Copper Tooling and Block Printing

• Students will create repeated patterns within an
original Zendoodle/tangle drawing.
• Students will use a viewfinder to select a strong
design for both their block print and copper tooling.
• Students will use proper techniques for creating a
tooled piece of copper foil, homemade embossed
paper and printed block frame.
• Students will use low relief and recessed areas within
all aspects of this project.

Printmaking Terms:
• Block printing: printing from hand-carved blocks of wood or linoleum
• Tooling: the process of creating designs in sheet metal by emboss
drawing, stamping, denting, piercing, rub-transferring, folding and
hammering.
• Printing plate: surface on which the design is carved (ours is rubber)
• Printing palette: surface on which the ink is rolled.
• Brayer: device used to roll ink evenly from the palette to the printing block.
• Burnish: to rub the back of your paper (usually with a baren) to lift the
image from the inked printing plate.
• Relief: the area of the printing block that is raised and will print the color
of the ink. (ours is black)
• Recessed: the area of the printing block that is carved away and will print
the color of the paper. (ours is white)
• Liner: hand-held tool with flat blade used in printmaking. This tool is used
for outlining area of printing block before gouging.

Terms Continued
• Proof: Test sheet made to reveal errors or flaws…shows how
printing job is intended to appear when finished.
• Gouger: hand-held tool with beveled blade used in printmaking. It
is used to carve out printing block material. Comes in a variety of
widths for thinner and thicker grooves.
• Bench hook: a device with a hook-like part fitting over the front
edge of a table as a means of preventing the printing block from
slipping on the table.

Papermaking Terms:
• Pulp: to reduce (printed papers, books, etc.) to pulp for use in
making new paper.
• Couch sheet: felt sheets used to absorb water from
freshly made sheet of paper.
• Mould: In papermaking, the wooden frame covered
with either a laid or wove wire surface used for
forming sheets of paper by hand.
• Deckle: In papermaking, the upper frame that encloses
the wet pulp on the mold. Unlike the mold, the deckle
is a frame which is entirely open. (no wire)
• Embossed paper: a raised impression or pattern on the
surface of a sheet of paper.
• Slushing: first dispersion of raw materials in water by
agitation. (making pulp in blender)

Printmaking origin:
• Block Printing
An important event for the Eastern world that
took place during the Tang (618-906) dynasty was
the invention of printing, possibly between the
4th and 7th century AD. It began as blocks cut
from wood used to print textiles and then used to
reproduce short Buddhist religious texts that
were carried as charms by believers. Later, long
scrolls and books were produced, first by woodblock
printing and then, beginning in the 11th
century, by using movable type.

Papermaking Origin
• Egypt 3,000 BC (over 5000 years ago)
• It was there that a marsh grass called Papyrus flourished. The
Egyptians cut thin strips from the plant's stem and softened
them in the muddy waters of the Nile. These strips were then
layered in right angles to form a kind of mat. The mat was then
pounded into a thin sheet and left in the sun to dry. The
resulting sheets were ideal for writing on. Since they were also
lightweight and portable they became the writing medium of
choice of Egyptians, Greeks and Romans for record keeping,
spiritual texts and works of art. It is from papyrus that the word
paper comes from. Although papyrus sheets were similar to
paper in terms of function, being laminated sheets they were
technically more like a mat and therefore not the same as the
papers of today.
• Paper as we know it today comes from another source - China

Zendoodle/Zentangle
• an easy to learn method of creating beautiful images from
repetitive patterns. It is a fascinating new art form that is
fun and relaxing. It increases focus and creativity.
Zentangle provides artistic satisfaction and an
increased sense of personal well being. It does not need to
look like anything else and has no up or down. Zentangle
is an unusual approach to art because you have no idea
what its result will be when you begin. Your creation is not
restricted by your expectations. Zentangle is an artistic
meditation that supports relaxation, focus and inspiration
and can be a wonderful daily ritual.

Benefits and Uses of Zentangle/doodle
It is fascinating to learn how other people are using Zentangle. Here's a list of ways others are enjoying
Zentangle's benefits. This list continues to grow as people apply Zentangle in ways we never considered.
• Relaxation
• Journaling
• Insomnia (Improved sleep by creating a Zentangle before bedtime)
• Self-esteem
• Inspiration
• Panic attacks (For fear of flying, creating a Zentangle during takeoff and landing)
• Modify behavior
• Create beautiful works of art
• Nurture and develop creative abilities
• Relieve stress
• Improve eye/hand coordination
• Develop/rehabilitate fine motor skills
• Team building and group focus
• Therapy
• Anger management
• Addiction therapy tool
• Early artist development and appreciation
• Increase attention span and ability to concentrate
• Home schooling
• Design inspiration
• Stretching and warm-up for artists
• Stress reduction

Notice the movement of line
throughout the doodles.

Solid black negative space within patterns
provides high contrast.

This is a doodle that has been cut from a block and printed.

Color can be added fro emphasis.

Divide up your paper into shapes then fill
with repeated patterns.

Don’t start with a plan…. Be
spontaneous and let your
imagination lead you.

Writing can become part of the pattern.

Can be cut into fun shapes.

Divide a familiar shape into
smaller sections to fill with
pattern.

shaded
linear

Inspired by nature.

Step 1
• Complete the repeated pattern worksheet. Look
around your environment to get ideas for patterns.
• Use the worksheet in your packet to create 4
practice Zentangles/doodles and one final
Zentangle.
• Cut out your viewfinder and find the strongest
5”x5” area of your doodle. Trace around with
colored pencil.

Step 2
• Trace your 5”x5” area of doodle using tracing
paper.
• Lay tracing paper on top of copper foil and
outline with pointed stylus.
• Lay copper foil on cushion and begin to
create relief and recessed areas with the
various styluses.

Step 3
• Lay copper foil on newspaper and
brush India ink over entire surface.
• Use paper towels to buff away ink
from the relief areas (raised) and
leave ink in the recessed areas
(deep).

Step 4
• Get a piece of poster board and cut a 9”x9”
square.
• Cut out window from center leaving a 2.25”
border. (see example)
• Lay copper underneath window and secure
with masking tape.

Step 5
• Cut out 2”x1.5” viewfinder and use to find strong
area of design from your 5”x5” tracing paper.
• Transfer this to your rubber printing block.
• Trace your outlines with an x-acto knife.
• Begin gouging out half of your design being careful
not to cut toward your free hand….use a rubber
mat underneath or a bench hook to keep your
block from sliding.

Step 6
• After a printing demonstration, begin printing your
rubber block on your white mat. Leave the corners
blank. You will have 12 prints. (3 on each side)
• Begin tearing paper into pieces for the homemade
paper.

Step 7
• After a papermaking demonstration, make 4
squares of embossed, homemade paper.
• While paper is drying, cut out 8”x8” piece of tag
board and tape over backside of copper to create
a secure backing.
• If you’d like, sandwich a wire between the backing
and the mat and decorate with beads.
• Once paper is dry, trim edges and glue into
corners of mat.
YOU ARE FINISHED!

Copper Tooling
Drawing into the metal can be
done to create a impressed
design which becomes a
raised design on the other
side. This is done by placing
the metal on a soft surface
such as a foam or rubber
sheet or a stack of
newspapers and firmly
'drawing' into the metal with
a blunt tool or 'stylus'.
(shown) The pointed and
blunt stylus shown are for
drawing, the flat spatulas
Shown are for flattening and
the curved tool ends are for
raising metal.

• The capped end of a ball point
pen works well to start with. A
bit of experimentation with
technique, different styli and
pressures will yield and infinite
variety of results. Drawing tools
should be blunt so as not to cut
through the metal. The finished
piece can be easily colored or
darkened with prepared
patinas. A similar effect can
obtained with paint or stain
that has been brushed on and
then wiped off. Subsequent
buffing of the high lights with
an abrasive pad can give and
'antique' look. As a piece is
worked it will become stiffer.

Painted with oils to add color

“I really liked this project because it is the most complex project
with a lot of steps, and I got to learn many different styles of art and
turn them into one project. “- Whitney Freeman

Drawing Zentangles/doodles tutorials
• Collaborative pattern hunt (You tube)
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7vL4WeEOgQ
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBYLmn7bfy4&playnext=1&list=PL88F14ADC
D44319FA
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56n7_1FGgiw&playnext=1&list=PL88F14ADC
D44319FA
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_t_34mchtw&feature=fvsr
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4Nlz4XMxcs
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiP5YXj9t6E
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CE2NgL2ovFA&feature=fvsr
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hscfey5N-pY
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEjXxGjnrg0
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XrpE0vUtP8