If you've always liked the look of hand-pulled prints but have never tried it, now's your chance! In this feature you will learn about the materials, tools and technique of making a linoleum block print.
MATERIALS:
* You will need a good work surface that can be covered for protection or one that it doesn't matter if you stain it.
- A linoleum block - These come in different pre-cut sizes and can be bought at most larger art supply stores.
- Carving tools - I always use Speedball brand tools but any good brand will do.
- A brayer - This is the rubber roller that you apply the ink with. I use a 4" brayer.
- A good flexible pallette knife - For mixing ink.
- Printer's Ink - I always use 2 oz. tubes of Speedball Ink but any good ink formulated for woodcuts and linoblock prints will work.
- Sheet of glass or Plexiglas - To mix and spread the ink.
- Mineral Spirits - For clean-up. The ink is oil based.
- Plenty of rags or paper towels - For clean-up.
- Carbon paper - For transferring design onto block.
- Tracing paper - For doing the original design.
- Good quality durable paper - For printing the design onto. I've found quality rice paper good.
- A large wooden kitchen spoon - For printing the design.
PREPARATION:
- Draw design onto tracing paper. Make sure that drawing is exactly the same size as lino block.
- Secure lino block to table surface with double sided tape or whatever you like. This keeps block from shifting during drawing transfer.
- Cover the block with carbon paper. Secure the edges with tape.
- *Turn the original over so that the backside of drawing is up.
- Trace the drawing onto the block.
- Remove the tracing paper and carbon paper.
*The drawing is traced from backside so that the image is reversed on block. This way once printed the image will be reversed again to the original state.
Carving:
There are several different chisel shapes:
The flat chisel is used for removing large portions of design and for cutting in stops in straight lines.
The "U" gouge is used for more intricate carving. There are several sizes.
The "V" gouge is used for fine lines, outlining, and continuous width lines.*When carving the block keep in mind you leave the design elements that you want to print and carve away what you don't want to print.
*When carving always carve away from your hands and body!
*The carving does not have to be extremely deep if you are careful when printing.
Printing:
Once carving is complete you are ready to pull a test print. Take your glass plate and squeeze out a line of ink onto glass. If you are going to mix a color, use the pallette knife for mixing. Next, get your brayer and start to spread the ink onto the glass so that your brayer gets a thin but even coat of ink. The ink should be a little tacky and not slippery. If it's slippery you have too much ink.
Use the brayer to spread the ink onto your lino block. Make sure you keep the brayer level and roll the ink on with smooth strokes and even pressure but not too much pressure. You don't want to force the ink down into the carved areas. Coat the block completely and evenly.
When inking is complete check the block to make sure that there are no little spots of ink in places that you don't want printed. These can usually be cleaned up with a point of paper towel dipped into a little Mineral Spirits. Let any clean up spots dry completely before printing.
Now take your printing paper and carefully place it onto your block. It's a good idea to start on one side of block by placing the edge of paper onto the table beside block holding the other end of paper away from block. Gradually let the curled paper roll down onto the surface of block starting on one side to the other until paper is lying flat. The purpose of this is to prevent smearing as you are placing paper onto the block.
Once paper is lying flat gently press the paper down onto block. Avoid touching the areas of design that are not to be printed. Once everything is secured take the wooden spoon and using the rounded bowl of spoon gently rub the paper so that the ink is forced onto the paper. You can pretty much tell what parts are getting the ink. Be sure to completely cover the entire printing surface with overlapping strokes so that the ink coverage is continuous and not streaked.
Now, carefully lift the paper, starting on one side and lifting continuously from one side to the other. Never lift the paper straight up! It will smear as it releases from the block.
This is your test print! Check the image for stray spots where design is not cut deep enough. Also check to make sure the ink coverage is even and not spotty or streaked. You should see no spoon marks. If you have little unprinted spots in printed area, that is usually caused by little specks of trash, lint or dried ink specks clinging to print area. These can be lifted off with the point of a paper towel or your pallette knife.
Notes:
These instructions are for doing a single color print. A variation of this technique can be used for multiple color prints. With multi color prints you must make a different plate for each color. You can use a test print attached to new block to designate where the additional color is to be located. Registration of paper and block on successive prints is critical for correct alignment in printing so much care is needed to align everything correctly.
Prints should be backed with cardboard and matted before framing.
Linocuts are excellent for creating artistic and personal greeting cards!
Give it a try!
Philip
READER COMMENT: This just in from a reader and printmaker.
I enjoyed reading your article, wanted to share this with you: Lately, I've been using a material called Safety-Kut (I think it's also marketed under other names). It is much easier than linoleum to carve. Also, if you laser-print or xerox your image you can easily transfer it directly to the carving material. Simply place the image face down on the material and iron it. The toner transfers and sticks quite nicely.
You may well know about this material already, just thought I'd mention it because it's so much easier to work with and the results are quite nice.
Thanks for maintaining the arts site. I do enjoy browsing there.
Rikki Mitman
Additional printmaking links:
- Renaissance Graphics
Printmaking, Materials, Supplies, Inks, Block Printing, Intaglio, Lithography.- Dick Blick
Printmaking Supplies.Back to How To List
