During the summer months, the water is a wonderful place to spend your time and find inspiration for your art making. Think about what you can find in and around bodies of water to inspire the imagery of your own water monoprint. When you visit a lake or the ocean, how do you feel? What are some things you see, smell, hear, taste or can touch? In this activity, we will represent the lines, shapes and colors that remind us of lake and ocean life. For more inspiration, visit pem.org to take a virtual tour of Wes Sam-Bruce’s Where the Questions Live to see how the artist interprets water through his art!
Supplies
- Paint
- Paintbrush
- Cotton swabs or paper towel
- Tinfoil
- Cardboard
- Paper
- Scissors
Instructions
Step 1: Cover your cardboard with tinfoil. Cut out a flat square of cardboard (around 5” x 7” but you can make it bigger if you’d like). Cover your cardboard with a piece of tinfoil. Make sure to keep the tinfoil completely smooth with no folds or wrinkles.
Step 2: With a paintbrush, paint an even layer of the color of your choice on top of the tinfoil.
Step 3: Create your monoprint image. Using cotton swabs or paper towels, wipe paint away to create your image.
Tip: It is helpful to first create your image with a simple outline using a cotton swab. Then if you wish to add details begin wiping away from there.
Step 4: Transfer your image to paper. Once you are satisfied with your image gently place a piece of paper over your image. Carefully press on the top of your paper to transfer your image.
Step 5: Reveal your print. Once you have pressed your image into the paper for a few seconds, carefully pull the paper up from your painted foil plate to reveal your monoprint!
Explore more of our #PEMfromHome Drop-in Art Activity video tutorials on our YouTube channel.
Show Us!
Share your photos using #PEMpod or #PeabodyEssex.