We have been exploring various methods of printmaking and wanted to try wood as a new material to create an impression. Our daughter loves making drawings for her cousin, but they often don’t stay preserved in the transport phase, so we wanted to make a gift tube that had an organic feel. Materials Large tile (you can often get a single one in clearance areas of hardware stores inexpensively) Brayer Printing ink (we used Speedball Copper) Piece of wood White paper Paper towel roll Scissors Glue Red permanent marker Smock Craft Tray Child’s drawing Branch Topper (optional) Stick Crepe Paper (you could use construction paper, felt or fabric) Floral Wire Floral tape Wire cutter Ribbon Directions Don a smock. Place your paper in your craft tray (so it is easy to access when the ink is wet). Put a blob of ink on your tile and move your brayer through the ink to distribute a thin layer onto the brayer. Roll it over your piece of wood, getting an even coat. Place your paper on the wood and rub your hand over the top of it (see the photograph). Carefully peel it off. Depending on the size of your wood, you may need to repeat this process (we did this twice) and allow it to dry overnight in your craft tray. Explore different things to do with it- we took it and glued it to a paper towel roll to create a tree trunk gift tube. You could make cards etc. Branch Topper Collect a fallen branch on a nature walk with an adult. Have a adult cut small (approximately 10 cm/ 2 inch pieces) of floral wire. Fold your piece of crepe paper over to double it and cut out leaf shapes. Put a piece of wire between the two leaves in the centre and glue them together. Attach your wire to the branch using floral tape. Bend your leaves into the position you would like them. Attach your branch to your “tree” with a piece of ribbon. Gently roll up and slide your drawing or letter inside and send it to a friend! Purpose Exploring different methods of printmaking using various materials. Re-creating things in nature. Thinking of a design to protect something. Safety Notes When using wood with young children, be careful regarding slivers. Be sure to follow the directions on products. Have an adult cut wire and be cautious of the ends. Please like & share: Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Your email address will not be published. Name* Email* Website Comment Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email.
