linoleum block print tutorial!

There are four major types of printmaking! If you can name them, I would certainly give you a gold star or something grand but if you can't that's OK too.

They are; intaglio, relief, serigraphy, and lithography. All of these are beautiful processes for achieving all kinds of different images. Unfortunately though, printmaking can be very expensive, labor intensive, highly toxic and supply oriented. But LUCKY for you! Relief printing [wood block, linoleum block] is a type of printmaking that doesn't require too much stuff you don't already have, and the things you don't have are inexpensive and can generally be picked up at your local craft store! You can even block print in your kitchen! You don't even need a press!

So, I am going to go over how to get a successful linoleum print.

a list of supplies

• linoleum block
• carving tools
• sandpaper
• an image
• transfer paper, or a blender marker!
• something to hold your block in place (that stuff you put in cupboards or under rugs so they don't move would work great!) I use a little block base that holds the table and the block.
  
• brayer
• piece of glass for rolling out ink (old or cheap picture frames work great)
• ink (i always ALWAYS use a oil based ink as opposed to a water soluble ink, but if you are doing this with kids the w/s might be a safer option) 
• paper, fabric, just something to print on
• baren, wooden spoon, rolling pin, or if you have a press that would be cool... just something to press the image onto the paper. 
• paper towels, soap, vegetable oil, cleaning spray

1. The linoleum block has a texture. If you want a smooth flat image when you print from your block, you will need to start by sanding it down. I would use three different grits. One really coarse one, one medium one, and then a really fine one. You will sand the surface until it is really soft, and smooth. But be careful whilst sanding. You want to do it as evenly as possible, as you don't want to create an uneven printing surface.

2. Transferring your image can cause some heart ache... if you draw straight out of your sketch book onto the surface, keep in mind that whatever is on the block will be printed backwards on your finished product. That's why graphite transfer paper works great. You can apply your image backwards to the block so it prints forward. Another cool way to transfer an image is by making a photocopy of your image, placing it image side down on your block, and then going over it with a blender marker. The juice in the marker reacts to the carbon from the copy, and leaves the image on your block!

3. Carving the image, for me, is the joy of the whole thing. If you have never carved before then maybe buying a small block to simply practice using the tool to see what kind of cuts you can achieve, as well as how much pressure you need to apply. Also, bear in mind these things.

• use the largest possible tool for the area. Most carving tools come with several different sized blades you can attach to the tool. So use the biggest one you can. Leave the tight, and fine areas to the smallest possible blade. I work from big to small.
• always cut away from yourself. It is easy to loose control, or use so much pressure that your hand goes flying away from the block. Make sure it is flying with the blade AWAY from you. Cut UP!
• rotate the block so that you are always cutting up
• once something is carved, it's carved. Be sure of what you are cutting
• don't try to dig too deep at one time, you can cause the block to tear, which could effect your image
• take your time. I have spent up to 15 hours on a block. They don't all take that long, but just go at good pace for you.

4. Inking your block or

Brayer 101

Ink up your brayer, and roll it several times on a flat surface (glass) so that it is evenly coated but not gloppy. You want to apply several thin layers of ink to your block as opposed to one really wet layer. It will show in the printing! Also, when you are rolling out the ink, and it's all in one place on the brayer, don't roll back and forth over the same place. You will never move the ink. Pick up the brayer every time you roll it. So roll forward; pick it up... bring it back. Roll forward; pick it up... bring it back. Repeat this until the brayer is fully loaded; evenly inked.

If your image is longer than the stroke of the brayer (which most likely it will be) then you will need to run your brayer through the ink that you have rolled out again, because you pick up the image on the brayer, and don't want that to transfer on your block because you could print that! So just make sure that you evenly ink your block.

   

5. Printing your block. You will want to first do a test proof to see if there are any adjustments or things you want to go back and cut.

If you are using a press than you turn the block onto your paper. If you are using a baren, rolling pin, or kitchen spoon then you will place your block onto the paper (facing down), and apply as much pressure to it as you can. Making sure to go over the entire block. You want the image to come out as evenly as possible. You can also try placing the paper on the cut side of the block (facing up) and see which gives you the results you prefer.

I like to carve blocks that i can use as a pattern so I will print multiple times on the same sheet of paper or fabric! So just keep printing!

Most oil based ink takes a while to dry, so find a place where it can be left alone

6. Clean up can take a while so make sure that you leave a little time for it. If you are using an oil based ink, the best way to clean it off of your brayer is by using a little vegetable oil, and then chasing it with a spray cleaner (like fantastic). The best way to clean your block is to print it! So take some paper that you don't really care for and "print" it as many times as you can. It will get lighter and lighter each time. Then take a paper towel with some veg oil and clean it off, followed again by your spray cleaner. You never want to actually put the block in water or the sink, because the block will warp and never really print evenly again. Boo! So keep it away from water. Stick to the oil and cleaner.

7. Bask in the glory of what you have created!

email me with questions!
lizzybeehouse@gmail.com

download this tutorial!
Download blockprint_tutorial.pdf

Comments

[Sonia]

Good gracious, this is a great tutorial !! If one day I decide to give it a go, I'll go back to your tutorial ! Thanks so much for the time you used building this page, thanks for sharing !
Best wishes ! :)

[Wendy]

Great tutorial! Thanks so much! I bought supplies for block printing but just haven't gotten around to it. I'll be sure to read over your tutorial again when I start!

[Natascha]

This is the best tutorial on block printing that I have seen so far on the Internet. It gives a lot of tips that others don't usually talk about. I love it. Thank you so much!!

[Mary C]

This is fabulous! You have truly inspired me!! I'd be curious to know if you find a particular kind of paper best for printmaking?

[Whitney]

Awesome tutorial! I learned lino block printing in high school, but have recently gotten back to doing some printing. This was a great refresher course for me :)

[rachel]

Great Tutorial! I surfed over from Whip Up and have since Tagged you in my Delicious account! :) I have been trying to find some decent linoleum print instruction for a while. I've carved many a rubber stamp and wanted to translate that into linoleum printing. But I hadn't been able to find any instructions that I could really fully understand (jargon, usually). Thanks for your contribution to my art knowledge!!

I do have one question -- in the past when I've attempted the linoleum cut, it's been with a tan colored brand, that is really HARD and hurts my wimpy wrists. I see yours appears white. (Maybe I'm over reacting because i'm used to the buttery texture of the stamp carving material?) What kind do you use and do you find that it's better to use a stiffer linoleum, if so why?

Thanks!

[Miss Fruitfly]

Thanks for posting this, I've been meaning to try block printing. Good tutorial!

[K.]

Great tutorial- Do you iron the lino before/during carving? I always find it easier to cut the lino if it's a bit warm- makes it softer, but you can cut too far, so have to be careful...

[mariah]

Thanks for the tutorial! Is a blender marker the same thing that you use to, well, blend colors from other markers, or is this one that you refer to (that transfers photocopy images) a different kind than the others? This is a question I've encountered before...

[Dave]

Hey, I was wondering what kind of ink you use, and where you got it? I can only find small tubes of oil inks for block printing.

[npoinsot]

Very nice tutorial. We have it as a link on our 7th grade art class page! For those of you that need water based inks, you can buy them from art supply companies like Sax, or Dick Blick in jars or tubles! Mrs. P.

[sarah scott]

hey great tutorial! i have been a printmaker for over 10 years now, and this is all so right-on!

to transfer images, i also do the following: draw with a B or darker pencil in my sketchbook, then flip the image, face down, onto my block. i rub the back of my drawing with my pencil and it transfers the image onto the block, the way i drew it (not backwards). of course the lines are not as pronounced as if i were to use transfer paper, but sometimes i just don't have it sitting around.

thanks again!

best

[Eric]

i only skimmed the article, but i didn't see you mention anywhere that heating the linoleum up a little makes it easier to carve. in grade school we stuck it in an oven for a few minutes; some guy on the MAKE website uses an electric blanket. have a towel around to handle the hot substrate. if the linoleum comes mounted on particle board, work in a well ventilated area, because heating the block will release noxious vapors, probably formaldehyde.

[J Ray]

Thank you very much for this excellent resource. You do not explain what the sandpaper is for. I would imagine it is for roughing up the lino surface, especially if it's recycled. Can you please clarify?