Easy Foam Printmaking for Kids

Plastic foam containers can be recycled into artwork. Just cut a flat section of the thin sheet of foam (square, round, or an irregular shape) and glue it onto a piece of cardboard to add strength.

Let it snow! A foam print by Jessica, printed with black ink on white paper.

Then draw a design into the foam with a ballpoint pen. Press firmly to make a nice impression. Make lines and dots, patterns and decorations. If you include letters, you will have to make them backwards, because your final print will be a mirror image of the design you draw.

Use a brayer to roll a thin layer of printmaking ink or thick tempera paint onto the foam. You want to cover the flat surface, but not the lines you hav drawn into the foam. The lines should stay clean and have no ink or paint in them, so don’t press too hard o use too much paint.

Place a sheet of plain paper on top of the inky foam and press gntly but firmly to transfer the ink onto the paper. Lift the paper off and admire your design. You can print over and over again….make lots of designs and use them as cards or pictures to give to all of your friends.

Materials: Flat foam cartons, scissors, white glue, cardboard for a backing, ballpoint pen, printmaking ink or thick tempera or acrylic pint, a brayer (a little rubber roller used in printmaking - costs less than $10 and is a great tool for kids’ art projects).

Time: 20-25 minutes.

KidsArt Resources: Find more printmaking ideas for children with the KidsArt Printmaking booklet from the KidsArt on-line store.