1To print your lino block: Name: _________________________

Usually we follow very traditional guidelines and work we work with rectangular shaped blocks of lino.You can, however, cut your block if you have very specific reasons to do so.The images below can give you an idea of what can be done with a more experimental approach:

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If you do try this remember that it is more difficult to ink small uneven pieces of lino and not smudge the edges with your fingers. It is also more difficult to line them up, so that each print is the same.

1 https://lefthandedcrafter.wordpress.com/2012/05/28/how-to-create-a-lino-cut/2 http://linocutboy.com/linocut-tutorial-how-to-print-a-colour-blend/

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Once you have finished carving your lino block you need to print it.

You should do a test copy first to see if all the lines have been carved deeply enough, and to see if you are pleased with the results.

The test copy is usually done in black ink on white paper. When you are finished printing and are pleased with the results you can print your “edition” (this is what the series of prints are called)

Before you start to print:

You need to have all of your paper ready. It should be cut bigger than your block so that you have about an inch and a half (7cm) of border space around the block.

The border space at the bottom allows you to have enough room to properly sign your work. The rest of the border is so that you have enough room to matt the print properly. The prints should not touch the glass in the frame.

You also need a board and some tape so that you can put all your prints on the board to put them in the drying rack. Tape them at the edge so they don’t fall off. Make sure that your name is on the board.

Set up your good paper in the printing area.

3 https://www.flickr.com/photos/27467545@N03/5168284106

To set up the printing area:

Set up 2 stations for your printing:

The first station is the inking station:

You need to set up a clear space to ink your block (or plate) You need to put down some newsprint paper to protect the desk surface, and to make

clean up easier. Have a cloth available her to wipe your hands. To ink your block, you need:

o a sheet of glass or mirror to put your printing ink on; o your printing ink; o a popsicle stick to put the ink on the glass; o a brayer to spread the ink and ink your block, o you’ll need a stack of newsprint paper so that when you ink your block you can

easily clean up the area after.o A clean, damp cloth for your hands

4 This is a brayer

The second station is the printing station:

It should be right next to your inking area. You need:

o a clean brayer o A clean stack of newsprint for this area and an area to put all your papers down

without getting any ink on them. o A damp cloth available to wipe your hands.o Another cloth to wipe up any ink that might smudge your worko Your good paper

4 https://www.eckersleys.com.au/products/art/printmaking/block-printing

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o A board to place your prints so they can dry

To print:

Roll out a small amount of ink on the sheet of glass. Roll it with the brayer until it is tacky. It makes a clicking noise at this stage.

You can use one colour or do a rainbow/graded print. A rainbow or graded print is made by putting one or more colours side by side on the glass and rolling the colours out in the same direction so that they blend together where they touch. When you are doing a graded print, make sure that you always line up the brayer so that the colours are rolled out in the same direction, otherwise you’ll end up with a muddy brown colour.

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5 http://linocutboy.com/linocut-tutorial-how-to-print-a-colour-blend/

Roll the inked roller over the carved side of your lino block until the ink has covered the whole surface. If you have a graded colour keep the roller moving in the same direction at all times.

There are ways to print a multi-coloured with lino. This is called a reduction print. A good web-site to help explain this is:

https://www.handprinted.co.uk/ramblings/reduction-lino-cut

To get a multi-coloured print, you print one colour, then carve more out of the block, print again, and continue this to get the layers you want.

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Make sure that your good paper is ready on the stack of newsprint in your printing area. Carefully pick the lino block up, and with clean hands, lay it down, ink down on the

paper.

Alternatively, you can put the lino block ink side up on the stack of newsprint and put your paper down on top of the block. (Note: If you are doing a multi-coloured print you won’t be able to “register” it this way.)

6 https://www.handprinted.co.uk/ramblings/reduction-lino-cut

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Use a clean brayer and roll the brayer over the surface of the paper, or over the back of the lino block if you have put the lino block on top of the paper. Roll firmly across the surface.

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MAKE SURE THAT YOUR HANDS ARE CLEAN. The print is not considered finished if you have fingerprints or smudge marks around the print. They must have clean borders.

Be careful that the block doesn’t shift as it will smudge your print.

Too much ink will be smudgy and the details will not be clear, too little ink will have areas that are not covered thoroughly and paper will show through the design. You need to make sure that they are all cleanly printed.The image of the bird shows a print with too little ink. There are areas that are light grey rather than solid black.The goat print has too much ink so the areas that should be white have been filled in ink and the detail has been lost.

7 https://www.thinkmakeshareblog.com/block-printing-basics/

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Put the prints on a board to dry. It’s easier to sign them when they are dry as there is less chance that you’ll smudge them.

When the prints are dry (usually the next day), you need to number, sign and title them properly in PENCIL.

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8 https://nikkilouise.weebly.com/lino-printing---step-by-step-guide.html9 https://www.johnsteins.com/store/linoblock/lou-reed

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