Collagraph Printing (Part 5)

Practice collagraph in this art lesson: collagraph printing (part 5).

🎨 Studio Brief #29

Build a printing plate by gluing textured materials—string, fabric, leaves, sandpaper—onto cardboard.

🎯 Your mission

Spend 10 quiet minutes with this project.

⚡ The twist

Don't fix mistakes. Build with them.

What you'll learn

Build a printing plate by gluing textured materials—string, fabric, leaves, sandpaper—onto cardboard. Each material prints a different texture.

Get ready

Techniques you'll practise

collagraphtexture printingcollage plate

Brayer and inkPrinting paperStyrofoam trays

Step 1 of 4

Cut a piece of sturdy cardboard for your base. Plan your composition.

Step 2 of 4

Glue flat textured materials onto the cardboard: string for lines, lace for pattern, corrugated cardboard for stripes.

Step 3 of 4

Seal the plate with a coat of acrylic medium or shellac. Let it dry completely.

Step 4 of 4

Ink the plate with a brayer and print onto damp paper. The textures transfer beautifully.

Did you know?

🤯 Mind = Blown

🤯 Art rules exist mostly so you can break them on purpose.

🌟 Artist Spotlight

🎨 Every artist you've heard of started with one wobbly first try.

You did it!

🎯

We'll pick an art project that matches exactly where your skills are right now.

✨ More to explore

🌍 Where you see this: Art shapes everything you look at — once you notice, you can't unsee it.

🏆 Try this week: Make one piece of art today — even tiny, even messy.

👨‍👩‍👧 At dinner: “Tell me about the part of your art you love the most.”

Send it to a parent looking for a 15-minute screen-free creative win.