key to my heart: linocut prints
This may come as a surprise since I don’t post a lot about either.. but two of my favorite mediums to dabble in are linocut printing and india ink. Here’s a quickie run-through of my latest project:
(click on the pics for more detail)
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- Start with some inspiration.. take a picture, draw a picture, or combine the two ideas ideas, like I did here, for a creative new piece.
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- Finalize your design, and then using a pencil, darkly outline key lines. Remember when transferring the image to the linoleum block in this manner, the image will be reversed.
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- After the outlining is complete, tape the image, picture side down, to your block. Using a pencil, rub firmly over all key lines in your drawing to transfer the outline to the linoleum block.
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- Here is what the image should look like once it has been transferred to the block. Use a pencil to darken any lines before cutting.
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- Start by slowly and gently outlining the cuts you’ll make. Please keep safety precautions in mind when using sharp instruments.
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- Continue carefully cutting out the image. Remember to always cut away from the body.
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- Once the cutting is complete, gather materials and prepare your work area for printing.
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- Squeeze out a pinkie sized amount of ink and get rolling, up and down and back and forth until the ink is smooth and even. I find the enameled butcher’s tray to be simple to use and quick clean.
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- For an even print, make sure the paper you’re transferring the image to is on a smooth flat surface. Flip the linocut block onto the paper and press down firm and evenly.
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- Another method is to place the paper directly onto the inked up block and to rub with a clean, dry brayer.
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- Slowly peel the paper away from the block, hang, or lay flat to dry. Shown is as assortment of test prints and final pieces.
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- If necessary, after the print is dry, cut down to the proper size.
Please keep in mind that this is only an overview of linocut printing, and that any time you plan on using a sharp tool, it is important to observe proper safety precautions. The instructables website has a nice piece on linocut printing and safety here.
And for further reading and inspiration be sure to check out this impressive online exhibit of Picasso’s prints by MOMA. As usual, they have outdone themselves with another amazing interactive web presentation!! Love. Love.
carbon copy
Ever wish you could pick up a pencil and draw a life-like image in under five minutes? Well, you could practice, practice, practice… or you could carbon-copy it. Carbon paper is the original copy-machine. Not only is it quick and easy, but yields amazing results.
Simply place a piece of carbon paper between a clean sheet and the picture you want to copy. We used pictures from magazines in the recycling bin.
Use a pencil to outline the main shape of the image. You can also use this as a teaching technique to help identify line(s) in an image.
Remove the top two sheets to see the result. Beautiful! Paint or color your picture, or leave as is. Up to you!
styrofoam relief print
Using the trash twice is a very special skill… Here’s another really addictive project that reuses those styrofoam trays they strap our food to in the supermarkets.
Printing is a fun & easy way to make your own birthday party invitations, holiday and thank you cards. Styrofoam relief printing is great for young kids because no major cutting is required, only drawing and tracing. Scribble-scrabble even looks cool when it’s printed with this technique.
You Need:
- a rubber brayer
- water-soluble block printing ink
- styrofoam tray
- old magazine
- aluminum foil
- paper & pencil
- recycled paper to print on
- Start by cutting off the rounded corners of your styrofoam tray so that it lays flat. This is the size of the surface you have to work with.
- On a piece or scratch paper, draw a sketch to use for your print. Tip: Keep it simple… tiny details do not show up very well with this type of print.
- Tape your drawing onto the foam plate. Transfer the image to the foam by tracing over your picture using a firm and steady pressure. When you have gone over the whole image, remove the tape and picture. You will need to go over the foam plate one more time with your pencil to carefully carve out the details.
- Get your work area ready! Cover your work area. Wrap an old magazine with aluminum foil to make a palate for your ink. Squeeze a finger sized amount onto your palate and roll back and forth and up and down with your rubber brayer until it is evenly covered.
- Roll ink onto your foam printing plate.
- Flip printing plate over onto a clean sheet of recycled paper.
- Press firmly all around. Then carefully peel the paper off.
- Allow to dry.
To use a new color, wash the brayer and printing plate. Re-cover the same magazine with a new layer of foil, and apply new printing ink.
Clean-up is easy, just wash right away with soap and water! Wash your printing plate and you can use it again and again.
Here are a few more pictures of what we did…
