Overview: students will create a series of equal sized two-color relief prints on paper generated from drawings transferred onto the Scratch-Foam® surface.

Key learning factors:
Students will:
• develop a better understanding about composition, shape and texture
• develop an understanding about positive/negative space and reverse images
• learn how colors work when combined and how they can make a third colour by printing a transparent colour over top of a solid base colour
• learn about printing multiple images
• learn about registration of the relief blocks and how to burnish the paper with a flat surface to make an impression from an inked block
• develop team skills by working together

Pre-class preparation stage for the Instructor
The instructor will take two Scratch-Foam® sheets (9 x 12 inches) and adhere each to the front and back of a scrap piece of then cardboard or mat board with a spray adhesive. It is best to wear a mask and do this in a well-ventilated area or outdoors if possible.

Four equal size squares measuring 4 1/2 x 4 1/2 inches are laid out in pencil into the foam surface on one side and then the sheet is trimmed carefully using a cork back metal ruler and x-acto retractable blade. All of this can be performed on top of a cutting board or plastic cutting sheet. There will be a piece measuring 3 x 9 inches left over after trimming that can be saved to use for printing bookmarks.

Next a registration sheet is created out of a piece of Bristol board. The sheet if cut into a large four-sided square measuring approximately 14 x 14 inches. Measure in 2 1/2 inches from the edge and draw a line in pencil that creates a box along the inside edge of the Bristol board square. one corner of this box will have several small straight pieces of scrap mat board glued on top and side of the line.

Then place one of the four double-sided Scratch-Foam blocks into the corner and using it as a guide glue a strip of mat board on the right hand side of the block. This is a 3 sided registration dock that will be used to set all four blocks into when printing.

Finally, take a piece of printing paper (larger than 9 inches) and position it flush on top with the edge of the registration sheet. Determine the left and right position of the paper by eye so the block underneath will print well within the paper area. Then mark your paper position on top with a pencil on both sides of the paper. The paper can be secured to the registration sheet when printing by using two small bull dog clips or clothespins.

Students printing of Scratch-Foam® relief blocks
The student creates a drawing on paper or tracing paper in pencil. This is traced onto the Scratch-Foam surface with a pencil top or ballpoint pen by applying moderate pressure when drawing.

The unmarked side of the double-sided block is first printed to create a solid color square. Water-base ink is dabbed onto a plastic cutting sheet and spread around a bit with the back of the plastic spoon. Then using a sponge foam or soft rubber roller (brayer) the ink is rolled out to coat the roller in a thin even layer.

The student then applies the ink with the roller to transfer ink to the Scratch-Foam block surface by rolling repeatedly across the foam surface. The student rubs the back of the paper (positioned over top of the inked block) with pressure using the back of the wooden spoon, Scratch-Art Rubbing Stick® or a smooth surface object like a door knob or rounded bottom of a small empty jar.

The paper is slowly lifted from the unsecured bottom end to reveal the printed image underneath. The clips are carefully removed and then the printed is set off to one side and allowed to dry before proceeding to inking of the next color.

Extender can be added to an opaque ink to make it more transparent. When this is printed over top of the first solid color a third color is created. For example, if you print a transparent yellow over a solid blue a green hue is created. The addition of retarder agent to the ink will slow down drying allowing time to work the ink on the rolling sheet and apply it to the block.

The paper with the printed side facing down is registered by lining it up with the pencil marks at top of the registration sheet and is secured with bulldog clips or clothespins. It is then flipped up and held in place with a weight, while the side of the block with the drawing made in the surface is linked with the roller set into the dock. The paper in then flipped back and the second block is printed (the image will print over top of the first dry solid color.) The paper is set aside and allowed time to dry before it is trimmed.

Mounting of prints on paper to create the Mosaic
Each two-colour print is trimmed and reassembled with two smaller square prints side-by-side on top and two side-by-side below to form one large square using spray adhesive. I recommend laying out a light pencil grid to create a intersection in the middle of your mounting paper or board. this will act as the template to position the prints side by side.

Next, cut out a square stencil in a larger piece of newspaper. The stencil window will be the same size as the 4 smaller squares combined. Spray adhesive through the open area using the corner pencil marks as guides. Then remove the stencil. The smaller squares are carefully positioned one by one using the pencil grid and tacked onto the surface. You can erase the pencil lines outside of the square with white drafting eraser. The end result will yield a 4 square mosaic print.