Printmaking: Mono Printing — Year 1 Lesson Plan
National Curriculum: Art and Design KS1 — To develop a wide range of art and design techniques in using colour, pattern, texture, line, shape, form and space; to use a range of materials creatively.
Overview
Pupils are introduced to the art of printmaking through two accessible processes: texture rubbings and mono printing. They explore how marks and textures can be transferred from one surface to another, discovering that printmaking produces unique and often surprising results. The unit develops curiosity, experimentation and an early understanding of print as a distinct art form.
Learning Objectives
- To understand that a print is made by transferring an image or texture from one surface to another
- To create texture rubbings using wax crayons over a range of surfaces
- To produce a mono print by drawing into ink on a flat surface
- To describe the similarities and differences between printing and drawing
Key Vocabulary
Suggested Lesson Structure
Show pupils a range of printed materials: wallpaper, fabric, greetings cards. Ask: how were these made? Introduce the idea that print transfers a mark from one surface to another. Share examples of simple texture rubbings made by the teacher as a demonstration.
Demonstrate texture rubbing: place paper over a textured surface, hold flat and rub firmly with the side of a wax crayon. Then demonstrate mono printing: roll a thin layer of water-based ink onto a flat tile, draw into it with a pencil or finger, press paper on top and peel back to reveal the print.
Pupils work at two stations rotating every 10 minutes. Station 1: texture rubbings using a selection of textured surfaces (corrugated card, coins, leaves, bark rubbing strips). Station 2: mono printing using ink tiles, exploring patterns, their name in reverse, and simple drawings.
Pupils select their favourite texture rubbing and their best mono print and arrange them together on a display sheet, adding a hand-drawn border that repeats a line from their rubbings.
Class discussion: which surface made the most interesting rubbing and why? Hold up two mono prints side by side — are any two exactly the same? Introduce the idea that mono prints are always unique.
Common Misconceptions
- Pupils often apply too much ink during mono printing, which floods the image — demonstrate that a very thin, even layer of ink gives the clearest print
- Some pupils lift the paper too quickly during printing, causing smudging — encourage them to hold one edge down and peel slowly
Prior Knowledge
Pupils should already be able to:
- Mark-making with a range of tools from EYFS and the Drawing: Lines and Shapes unit
- Basic experience of using paint and coloured materials in EYFS provision
Want a personalised version of this lesson?
Use Staffroom to generate a complete lesson plan tailored to your class — add context about ability, recent learning, or specific pupils and get a plan ready to teach. Free trial, no card required.