Today's postings

  1. [Baren 41862] woodcut printing for children - tips sought (Zoe Toft)
  2. [Baren 41863] Re: woodcut printing for children - tips sought (Viza Arlington)
  3. [Baren 41864] Re: woodcut printing for children - tips sought (Raymond Hudson)
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Message 1
From: Zoe Toft
Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2010 07:05:56 GMT
Subject: [Baren 41862] woodcut printing for children - tips sought
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Hello all,

I'm looking for tips on trying to create and then print with woodcuts
with children (under 10).

I write reviews of books for this age group and will be doing a series
of reviews of picture books which have used this technique for their
illustrations eg Besty Bowen, Christopher Wormell, Lynd Ward and Antonio
Frasconi. With each review I include an activity inspired by the book
and so I'd really like to try and then write up some woodcut activities
appropriate for children.

I'm not after woodcut substitutes eg making prints from polystyrene or
lino, but rather any technique which is printing and using wood. For
example, for the very youngest I've thought about taking prints from
bark on trees whilst slightly older kids might be able to use balsa wood
to create their illustrations (I know balsa isn't a great wood to use,
not having a tight grain, but it would be easy for kids to work).

Any suggestion would be much appreciated, and of course if you'd like to
be acknowledged, or linked to when the series of posts eventually go
live (sometime in November probably) then I'd be happy to do so.

Thanks in anticipation,

Zoe
http://www.playingbythebook.net/
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Message 2
From: Viza Arlington
Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2010 08:32:34 GMT
Subject: [Baren 41863] Re: woodcut printing for children - tips sought
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Hi,
you could try using scissors to cut shapes out of wood veneers and
glueing them down to a woodblock inking and printing as normal. or if
cutting the shapes with scissors doesn't seem workable multitudes of
precut veneer shapes could be provided to the kids and they choose and
glue down the shapes onto the woodblock to form a design ink and print
as usual.
viza
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Message 3
From: Raymond Hudson
Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2010 09:08:16 GMT
Subject: [Baren 41864] Re: woodcut printing for children - tips sought
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Another possibility for younger children is to cut a stencil out of paper, place one on an inked piece of wood that has a pronounced grain, place the printing paper on top, and rub with a baren or with fingers.

When using wood carving tools with young children I ALWAYS place a pile of bandaids directly in front of them so they are constantly reminded visually to work with care. After one young student cut herself with a tool, she proudly announced to her father, "I got the first woodcut." He was quite pleased, thinking we were all doing woodcuts.

Ray