During a fourth/fifth grade art lesson, we covered the concepts of open and closed composition, then briefly explain block-printing. I made sure to have plenty of band-aids on hand, since the carving tools are sharp. We ended up maxing out at two band-aids, which isn’t too shabby for a class of over 25 ten and eleven year-olds.
I would hesitate to do this art lesson with just any class, since it requires a bit of tenacity unusual in many elementary-aged kids, but block-printing is a skill that is sometimes underutilized by volunteer art teachers so I was willing to take my chances. Plus, it’s just plain fun. The kids simply love it for its uniqueness so I don’t mind forking out some funds for at least one block-printing lesson per year.
I purchased most of my materials from dickblick.com so I have included the links to those specific items. They are affiliate links, which means that if you purchase any of the products, I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.
Materials used: Linoleum carving tools, rubber-like carving block (4X6 inch), pencil, water-based printing ink, block-printing paper (or any smooth paper, if you prefer), brayers, sheet of plexiglass (or any flat surface, really)
Difficulty: Moderate to advanced for upper elementary grades
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- Draw image on block
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- Follow pencil lines to carve image
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- Roll ink on block
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- Press onto paper to make print
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- Carve additional areas out of block
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- Cover with a different color
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- Place on top of original print
Feel free to use the following Powerpoint Presentation detailing the steps in this lesson:
Two-tone Autumn Leaf Print Powerpoint