Mirror Image Printing

Last Sunday, two of our Art Studio Assistants, Emily Biffis and Sara Ottomano, designed and led a project inspired by autumn and everyday materials. Here is their report from the day.

While brainstorming ideas for our Special Sunday project, we were drawn to use paint and paper to create art inspired by Rorschach Inkblot tests. Like a Rorschach, we folded the paper down the middle. Instead of using ink, we tried adding pre-painted natural and found recycled materials (with washable tempera paint) and pressing them inside the folded sheet of paper.  These one-of-a-kind (monotype) prints we call “mirror image prints.”

To prepare for the special day, we collected leaves from the beautiful fall foliage and a variety of materials from the studio including paperclips, rubber bands, string, popsicle sticks, and fruit/veggie mesh bags. We repurposed pre-folded paper from past workshops to allow visitors a choice between different sizes and shapes. For the tempera paint, we chose to provide two warm colors, red and yellow, and two cool colors, blue and green. With four colors to choose from, visitors could then put paint in each corner of a mixing tray and use brushes to apply it to the materials they chose from our buffet.

Some people gravitated towards painting leaves to use in their prints.

Others chose to use the recycled and found materials and accordion-folded the paper into books.

Some young guests preferred to paint right on the paper and press it with the help of family members.

One creative guest and his father were inspired by the materials to create letters! He showed me one of his books that spelled his name, explaining how he created each letter using rubber bands, paperclips, and even a special technique with string being pulled across the page.

We hope this post has inspired you to collect leaves outside in the beautiful fall weather, look around your house for reusable materials and create some mirror image prints!

Making Art with Children is generously sponsored by the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority.