Plasticine Stamp Printing
Want to enjoy the fun of stamp printing without buying all the pre-made stamps? Use this tutorial to create temporary stamp designs using just plasticine and clay tools! Sculpt personalized stamps to add a unique look to any artwork or craft project.
Materials:
- Plasticine Clay
- Clay Tools
- Ink Pad
- Paper
- Cleaning Wipes
Step 1: Take some plasticine and roll it into a cylinder to create the stamp base. Stamps come in all shapes and sizes, so feel free to use discretion for the sizing.
Step 2: Use a clay tool to sculpt an image into the top of the plasticine cylinder to form the desired design.
Step 3: Press the sculpted image onto the ink pad to prepare to stamp.
Step 4: Firmly press the inked stamp on paper, holding for a couple of seconds to ensure a clear print.
Step 5: Clean the ink off the stamp with a wipe and repeat the process for endless stamps.
Ideas to take your plasticine stamp printing to the next level:
- Sketch a design before creating the stamps and try making the stamps the same shapes as the drawing! This process will allow you to create compositions using stamps, just like linoleum printmaking!
- Use the same stamp in a row to create a pattern.
- Add more color to your printmaking by using different colored paints or colored pencils after the ink has dried.
- Create impressions on your plasticine with objects from around the house, such as small cookie cutters, batteries, bottle caps, string, forks, rings, leaves, and so much more!
Learning and Discussion Questions:
1. Sculpting plasticine into stamps by creating different shapes with clay tools is very similar to linoleum block printmaking, the technique of carving a sheet of linoleum into a design with a metal carving tool. The linoleum design is then is covered in ink and impressed onto paper or fabric just as stamps are. Use this link to explore more about this art-making technique.
2. An important color block print artist of the early 20th century was Frances Gearhart. She was known for her boldly drawn and colored woodcut and linocut prints celebrating western American landscapes. Follow this link to learn more about her work and life.
Thank you to our sponsor, PNC Arts Alive!, for helping to make this video possible!
