This delightful art project uses a…kitchen tool?! That’s right! Raid the kitchen, grab some paint, and it’s time to try this baking sheet printmaking process art activity!
I fell in love with baking sheet printmaking one million years ago
Many, many moons ago, I discovered printmaking, and it has been true love ever since.
There’s something enchanting about covering something in paint or ink, adding a design, and watching the design transfer to paper. Enchanting.
The best part? It’s just as fun with preschoolers as it is with adults.
Related: Have you ever seen one of our giant 10-foot coloring pages? Talk about enchanting!
Baking sheet printmaking is as easy as pie
One demonstration with my preschoolers is all it takes before they’re off to the races.
And the best part?
Whenever I need a quick, easy activity again during the year, I can set the supplies on the table again, and the kids know exactly what to do.
Looking for more printmaking art projects? I can understand why!
- Lemon Stamp Art – Friends Art Lab
- Shaving Cream Marbling – The Artful Parent
- Magic Marker Leaf Prints – The Kitchen Table Classroom
Materials
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- Baking sheet – or any smooth surface (bottom of a pie tin, top of a smooth table, etc.)
- Paint – I’m using BioColor here, but tempera also works great
- Paintbrush – the fluffier/larger, the better
- Paper – any kind
Directions
A quick note about the demonstration
I always model this first for the kids. I go over and narrate the steps, then set them loose.
When doing a demonstration, I always make sure to say, “I’m making this design, but you can make ANYTHING you want.”
How to make baking sheet prints
- Paint the bottom of a baking sheet with lots of paint
- Draw a design in the paint with your finger, pressing hard enough that you can see the baking sheet through the paint
- Press a piece of paper onto the baking sheet, gently rub it on, then lift to reveal your print
How easy does all of that sound?
The only hard part is trying to stop making more and more and more and…
What should the kids draw?
It’s completely up to them!
Sometimes, we leave the supplies out and each kid draws whatever they want. One kid might draw a dog while another makes a rocket while another makes a heart, etc.
However, you could also turn this into a seasonal activity by inviting the kids to all draw something similar, such as a pumpkin.
The sky’s the limit.
What kind of printmaking is this?
Ready for a fancy ol’ art term?
This type of printmaking is called subtractive monoprinting.
In subtractive monoprinting, the artist lays down paint or ink (like we did), then removes some of the paint or ink with a tool or finger (like we did), and then lifts a one-of-a-kind print.
And even though preschoolers might not understand the prefix “mono-“ or the entire science of subtractive art, I absolutely would introduce this term to kids.
Absolutely.
100%.
You know how kids can memorize and name dinosaurs with names that are a billion syllables long? They can absolutely say, “I made a subtractive monoprint!” and when they do, you’ll melt into a puddle.
FAQ
Any that you love! Here I used BioColor, but tempera would work well, too.
It depends on the temperature where you’re at and the exact paint you’re using, but as a general rule of thumb, they dry quickly because the paint isn’t think on the paper.
It sure is! Each piece is unique to the artist, no two pieces are exactly the same, and kids can make anything they want!
You’ll fall in love with baking sheet printmaking, too
It’s nearly impossible not to.
This process art activity always continues to be a go-to for us, and I can’t wait to hear about how much you will love it, too.
Have fun!
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