16.2.10

block printing


So Half Term is upon us and what a week we have in store - weather wise I mean. Apparently we can expect rain every day and certainly the past two have lived up to that promise. On both days we have been ready for walks, coated and booted with sun shining brightly, only to find that it's tipping down by the time we got strapped into the car. So yesterday we made some time for a crafty afternoon.

I bought this great book by Lotta Jansdotter just before last HT and promptly decorated the downstairs loo with stencils from it. So I consulted it yet again and got the children designing their own rubber stamps. Thankfully the things we needed were already to hand, namely rubber blocks and cutting tools from here and a variety of paints from here.

The children began by pencil drawing their images straight on to the rubber block and then we took turns to use the cutters to carve out the designs. (The cutters are very very sharp so I watched them like a hawk and did most of the carving myself.)


Thank goodness we realised in time that the stamps would print out a mirror image, so my boy was able to get his wording done the correct way!



Once the stamps were made, we used a brayer to transfer the paint from a paper plate on to the block and then the fun began. My boy decorated the back of one of his white tee shirts with his favourite tv programme in mind ..



and my little friend made her own correspondence cards.


You can see the different effects that were made, depending on how much paint was on the block. The first attempt definitely held way too much ink, so the image was less defined and the colour too dark.


But, without re-loading, the next two cards were much easier on the eye with more detail evident and the colour a much nicer violet shade.



We were all thrilled with the results and I must say I feel really inspired to have a go myself.


I hope you're enjoying your Half Term.

9 comments:

  1. Looks like you all had fun and without too much mess either!
    Cheers
    Helen

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  2. I used to embrave on rubber, wood even copperplate at art lessons when i was a student. How fun!!
    and your works are pretty fantastic!!

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  3. That looks like such good fun Kate, a perfect pastime for the children on a rainy day!

    Hope the rain keeps off and you manage to get out and about at some point in the week though or cabin fever may set in!

    Jeanne x

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  4. That looks fun! Wish my two could still be kept amused like that - thay seemto spend all their time 'social networking' on the computer these days :(

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  5. The did so well, the designs are really cute.

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  6. I love these. They look great! xxx

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  7. What a fabulous idea - I'm going to have to give this ago with the kids, but maybe in the Easter hols.

    take care,

    Nina x

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  8. What a fun thing to do with the children!

    Thank you for your lovely comment. Yup the zip was hard...I didn't have any instructions, so had to try and work out how to do it myself. Several attempts later...

    Finished the bag today :-)

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  9. Hi Kate,
    The comment box works! Well done! Love the stamping - carving your own is such fun, isn't it.
    Diana x

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There's nothing like a comment to stop me feeling like I'm talking to myself. If you leave one here I'll pop one back here too, so don't forget to come back and continue the conversation ..

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