Spanish Tile Printmaking with Markers
Let’s recreate a patterned tile effect using styrofoam and water soluble marker printmaking techniques at home!
About Spanish Painted Tile:
Artists in Spain have been making beautiful ceramic tiles for centuries.These tiles are filled with colorful, bold designs. Some are florals while others are simply geometric in design. Square tiles are often designed in a radial symmetrical pattern so that when placed together they form a larger interlocking design. These are used in floors, kitchens, bathrooms, and especially outdoor patios.
Take a look at the images of tiles above. Each of these squares is made of four smaller tiles. Visit https://www.spainatm.com/art-spanish-ceramic-tiles/ for more history and images of tiles in Spain.
Watch how artists create these colorful tiles in the video above (link).
Look at this beautiful finished tile!
Materials:
Styrofoam plate/container cut to a 4” flat section (perhaps from a delicious Watauga school lunch?)
Copy paper cut to 4” squares
Piece of Masking Tape
Pencil or ballpoint pen
Water soluble markers
Kitchen sponge and water nearby
Project paper - this can be copy paper, but a slightly better drawing paper is preferred.
Watch Ms. Jennifer and then create your own design!
Instructions:
Ooohhh! This one might be my favorite!
Find, wash and dray a flat styrofoam (take out container lid, butcher tray, foam plate etc). Cut it into a square of 4”. Cut 4x4” squares of copy paper for sketching. Cut one 8x8” piece of paper for your finished print.
Sketch your Spanish tile on a piece of white copy paper. To create a RADIAL design you need to have two adjacent sides of the tile that will line up with each other when rotated around a central point. It may help to draw a vertical line from one corner of your tile to the other and then make sure the sides are SYMMETRICAL. Make a few designs if needed until you have one you like.
Tape your drawing to the foam at one or two corners. Trace pressing hard, over all your lines with a dull pencil or ballpoint pen. Carefully lift off your paper and peek at your foam.
If you can easily see the whole design, move the drawing paper and trace over all your lines again directly on the foam. Deep lines make the best print.
Remove the paper drawing and masking tape from your print. Think about which corner of your image you want to be the central point for your radial symmetry design. On the back of the plate, mark the center corner with a small dot or arrow.
Color on your foam plate with water soluble markers. Only the smooth, raised parts, not the lines you carved!
Dip a kitchen sponge in clean water. Squeeze out the sponge, but not totally. Dab the top left fourth of the paper with the sponge. Repeat if it doesn’t seem wet enough. TIP: The paper needs to be very damp to have a good transfer. But TOO damp will leave a fuzzy impression. It should be shiny wet, but not puddled.
Carefully line up your plate with the corner of your paper, set the plate down with the mark in the center, and apply even pressure. Give it a good “back rub,” then lift to reveal your print.
Repeat the process. Color the foam plate with the markers. Try and use the same color marker in the same spot each time. Dampen each area with the sponge and transfer. Make sure that you are ROTATING your foam plate each time so that your mark is always in the center of the paper.
This method is also great for making greeting or thank you cards. Who can you make a card for today?
Music: https://www.bensound.com
For Doodlebugs aged 2-5:
Parents can help children with the above process, allowing them to color the carved plate themself. Of you may try using water-based marker on the shiny side of foil. Dampen a piece of paper, then press it onto your marker drawing. Rub the back of the paper, then carefully peel off.
You did it!
Please don’t forget to email your artwork to Jennifer@BlowingRockMuseum.org