your print. Print on patterned paper. Try different printing plate shapes.