How to Print with Carbon Paper

This blog post outlines how to print with carbon paper and shows a couple of different ways to work into the prints. I was recently reminded by a colleague about the potential of printing with carbon paper and it made me want to revisit this technique. It is a dry alternative to monoprinting and can achieve some wonderful effects. Watch the video below and see the helpful tips below.

What is carbon paper? Carbon paper is a thin paper coated with carbon used to make copies of documents.  Originally, typists would put a layer between two sheets of paper and then place the sheets in a manual typewriter, so that when they typed they would create two copies. It is different from graphite paper as carbon paper is permanent and the line is dark blue.  You can purchase carbon paper here #ad

The carbon paper can be used to create a drawing following these steps:

• Tape your image to some drawing paper using masking tape so that it doesn’t move.
• Slip the carbon paper between the layers, shiny side down.
• Draw, using a sharp pencil, over the image.  The pressure of the pencil will push lines of carbon onto the paper below. You can press hard for dark lines or more lightly for lighter lines. The rich blue of the carbon paper creates a line that looks like a print.
• You can create a detailed carbon print and leave it as it is, or choose to work into it with other media afterwards.  Below is a detailed carbon print of some pliers.

You could go on to add watercolour like the image below.

Here is another example of a carbon print.  This time it’s a natural form.

It has then had coloured pencil added to describe the tones.

I’m sure any art teacher would be happy to see these carbon prints in a students sketchbook.

You can get Carbon Paper from Dryad Education who ship worldwide #ad

If you have tried printing with carbon paper and have any tips or ideas to share, please comment below.

*The Arty Teacher Ltd has a partnership with Dryad Education.  Should you purchase a product when you follow a link, The Arty Teacher Ltd would earn commission.