One-Kid Printing Press

Description

Once the printing press was developed, publishing exploded. Books were no longer required to be handwritten over and over again to make multiple copies for sale or distribution. Now, one set of carved letters could be arranged in a number of ways, inked, and pressed down onto blank paper to make numerous copies and languages.

Stamping and stamp carving are still common hobbies in many places, even with the advent of instant message communication through the internet via email and texting. Stamps can be carved into words or simples, depending on the carver’s interest or the message that they want to share.

Materials (one for each student)

Pink erasers OR designated stamping rubber

Rubber stamp carving/ linocut tools

Ballpoint pens OR fine-tipped markers

Stamp pads

Optional: double sided tape OR glue dots; small notebook; scrap paper

Outline

1.      Remind students of carving safety: always carve awayfrom yourself, and never place your fingers in the path of the carving tool. Carve slowly and press firmly. If students are struggling to get purchase on the eraser without their hands in the way, attach the eraser to the work table with a piece of double-sided tape or a glue dot.

2.      Designs can either be drawn directly onto the eraser/ rubber, or transferred by drawing the design on scrap paper, placing the paper ink-side down onto the eraser/ rubber, and then going over the design again. However, this will result in a reversed design from the original.

3.      Using the carving tool, remove some of the rubber from either side of the drawn lines on the design, the “white space.” Only the drawn markings should stand high enough to make contact with the paper once stamped.

4.      When finished, have students press their new stamp into the ink pads. If desired, students can “trade” stamps in a small booklet or on a sheet of paper, collecting different designs from their classmates.

Extended Activity

Have a stamp pre-carved into a single word or symbol. Have a class/ group divided into two and have them stand in two lines. Give one line a pencil and the other the stamp/ an ink pad. Have a relay race to see who is faster: the line with the stamp, or the line that must handwrite/ draw what is on the stamp. Which is faster? Which came out neater/ more accurate?

Older students with a limited access to carving materials may be interested in creating their own carving tool from an aluminum can. A rudimentary carving tool can be cut from a soda can with a pair of scissors/ box cutter and attached to the end of a pencil with duct tape.