Learn how to use things you have in your home to make fun and unique prints for fabric and paper. This course will discuss traditional block printing techniques along with DIY practices to try in your own home, including potato printing and sponge printing. A brief demonstration will yield 8" x 10" scraps of block printed fabrics, and students are encouraged to follow along. History of block printing processes and practices will be shared with slides. Students completing the full series of textiles and surface design can build on their pieces from the previous workshops for this exercise.

Materials List

• 100% Cotton fabric (white or light color, muslin or a basic woven cotton is preferable, can be purchased or recycled from t-shirt or other cotton scrap)

• Potatoes to cut up (sponges can work as well)

• Acrylic paint, fabric paint, or screen printing ink

IMG_5963 by seamsoeasy is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

Please consider supporting IS183 Art School by making an additional donation.

Online Classes at IS183

Though IS183 Art School has temporarily closed its doors due to the evolving COVID-19 situation, we are committed to our mission to provide hands-on art-making opportunities, keeping creativity alive during this challenging time. Our new Online Art series offers digital opportunities to work with talented IS183 Faculty Artists, bringing the studio experience to you!

How It Works

Register for a class (or series) on our website, and we will email you a Zoom meeting link along with instructions. Simply use the link to join the online class at the designated time! Download the Zoom app on your smartphone or tablet, or use your laptop/desktop web browser. The web browser client will download automatically when you join your first Zoom meeting. (Have a look at this Zoom overview.)

You will join a live, interactive lesson presented in real-time by an IS183 Faculty Artist. Small class sizes will allow you to engage personally with the instructor and other students, just like in the studio! Faculty lessons will primarily be demonstration-based, but may have segments in which students are challenged to work on independent assignments. Each class and faculty approach will be unique! 

Thank you for continuing to make art and support IS183 Art School! We look forward to seeing you in the (virtual) studios! 

Please see our policies on cancellations, refunds, and more.