Tile Printmaking

I love tiles, I am not exactly sure why, perhaps because I love puzzles and putting tiles together is similar to creating a puzzle.  The children seem to have a similar feeling about tiles because when presented with the invitation to create a pattern or picture with the tiles, they all dove in without hesitation.  The trays were a nice backdrop to their exploration because it created contrast as well as a sense of personal space.

After they explored with the tiles, they were then given tempera paint to apply on top of the tiles.  The tiles moved around a little bit as they painted, but for the most part they were able to keep their designs.

 

So what was next?

The children were given a piece of paper to press and smooth out on top of their tiles...

 ...The final product was a surprise, they pulled up their paper to see their prints magically appearing on the other side.  I love how you can see the brush strokes as well.  

 

In a frame, these would make great little cubist paintings to hang on a wall.