We continue with our  PRINTS CHARMING series.This time we will use a Foam Plate.
Yes, foam, but not just any foam. What I find to be the best one as mono printing *plate is the material used in foam take out containers.  So, please next time you get those foam food boxes or containers… clean it and save it for a day of printing fun. (*Plate- a surface upon which a printing process is carried out)

Materials needed:
Foam
Ballpoint pen for making impression on foam
printing ink
cardstock or watercolor paper
watercolor, tempera or acrylic colors for background color on paper
inking plate (plexiglass)
rubber brayer

Here are some images of the steps:

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Here are some photos of my students foam plates ( impressions on the foam were made using a ballpoint pen)

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So to make the prints more interesting, I got the kids to paint the paper using watercolor. When watercolor dried, we then did the printing with the foam plate and printing ink.
Look at this slideshow of all the works of my young printmakers…

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Paint your paper and then do the actual monoprint with foam plate and black printing ink.

Notice the letters on the foam plate are on reverse…

Make a lovely monoprint to frame or some mini monoprints to make bookmarks for your loved ones this Valentine’s.

Try out this simple monoprinting technique…if my 6 and 7 year old students could do it, so can you!!!