- Definition
Printmaking is a way to make art by creating a design on one surface, like a stamp or a screen, and then transferring that design onto another surface, usually paper, to make one or many copies.
Carving a shape into a potato, dipping it in paint, and pressing it onto paper is printmaking.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: Printmaking is like using a stamp to put the same picture on paper over and over again.
Ask your child: What shape could we make into a stamp?
Common mix-up: Kids might think printmaking is just another way to draw a picture. The special part is creating a tool, like a stamp, to transfer the image and make copies.
Examples
- Pressing a painted hand onto paper to make a handprint.
- Painting one side of a leaf and pressing it onto paper to show its veins.
printmaking is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
