Styrofoam Hobby Prints

We are going to try some printmaking at home. It may seem like an odd process, but artists all over the world create their own prints from different types of materials.  Here are some basic facts about printmaking as an artform, and below you will see my final product.  As you can see, this will be a lot like creating a big stamp.

To create your print plate, you can use a styrofoam meat tray or a styrofoam egg carton.  Either way, you'll need to wash it and trim off edges first.

Once you've got it washed and trimmed, you should take your styrofoam and trace it onto some paper.  You'll need to have the paper and styrofoam exactly the same size, because the paper will basically be your rough draft for your print.

Use that small piece of paper you just cut out to draw something that represents one of your favorite hobbies, but KEEP IT SIMPLE!  For example, if you like football, draw a football, not a football player.  If you enjoy music, draw some music notes, not a saxophone.  Tiny details will be difficult to trace into the styrofoam later on.  After you draw the picture, tape it directly on top of the styrofoam.

Use a pen or pencil to trace over your picture, pressing into the foam.  Draw slowly, and don't worry about ripping the drawing.  That part will get tossed out in the end.

You can check to see whether you are pushing hard enough, by lifting the paper and glancing at the foam to see the lines.

If you can see all your lines enough to tell what it is that you drew, then you're ready to get rid of the paper and go over your lines again, this time without the paper.  Your lines need to be deep so that the paint or ink won't go into the grooves.

Once you're sure your lines are deep enough, get a separate piece of paper ready, and paint over your "stamp".  If you don't have paint, you could use markers,as well.  Either way, you'll need to work fast to cover the whole surface of your stamp before the paint/ink dries.

Flip it over onto the middle of your paper, and push hard.  Rub wit your palm, being careful not to move the stamp.

Gently lift to reveal your cool image!  Wash your stamp and keep it if you'd like to reuse it.  The beauty of printmaking is that you are able to create as many prints of your image as you wish.

I hope you enjoyed this lesson, and I look forward to seeing them soon!  Enjoy your art making!