Babies enter the world with impossibly tiny hands. Many parents delight in capturing these petite appendages by creating prints so that they can forever remember how small their little angel once was. While creating a print of your squirmy darling’s little fingers does present a challenge, it can be done with some patience and preparation. The effort that you will put into capturing this irreplaceable print will be worth it in the long run as you can forever look back upon your creation and marvel at how tiny your child’s hands once were.
Step 1
Select a baby-safe ink. The Parent Time website suggests that parents look for inks free of acid as these types of inks are gentle on baby’s oh-so-sensitive skin. Pick an ink that is washable.
Step 2
Prepare for several attempts. Even when circumstances are ideal, your baby’s unpredictable movements can lead to print mishaps. Purchase multiple sheets of the paper on which you plan to put the print to ensure that you can redo the attempt if your first effort is not a success.
Step 3
Wait until the little one is dozing soundly. There is no need to fit a squirmy baby. Pick a time when your child is sleeping deeply to attack the project. To check if she is deep enough in slumber, lift her little arm and allow it to fall back to the mattress. If she doesn’t wake up, she is likely sleeping soundly enough for you to continue.
Step 4
Spread out her hand gently. Most infants sleep with their hands curled into little balls. Since you want a hand print, you must flatten her palm. Peel her fingers back gently and slowly to ensure that your efforts do not wake her up.
Step 5
Press her palm firmly into the stamp pad, putting slight pressure on all fingers to ensure even inking.
Step 6
Lift up her inked hand, remove the stamp pad, and place the print surface below her palm. To make this process easier, place the paper on which you want your print on a hard surface, such as a book or a clipboard. Place the paper and hard surface under her hand.
Step 7
Press her palm into the print surface. Just as with the inking, you should place gentle yet firm pressure on all parts of her hand to ensure complete ink transfer.
Step 8
Use your created prints as a keepsake or decorative item. After you have created a print that you like, put it to use. Frame the work or even scan it into the computer to use in digital art projects.
Photo Credit
- handprints image by ike from Fotolia.com
