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Linocut Block Printing Part 2

Hi, and welcome back to the second half of Linocut Block Printing! I hope you’ve had fun drawing and carving your block. Check out Part 1 if you need help with that part of the process. Today we pick up where we left off…Block Printing Part 2

Linocut Block Printing Part 2: Proofing & Printing

This is the fun part! Oh wait, did I say that about the last part? I guess to me, it’s all fun. This is where you get to see your project take shape on paper, and in color.

As always, first gather your supplies.Block Printing Supplies Part 2 - The Palette Muse

To print your design, you’ll need:

  1. Clean pieces of paper (this can be regular copy paper)
  2. A roller (specially made for printing ink)
  3. A palette (here I just used wax paper, but a glass or metal plate would be ideal)
  4. Ink (I like Speedball)
  5. The paper (or material) you’ll be printing on.
  6. A large smooth spoon (or if you are really into printmaking you would use a baren, the tool specifically for the purpose of rubbing the back of the paper onto the inked block)
  7. Your block!

Plan on buying the roller and ink at your local art or hobby store. I probably should have mentioned these in Part 1, when you were buying supplies!

Proofing

Before printing on your final piece of paper or material, you need to give it a trial run. This is called “pulling a proof.” You may sometimes see fine art prints labeled and signed as “Artist’s Proof.” This just means that these pieces are part of the development of the final process, and usually each one is unique. In our case, the proof helps us see where there are areas that need adjustment. My block needed a lot of adjustment! Block Printing Artist's Proof - The Palette MuseSometimes with woodblock or linocut printing, the extra marks that show up are part of the charm and style of the design. But in this case, I was going for something a little more graphic, with less movement, so I needed those little extra lines gone.

I simply washed the block, and brought out my carving tools again. Looking at my proof for reference, I carved out more of the background areas that were showing through. It was fairly simple to see on the block which areas needed to be reduced, since these are the pieces that retain a little of the ink on them.

Once that was done, I pulled another proof. When you are satisfied with the outcome of the proofs, it’s time to make the final print. Here is the process for printing, which is the same process for proofing.

Printing

The printing process takes a little bit of time, and a good amount of space. Be sure you have a whole table top to devote to this project, and preferably not the table that your kids will be eating dinner on in 20 minutes!

  1. First, cover your area and lay out your supplies. Layout suppliesClosest to you should be the area where you will be printing. At arms length is where you will set your palette, or ink plate. I was in a hurry here, so I just used wax paper (which I don’t recommend). If you are looking for a good ink plate, look no further than your own kitchen. A baking sheet or large, completely flat plate will work. I got a large microwave oven turntable plate from my local thrift store that is perfect for this purpose. To keep your family completely safe from hazardous inks and materials, plan on relegating the plate to the arts & crafts supplies, rather than using for food later.
  2. Squeeze a small dollop of ink onto the plate. Ink dollopUse the roller to spread the ink out in every direction until it evenly coats the plate and the roller. It may take a little practice to get a good even coat, but this is essential to a good print.Ink Spreading
  3. Be sure your block is clean and completely dry, then use the roller to roll the ink onto your block. Make sure you have even, thin coverage.Ink Rolling
  4. Lay a clean sheet of paper on the table, and set your block face up on top. This keeps any stray ink that may have gotten rolled or dropped onto the table from getting on your final product.
  5. Lay the actual piece of printing paper or material face down on top of your block.
  6. Use the back of your spoon (or baren) to rub gently and evenly across the back of the paper or material. This presses the ink from the block into the paper.Spoon to rub back of paper
  7. Carefully pull the paper up from one corner of the block to the other. Lay paper flat to dry.Peeling Paper from Block
  8. Congratulate yourself on your new piece of art. Or, decide your block needs more work, and call this piece a proof. Then go back, fix your block, and start the printing process over again.

I think I mentioned in Part 1 that printmaking is a very process-heavy art form. Some people love this about it, and others can’t stand how much work goes into it. The good thing about it is that you can print from that block over and over again, in any color combination you can think up. That makes it great for handmade cards, textiles, wall stenciling, or any other craft that relies on repetition.Handprinted Tea Towel - The Palette Muse

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial, and I’d love to hear from you (and see pictures!) if you make your own prints. Or, if you like the idea of hand-printed tea towels and such, but are rolling your eyes at the very thought of going through this whole process, check out my Etsy Shop Ever Evangeline, to learn how to get your very own, without any of the work!

Regina

Tuesday 2nd of June 2020

Hi From Australia!! I hope you are healthy & happy at this time of uncertainty. I have already carved out my block (A4 size) for the women's shed I run. Then wanted to find out the best way to try the printing process which I had a little bit of an idea of (as I am a 60's bub). So this came up on Pinterest & was actually one that had information, a lot had nothing or were useless as it was just a photo people had pinned. Grrrr!! Anyhow, now I have read what you have supplied here, I feel a bit more confident to run some "proofs" When I have done it, I will try to send a picture or two.

Erlene

Monday 20th of October 2014

I remember making blocks like this in school and haven't made one in a really long time. This looks like a fun project and I love how your towel came out. Thanks for sharing on Merry Monday.

Meredith

Monday 20th of October 2014

Thanks Erlene! I always love Merry Monday!

New Adventures and an Etsy Shop - The Palette Muse

Monday 13th of October 2014

[…] when I posted a two-part tutorial on block printing? I realized about halfway through writing the second part of the tutorial that most of my regular readers are not going to take the time to learn that particular skill. (If […]

Welli

Sunday 31st of August 2014

You have a way with art and this is such an incredible way of teaching us to also be able to DIO (do it ourselves). I tend to struggle with art of this form but with your guidance I believe I can do this as well, especially with the kids.

Meredith

Tuesday 2nd of September 2014

Thanks Welli! I bet your kids will love it.

Mina Joshi

Friday 29th of August 2014

Wow so creative. A could way of making personalised cards. I can also see these being used to decorate rooms.

Meredith

Saturday 30th of August 2014

Thanks Mina! You're right, this would be a great way to make cards or decorations. Hmmm, the creative wheels are turning...

ABOUT MEREDITH


Creating a color-filled life. Conquering my little world one DIY project at a time. With lots of coffee and chocolate. Albuquerque NM. Pinterest ~ Instagram ~ Facebook