📖

Styrofoam Relief Practice

Printmaking: Relief Printing

Day 37of 180
Week 8of 36
45Minutes
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🖨️ Download Worksheet (PDF)
🎯 What You'll Learn

Learning Objectives

1

Understand the concept of positive and negative space in printmaking

2

Create a simple relief print using styrofoam and basic printing techniques

3

Develop patience and attention to detail in artistic creation

📖 Scripture Connection

Exodus 35:31-32

“He has filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze,”

— Exodus 35:31-32 (WEB)

This verse highlights God's gift of creativity and artistic skill, connecting perfectly with our printmaking lesson about carefully crafting art

📦 Materials Needed

  • Styrofoam trays
  • Pencils
  • Block printing ink or tempera paint
  • Brayers
  • Printing paper
  • Newspaper or plastic tablecloth for workspace protection
📚 Step-by-Step

Lesson Plan

1Opening (5 min)

Welcome to today's BibleMouse art adventure! We'll explore how artists create prints by understanding how images transfer from one surface to another.

💭 Review Question: What did we learn about printmaking history yesterday?
2Teaching (15 min)

Today, we'll learn about relief printing using styrofoam. Just like how God carefully designs each of us, we'll carefully design our prints!

📌 Key Talking Points:
  • Positive space is where you draw or create marks
  • Negative space is the background or areas you don't draw on
  • When you print, the areas you draw will remain white, and the areas you don't draw will pick up ink
💬 Discussion Questions:
  • How might this be similar to how God creates unique designs in our lives?
  • What simple design could you create that tells a story?
3Activity: Styrofoam Relief Print Practice (18 min)
hands-on

Create a simple relief print using a styrofoam tray

📝 Instructions:
  1. Draw your design into the styrofoam using a pencil, pressing firmly
  2. Roll ink evenly with a brayer onto the styrofoam
  3. Carefully press paper onto the inked surface
  4. Gently lift to reveal your print
🔄 Variations:

Simpler: Create basic shapes or patterns

Challenge: Design a print that tells a short story or represents a Bible scene

4Closing (7 min)

Let's clean up our workspace and share our prints!

📝 Review Questions:
  • What did you learn about positive and negative space?
  • How was creating a print like God's creative process?

Coming up: Tomorrow, we'll start planning our final print design!

👨‍👩‍👧 For Parents

Teaching Notes

📚 Background:

Relief printing is an ancient art form that allows multiple copies of an image to be created

💡 Teaching Tips:
  • Protect work surfaces with newspaper or plastic
  • Help child press evenly when transferring print
  • Encourage creativity and don't worry about perfection
🤔 Common Struggles:

Children might get frustrated if print doesn't look exactly as they imagined

👀 Signs of Understanding:

Careful pencil work, even ink application, and excitement about the printing process

🚀 Want More?

Extension Activities

  • Create a series of prints with a theme
  • Use print as a card or gift for family member
  • Explore different ink colors or paper types

Ready for Tomorrow?

Great job completing today's lesson!

Continue to Day 38 →Back to Art