Carbon Paper Transfer


Minnesota K-3 Visual Art Standards Used in This Lesson:


  • 2. Identify the tools, materials and techniques from a variety of two- and three-dimensional media such as drawing, printmaking, ceramics or sculpture.

  • 4. Create original two- and three- dimensional artworks to express ideas, experiences or stories.

    • Additional Tie-ins

  • Print Processes
  • Reversal and Mirror images
  • Consistent Shading and coloring skills
  • Historic typewriters and word processing
  • Fine motor skills (shading - tracing)

    • Students will learn the simple principle of coloring consistently by making Graphite Carbon Paper.

  • Instructions from 2015:
    • Half sheets of paper. Fold paper in half to make a book. Put name on paper in corner of the cover. Open the book up and color with a crayon on the page with your name on the other side. When page is completely covered then fold the paper shut and draw a picture on the cover where your name is. When you open it the drawing will be transferred to the other page.


    The teacher demonstrates how to consistently color a square of paper, using cross hatching and layering over and over until the paper is completely blackened.

    Next, the paper is turned over onto a blank paper, a picture is placed on top of the papers and a pencil is used to draw over the picture. When finished, students will see the image transferred to the blank paper.

    (We might do some work with texture rubbings as well.)

    A brief lesson about historical uses for carbon paper and how old typewriters worked is also experienced through the use of a real typewriter.

    Click here for some cartoons to trace