Ms. Morencie’s Grade 12 Art Class Practices Printmaking 

Ms. Morencie’s Grade 12 Art class has been working hard on their printmaking projects, drawing designs based on narratives and stories selected from life experiences, myths, poems, songs and books. This week, their hard work came to fruition as they printed their final pieces. 

While there are four main types of printmaking, Ms. Morencie’s class experimented with Intaglio printing. Our artists first drew their artwork in their sketchbooks before etching it into a piece of plexiglass using an etching needle. Students applied hatching, cross-hatching and stippling to their drawings to add value and detail. To make their prints, students pushed ink into the lines of their etching, then strategically removed some of the ink to create a detailed and shaded image. 

Once the plexiglass was properly inked, our students carefully place them onto the bed of the printing press and layer on damp paper before pressing them with the printing press. This seemingly easy task can prove to be quite challenging as students must consider many factors including; saturation of ink, paper placement, and pressure. Our students persevered, creating several iterations of their artwork as they strove for the perfect print. Their final pieces were exquisite and the sense of satisfaction was palpable as they admired their best work.