To get acquainted with the “engraving” style and gain first experience, you can use a set for creativity, which is called “Engraving”. Such sets can be purchased in stores with art departments, and in online stores. Models for work are offered of varying complexity, there are simple small pictures, but there are also quite complex and delicate paintings. The recommended age of the engraving artist is indicated on the packaging. Moreover, such an activity can captivate both a schoolchild and an adult. The picture shown as an example shows ages from 3 years. But children in younger age You must work under adult supervision.
Step 2
The engraving blank looks like a thick sheet of metallized paper covered with a tinted layer, onto which the contours of the future design are applied. Metallized paper comes in a variety of colors: silver, gold, or rainbow (irridescent colors).
Step 3
The set also includes a tool for performing the work - a stencil. With this tool, notches are made on the upper dark layer, through which the metallized layer is revealed. The shtikhel is similar to a pen, only it has a metal core. For safety, a cap is put on the tip when the serger is not used. If the work is carried out by children, then it is imperative to supervise the handling of the quill to avoid injury.
Step 4
To complete the engraving, you must apply all the drawn strokes, removing the tinted layer in these places. The serger can make fine cuts or wider cuts, depending on which side you turn it on. This type of work requires perseverance and accuracy.
Engraving on cardboard appeared relatively recently, having managed to win the sympathy of many artists, including beginners. This type refers to letterpress printing, since the printed elements are formed after the cutters select blank elements that will not touch the paper.
This technique requires that certain materials be prepared:
- needle files (can be replaced with an awl or needle);
- cardboard, which can be of any texture and thickness. For more professional printing, the cardboard should be at least two millimeters;
- cardboard or paper for imprinting, drawing paper will do;
- rubber roller or spatula. As a last resort, you can replace it with a brush with bristles;
- tracing paper;
- copy paper;
- plexiglass;
- mascara (optional);
- oil or acrylic paint, For children's creativity Gouache will do.
The needles must be sharpened, since the effectiveness of their use and the accuracy of the lines drawn depend on this.
The process and methods of making engravings on cardboard
- Drawing a sketch. This stage is performed on plain paper and includes the creation of a composition and layout. When thinking through a sketch, you need to take into account that the image is created by cutting out certain areas on cardboard. Therefore, to avoid breaks work surface cardboard, the drawing should be done with a stain or simple strokes, but not cross.
- After developing the sketch, the drawing is transferred to tracing paper.
- The sketch on paper is divided into shadows and light. The light-shadow breakdown is carried out with ink or a felt-tip pen. This will help you avoid getting confused when working with cardboard. If it is supposed to be colored, it is advisable to make a color scheme. It should be taken into account that the parts scratched on the cardboard will be light.
- The sketch is transferred from tracing paper to cardboard. This is done in two ways:
- In the first case, the drawing on tracing paper is drawn very soft pencil. Then, to transfer it to cardboard, it will be enough to simply place the tracing paper with the design on the cardboard and smooth the surface with a spoon. Or use a non-writing pen to trace along the translucent lines. But then there is a possibility that not all the lines will be printed, and the drawing itself will be displayed in a mirror projection.
- In the second case, you can simply transfer the drawing through carbon paper. This method is more convenient, and the image can be made to “look” both to the right and to the left.
- On the resulting image on cardboard, you need to cut out the whitespace elements using tools. You should scratch the cardboard carefully, as any blemish will be noticeable on the finished work. For better adhesion to the pigment, the cardboard can be primed. In this case, you can apply the design with a hot burning needle. Another advantage of primer is that it keeps the stamp more durable and allows you to make the design clearer.
- In addition to scratching, you can glue an applique onto cardboard. The result of using real branches, blades of grass, and leaves will look especially interesting. The appliqué technique is good not only as an auxiliary technique, but also as an independent one.
- After the preparatory stage is completed, you can proceed to filling with pigment. Regardless of whether the final image is intended to be monochrome or color, the technique is the same: a small amount of the desired pigment is poured onto plexiglass, evenly distributed onto a roller and transferred to cardboard. You need to transfer it in a layer of 0.1–0.5 mm, evenly distributing the pigment throughout the work.
Important! When using oil paint, surfaces that interact with it must be primed. For other paints this may not be necessary.
- If acrylic or gouache is used, then before printing, the paint, if it has dried, must be moistened. Dried color will have no effect.
- Next comes printing. For this purpose, in classical graphics an etching machine is used. At home, it is replaced with a tablespoon without any inscriptions or patterns. For printing, it is applied to the painted cardboard. Blank sheet thick paper or larger cardboard. For reliability, it can be secured with paper clips. To create a pattern, the sheet is smoothed with a spoon in the direction from the center to the edges. This must be done carefully, without skipping sections.
- The quality of the resulting image is checked by bending the corner of the sheet. After ironing the entire surface, the sheet must be carefully separated from the cardboard without smearing the paint.
- Allow the image to dry.
The resulting print should be good quality, no paint runs, no defects. The coloring should be uniform and the image should be clearly readable. If there are any flaws, do not despair. You can try to correct the situation by making corrections to the work on the cardboard. You can also change the color scheme, getting several image options.
Please note! If you need to change the color of the image, and the cardboard was covered with oil paint, then the previous color layer should be removed as much as possible with a dry cloth, since even a thin layer of oil can take up to six months to dry.
Stages of engraving on cardboard
Registration of work
Designing a work is no less an art than creating it. An incorrectly selected frame can ruin the impression of even a masterpiece. It should not be too bulky or distract attention. The frame is just an elegant addition to the picture, matching the mood, color scheme and tonal execution of the image.
A successful solution would be a seamless mat. This is a frame made of white or tinted cardboard (thick paper). Its width can start from three centimeters, depending on the size of the painting. The main rule when creating a passe-partout is no seams. It is made from a single sheet of paper and pasted onto the back of the image. The top and sides are the same width, while the bottom is slightly wider. For example, if three stripes are equal to three centimeters, then the bottom one will be equal to five. Despite its simplicity, this design often looks much neater than a full-fledged frame.
The work, framed in a passe-partout, can be covered with plexiglass, the size of which is selected in accordance with the outer boundaries of the frame. It protects the image from dust and dirt, and also makes it neat when hanging on the wall. If you want to do without it, the picture should be coated with a special varnish, selected taking into account the paint used.
If the engraving was done with oil paint, then you should not immediately draw up the work. Even if the top layer of oil seems dry, this impression is deceptive. This paint can dry from six months to several years, depending on the thickness of the layer. The drying process will speed up if you cover finished work a thin layer of retouch varnish. Otherwise, when preparing a raw engraving in a passe-partout, there is a chance to see oil stains on it, which will not add aesthetic value work.
Conclusion
Cardboard engraving is a simple type of letterpress printing that can be easily done at home. But to fully reveal the technique and get a decent result, it is worth using, if not professional, then at least high-quality materials. It is better to take thick cardboard that does not “eat up” the paint. It is preferable to use watercolor paper (use the glossy side) or drawing paper for the impression. Then working on the engraving will bring a lot of pleasure and will delight you with an excellent result.
Today, I wanted to dedicate a master class for children to an interesting and one of the most ancient drawing techniques. It's about about engraving, which can become a discovery of the great world of fine art for both you and your child.
The creative streak has always been present in people and aroused the desire to leave their mark on various surfaces, which was the beginning of the creation of interesting and unusual techniques drawing. After all, what could be simpler than scratching a design on a stone, clay tablet or wood? If you fill the grooves with paint, you will get bright drawing, which will last for quite a long time. This is how one of the oldest drawing techniques - engraving - was born. She came from the jewelry business; all the tools and techniques are used by jewelers to this day. It is very multifaceted and includes many various techniques execution. These include linocuts, metal engravings, cardboard engravings, woodcuts and lithographs. The advent of engraving technology served as the impetus for the creation of printing presses.
Many great artists paid great attention to engraving and created amazing and beautiful masterpieces. One of the brightest masters was Albrecht Durer.
How to make an engraving
Creating an engraving with your own hands, no matter how strange it may seem, is quite simple. Children's drawings can easily be diversified by offering the child the engraving technique or its imitation - scratching, scratching a design plate covered with colored paint or wax.
These engraving classes at home will perfectly entertain kids and contribute to the development of a love for beauty. And they will be the first steps in art. Working with this technique helps the child develop fine motor skills, perseverance and accuracy.
Even small children can create paintings using this technique. For kids, the process can be simplified and they will need adult help. For this technique we will need:
- thin plates of polystyrene foam or expanded polystyrene;
- a stick for scratching the design, a stencil or a regular ballpoint pen.
- scissors;
— colored paper;
- paints;
- rubber roller for rolling the work.
A child can draw a design on a plate of polystyrene foam with a ballpoint pen by pressing harder on it.
The result is a drawing, the contours of which are pressed into the material.
Let's cut out the city and put it on a tray so as not to stain everything around with paint.
Using a roller, apply paint to the plate.
Place it on a sheet of colored paper and press firmly.
Carefully removing the plate from the paper, we will see the resulting engraving.
Cardboard engraving is a relatively young art genre. Simply put, this type of work is called “scratching”, because in order to achieve a drawing, that is, an engraving itself, you need to scratch some surface. And even cardboard is suitable for such purposes. This type of engraving can be mastered not only by people with experience in art, but also by beginning artists.
The engraving itself depends on the following factors:
- the texture of the selected material, in this case cardboard;
- relief heights;
- pressure force during operation; lines can be made of different thicknesses and intensity of coloring.
Colored engraving on cardboard
How is engraving made?
The following materials will be useful for engraving:
- any type of cardboard (packaging, bound, pressboard);
- needles or files;
- lancet;
- knives.
The technique itself takes place in several stages:
- Use a soft pencil or lithographic pencil to depict a picture on tracing paper or glossy paper. After this, the drawn side of the tracing paper is applied to a sheet of cardboard. A special plate is driven along it from above with pressure. But further relief is obtained by scratching or engraving with pens, or appliqué.
- Water-based paint will help add texture to the engraving. You need to fix the result with nitro varnish, while avoiding drips.
Please note that this technique is more professional. It is done manually, but the print of the painting in this case should not exceed 2030 centimeters, otherwise not all the paint will stick to the paper. For this procedure, you need to choose a thick paint; regular paint is often mixed oil paint and white, diluted with drying oil in a ratio of 7:3. Such material should be aged for several days in an open container.
A layer of paint is applied to cardboard with a thickness of 0.1–0.5 millimeters. For printing, water-based inks are often chosen, mixing them with glycerin. The paper is applied on top of the cardboard with a layer of paint and the grinding process begins. The plates that rub paper are often waxed. This is necessary for better gliding.
This procedure can be performed mechanically using an etching press. In this case, a board and several layers of soft paper are additionally applied to the paper, then there will be no disruption of the relief of the print.
Color engraving can only be done on cardboard. Initially, an impression of a warm shade is made. Then the material is dried, and then prints of other colors are made one by one. This procedure takes quite a lot of time, but in engraving you can achieve different shades, reliefs and textures on one cardboard.
To enhance the print of engravings, artists use adjustments applied on top of the sheet from which the print is made in those places where the artist wants to saturate the drawing. But to enhance the effect of color range maybe a mask that is placed between paper and cardboard.
The engraving tool itself - the file - must be held either straight or at an angle of 35 degrees. There are situations when the smallest slots are compressed during printing, and the effect of the print is not achieved. Also, do not use cross hatching in this technique. The problem with this technique is that during its use, whole pieces of material will be torn out of the cardboard, so the print will be of poor quality and you will not achieve the desired picture.
This method is more suitable for professionals, since a person who encounters such an engraving for the first time may not understand how the method works. In addition, making the correct print or applying paint so that the required relief is obtained will be especially difficult. Any stains or irregularities not in the intended place can blur the effect of the engraving, so before doing such work, you need to practice. Or choose the simple option.
Home engraving option
You can make the engraving yourself. The principle of its production will differ from the artistic method, but with its help you can have an interesting time. Such an engraving on cardboard is called a “scratch”. A background is applied to the cardboard. It can be monochromatic or multi-colored.
Stages of engraving on cardboard
A black wax layer is applied on top. And then using a special knife, different figures or a whole picture are cut out on it. True, relief cannot be achieved in such engravings, but the result can be very beautiful and elegant. Often such drawings are sold even in children's departments, but you can make them yourself.
For this you will need:
- cardboard;
- wax pencils;
- brush;
- gouache.
The cardboard needs to be completely painted over, it can be multi-colored or plain background. Apply gouache on top of the sheet, leaving no gaps. It is best to choose black paint, then the engraving will have contrast. After the paint layer has dried, you can use scratching tools to engrave the picture. Draw images to suit your taste. You can change the thickness of the line and the print using the pressure applied.
You can also paint over a finished drawing this way. For it to appear on the engraving, you will need to erase the top layer with a coin. But such variations are quite primitive and suitable for children.
Engraving - pretty interesting view an art that continues to evolve. Much of it depends on the skill of the artist. But this genre is also suitable for those who like to experiment and take risks.
Creative activities are an integral part of raising and educating a child. There are many types artistic arts, within which children of any age can create. For example, engraving for children is a technique that can be mastered as early as three years of age. But such creativity will also be interesting for teenagers and parents.
Engraving as a form of visual art
Very often given creative technique put on a par with fine arts. Indeed, these types of creativity have enough in common. Crafts using the engraving technique involve removing the protective layer using a special tool - a spatula or a pen. You can find it on sale today ready-made kits to create such a masterpiece. An alternative option is to make the craft inside and out with your own hands. Let's take a closer look at this technique and try to understand why engraving is useful for children?
Factory-made ready-made art kits
Today, in any toy or stationery store you can find a wide variety of sets for children's creativity. Among them there are also those that are intended for creating. Typically, such a set includes a base for creating a three-dimensional drawing, a special spatula/sticker and instructions. A white or colored base may be hidden under a black background. For ease of use, usually the lines along which the tool should be drawn are already marked in color on a black base. The cost of the “Engraving for Children” set ranges from 100-500 rubles. It all depends on the size and complexity of the drawing. Please note: the recommended age must be indicated on the packaging young artist. For the little ones, choose simple pictures small in size, and for older children and adults - more complex. Attention! At the age of 3-5 years, children are recommended to make engravings only in collaboration with adults. The task of parents is to tell children about this creativity, show the basic techniques and control the entire process.
Making an engraving using a candle
If you want to make a creativity kit no worse than in the store, you can do it yourself at home. To do this, take a cardboard picture; you can use, for example, a page from a torn book. Cut the base to the appropriate size. Next, rub it with a regular candle or a piece of paraffin. The layer should be smooth and uniform. Then cover the workpiece with a thick layer of gouache without adding water. Leave to dry for several hours. After which your engraving for children is ready, you can start creating. Invite your child to clear the entire picture or some of its elements. You can also take an ordinary piece of cardboard, paint it randomly with paints, and then cover it with wax and gouache. It is more convenient to draw pictures on such an engraving without completely removing the paint.
How to make an engraving with your own hands without wax or paraffin?
If you don't have a candle at home, don't be upset. Take cardboard or a sheet of thick paper and paint the base well with these pencils, and on top, as in the first method, apply gouache and dry. Another option involves using a ready-made picture and film. Regular packaging bags, file folders or thin plastic packaging will do. Glue a piece of film to the base with a glue stick, apply gouache on top and dry. Making engravings is also possible from glossy pictures. And this is one of the most simple ways. Take a page from a magazine, a coloring book cover, or some other glossy picture. Apply gouache directly onto it and after it has completely dried, start creating. Preschoolers are advised to use thin tools when creating engravings and try to hold them like a pencil or pen - this will help adapt their hand to writing.
The benefits of this type of creativity
Children's prints are interesting and very useful crafts. This type of creativity develops fine motor skills, teaches the child to be attentive and diligent. If you use a store-bought set, your baby learns to trace and draw the correct lines. Many children enjoy homemade engraving bases that have no markings on them. When working with such material, each time you have to guess what is hidden under the paint and where it should be erased. Freehand drawing on a base to create an engraving with a multi-colored background is also interesting. Try creating with your child, using both ready-made kits and homemade ones. Remember that the finished craft can become a wonderful interior decoration or an excellent holiday gift for one of your relatives.
Creativity for children means limitless opportunities for self-expression and development. Never forget this and try to regularly do a variety of decorative crafts with your daughter or son.
