Print Making

Our second assignment for this week’s art class was to create a nature scene on a piece of construction paper using foam paper and paint. After reviewing the vocabulary of the lesson, the teachers showed us some examples of their art and several visuals on a PowerPoint that we could use to create our own art projects. Then the teachers demonstrated how to create a scene on a piece of foam paper using the end of a paintbrush.

The following photo is my nature scene; I have a butterfly and bee flying around a flower in the warm spring sun.

To begin our art project, we used a blank sheet of paper to practice sketching the scene we wanted on our foam paper. Once we were comfortable with sketching the scene, we started engraving it on a piece of foam paper using various line patterns. When the desired scene was completed, we chose a paint color that we wanted and used a sponge roller to cover the entire area of the foam paper. Then we turned the foam upside down and pressed it onto a bigger piece of construction paper; preferably, one with a complementary color of the paint we used, such as yellow and purple. When the foam had been firmly pressed against the construction paper, we carefully removed it to reveal a mirror image or the scene we had engraved on the foam paper.

An extension activity with this foam paper art would be in language arts after students’ summer break when they return to school. Students would engrave a scene that represents an activity that they really enjoyed doing during the summer (such as swimming, camping outside, going on a picnic, etc.). When the students are finished with the art, they would write a story that explains their art. Then the students’ art would be displayed along with their short story.