Hands in the Clay

I’ve found that kids really enjoy making images of their hands in clay and often ask if they can make imprints of their hands as a project in art class. I believe the fascination starts when they see handprints their parents had made as remembrance of their teeny hands and feet when they are babies. Many parents also make have their children make handprints at other milestones. One common milestone is starting school when parents want a reminder of the youngster who is heading out into the big world.

So it’s probably not a surprise that children are also interested in using handprints in the clay to mark the stages of their lives. I had a student who had taken classes from me in 5^th grade and called me when he was a senior in high school. He wanted to make a handprint to give to his mother for Mother’s Day to mark his graduation. What a thoughtful young man!

Lily's Colorful Hands

This is the image of one project students enjoy. They make multiple handprints in a thin slab of clay and arrange them in an overlapping design. I usually have them glaze each handprint a different color so the end result is a colorful piece that can be mounted on the wall or set on a coffee table.

Melted Marbles by Sara

Another idea one of my students tried successfully was to make a deep handprint in a thicker clay slab. She filled the handprint with marbles that melted during the high-fire and ended up with a colorful, glassy imprint of her hand.

What projects have you tried with your kids to preserve their handprints? We’d love to hear your fun ideas!