Rubber Band Printmaking

What You Need:

• Cardboard 5” x 7”
• Pencil
• Medium-sized rubber bands
• Scissors
• Colored construction paper, 8.5” x 11”
• Paintbrush
• Tempera paint
• White glue

What You Do:

1. Have your child draw a simple design on the cardboard using a pencil.
2. Help him cut a few rubber bands so they can be glued down as printmaking lines, over his drawing.
3. Draw a line of white glue over the drawing and glue the rubber band. Cut off any excess rubber band. [Hint: They should be glued down on their sides so they are tall, rather than flat]
4. Allow the glue to dry completely before continuing.
5. Your child can now paint the rubber bands using tempera paint, making sure to coat them completely.
6. Help him carefully press the rubber band drawing face down on the colored construction paper. Press the back of the cardboard down firmly to make sure the rubber bands print onto the paper.
7. Slowly lift the cardboard rubber band drawing to expose the print underneath.
8. Print as many times as you like! Allow the paint on the rubber bands to dry completely before changing to a different color of paint.

Helpful Hint: To make colorful stamps, use two or more paints on the rubber bands before pressing a print.