Introduction to Printmaking

Active learning through hands-on printmaking lets students explore cause and effect. Carving, inking, and pulling prints builds tactile understanding of how matrix and pressure shape the final image, turning abstract concepts like 'relief' into tangible experience.

• Grade 7
• The Arts
• 4 activities
• 20 min–50 min

Learning Objectives

1. Demonstrate the steps for creating a relief print using a linoleum block.
2. Compare and contrast the visual characteristics of a print edition with an original drawing.
3. Design a series of prints that explore a single theme through repetition and variation.
4. Analyze the impact of inking pressure and paper type on the final print's appearance.
5. Critique a peer's print series based on thematic consistency and technical execution.

Experiential Learning

⏱ 45 min·Small Groups

Demo and Guided Practice: Linocut Process

Model safe carving on a sample block, from sketch transfer to first print. Students draw simple motifs, carve linoleum, ink with brayer, and pull three prints each. Discuss variations from hand pressure.

Prepare & details

Explain the process of creating a relief print from start to finish.

Facilitation Tip: During the linocut demo, emphasize safety with carving tools by demonstrating proper grip and pressure on a practice block before students begin.

Setup: Varies; may include outdoor space, lab, or community setting

Materials: Experience setup materials, Reflection journal with prompts, Observation worksheet, Connection-to-content framework

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Experiential Learning

⏱ 30 min·Pairs

Pairs Exploration: Monoprint Textures

Provide gel plates, acrylic paints, and found objects. Pairs paint backgrounds, roll textures, and pull two prints. Compare results and note unique effects from layering.

Prepare & details

Compare the unique qualities of a print to an original drawing.

Setup: Varies; may include outdoor space, lab, or community setting

Materials: Experience setup materials, Reflection journal with prompts, Observation worksheet, Connection-to-content framework

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Experiential Learning

⏱ 50 min·Individual

Individual Design: Thematic Print Series

Students select a theme and sketch three variations. Carve one block, print editions with colour changes. Mount and label series for gallery walk.

Prepare & details

Design a series of prints that explore a single theme through repetition and variation.

Setup: Varies; may include outdoor space, lab, or community setting

Materials: Experience setup materials, Reflection journal with prompts, Observation worksheet, Connection-to-content framework

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Experiential Learning

⏱ 20 min·Whole Class

Whole Class Critique: Print vs Drawing

Display student prints beside original drawings. Class discusses qualities in pairs, then shares observations on a chart. Vote on most effective series elements.

Prepare & details

Explain the process of creating a relief print from start to finish.

Setup: Varies; may include outdoor space, lab, or community setting

Materials: Experience setup materials, Reflection journal with prompts, Observation worksheet, Connection-to-content framework

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Teaching This Topic

Teach printmaking as a cycle of planning, testing, and refining rather than a single attempt. Model trial prints and encourage students to keep their first block for later experiments, which builds persistence and problem-solving. Avoid rushing to finish; the process is the point.

What to Expect

Students show success when they plan designs with negative space in mind, apply ink evenly, and reflect on the differences between prints and drawings. Clear communication about their process and choices demonstrates growing visual literacy.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During the Demo and Guided Practice: Linocut Process, watch for students assuming all prints from their block will be identical.

What to Teach Instead

After students pull their first print, have them carve a small adjustment to the block and print a second edition. Ask them to compare the two prints, noting differences in ink coverage or pressure, to reinforce that variation is natural in printmaking.

Common Misconception

During the Demo and Guided Practice: Linocut Process, watch for students believing carving mistakes must be avoided at all costs.

What to Teach Instead

Provide scrap linoleum blocks for students to test carving techniques before starting their final design. Encourage them to embrace 'happy accidents' as learning opportunities by discussing how mistakes can become part of the print's character.

Common Misconception

During the Whole Class Critique: Print vs Drawing, watch for students undervaluing the expressive power of prints.

What to Teach Instead

During the critique, place a finished print next to a drawing by the same student. Ask them to identify which medium best conveys their theme, guiding them to articulate how bold lines and repeatable textures serve different narrative purposes.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

During the Demo and Guided Practice: Linocut Process, ask students to sketch their design on paper and then verbally explain to a partner how they will carve away negative space. Listen for accurate use of terms like 'relief,' 'matrix,' and 'negative space,' and note any misconceptions to address.

Exit Ticket

After the Whole Class Critique: Print vs Drawing, students complete a 'Print Qualities' and 'Drawing Qualities' comparison chart. They list 2-3 distinct characteristics for each column based on observations from their own work and peer examples.

Peer Assessment

After students have created their first print from their linocut during the Demo and Guided Practice: Linocut Process, have them display their work. Peers use a checklist to assess: 'Is the ink applied evenly to the raised surface?', 'Is the image clear and legible?', and 'Did the student attempt to create a series?' Each peer provides one positive comment and one suggestion for improvement.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge early finishers to create a second print edition by modifying their block or ink colors, documenting changes in a sketchbook.
• Scaffolding for struggling students: Provide pre-carved practice blocks with simple shapes to build confidence before tackling original designs.
• Deeper exploration: Introduce multi-color reduction linocut after initial successes, where students carve and print in layers from a single block.

Key Vocabulary

Relief Print	A printmaking technique where the image is created from a raised surface. Ink is applied to the raised areas, and the recessed areas remain un-inked.
Linocut	A type of relief print made from linoleum, a material that is softer than wood and easier to carve, allowing for finer details.
Brayer	A roller used to apply ink evenly to a flat surface, such as a printing plate or block.
Matrix	The surface or block from which a print is made. In this case, it is the carved linoleum block.
Edition	A set of identical prints made from the same matrix. Each print in the edition is numbered and signed by the artist.