Potato Print Patterns

My youngest students and I explored themes of color and pattern while learning about printmaking. The simple act of cutting a few potatoes in half and in quarters, gave us some lovely organic ovals to create our works of art. We talked about creating patterns by repeating a series of color choices on our papers. It was messy, squishy business and the children loved it! I loved watching them feel paint in between their fingers, touch raw potatoes, and choose which colors to paint and press. Here are some of their potato masterpieces.

We used 12x18 paper and tempera paint. I added a bit of white to each color before working for a more opaque appearance. Make sure to rest the cut potatoes on a paper towel to absorb excess moisture before starting to work. You can also cut notches on the top to have something for little fingers to grip as they print.