SHARJAH, UAE- From pink seashells and rocket ships to cats in gardens, children’s imaginations took shape through colourful handmade prints at the 45th Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF 2026), where a hands-on workshop introduced young participants to the art of printmaking.
The ‘Printmaking Workshop’ brought together more than 20 children to explore relief printing, a technique that involves carving designs into a surface before transferring them onto paper using ink.
The children were invited to choose from a variety of designs inspired by animals, nature, books and popular characters, including the sun symbol from Disney’s Tangled and the Spider-Man emblem. Equipped with gloves, tracing sheets, rubber slabs, carving tools, colours, ink rollers and card paper, they learnt how to trace their chosen illustrations onto rubber blocks and carve them into stamps under the guidance of workshop facilitators.
As the children experimented with different designs and colours, their individual interests became part of the creative process.
“I loved making pink shells. Pink is my favourite colour,” said Eleena, proudly showing off her seashell prints.
“I’m making a rocket ship that is super fast in space!” exclaimed Asiya as she coloured a blue space background on her card.
Talia, meanwhile, chose to create a black cat in a garden. “I enjoyed this workshop because I like inventing things,” she said.
Ann, who led the session, explained that the workshop was part of a wider programme of activities at SIBF 2026 designed to enrich children’s experiences through creative and interactive learning.
By the end of the session, each child had created personalised prints and stamps to take home, turning their favourite shapes and ideas into colourful keepsakes. Beyond the finished artwork, the workshop gave participants an opportunity to experiment with materials, develop their artistic skills and discover how an idea can become something they have made themselves.
