Block Printing How to Guide

Making Lino Block Stamps

Materials:

• Carving tools

• Carving knives

• Mounted Linoleum Block (lino)

• Drawing and transfer tools

• Piece of well dried hardwood or thick plastic (+1cm)

1. Start by selecting a lino carving block and image that will fit the block. Trace, draw or

copy the design onto the block.

2. Using a sharp, small detailing carving blade, gently cut the outline of the design. Tight or small areas should be cut with a small knife. Make sure to not undercut the design or

cut away too much; you cannot replace pieces once removed!

3. Once the area has been outlined, use a larger carving blade to remove the lino that is

not part of the design. For larger areas, make sure you remove the lino so it is at least 1

mm below the design area.

4. The area not removed will be the area that gets inked and shown in the finished design. Have fun playing with negative space and textures!

5. Once the piece is completely carved, carefully trim around the edge of the lino to

remove any excess material, including the embedded twine. Do not pull the twine.

6. Cut a piece of well dried hardwood or plastic block to fit the lino. Try to make the block the same size, or only a little bigger than the lino piece. A good fitting block will be a great help when stamping.

7. Glue the lino to the block, using a glue like Gorilla Glue, to ensure the stamp will remain in place after washing. Let set per manufacturer’s instructions.

Mark the back of the block with an arrow to indicate the top of the block. I find it helpful to make a grid pattern on my block, to help with stamp placement.

Fabric Stamping

Materials:

• Pre-washed and ironed fabric

• Tailor’s Chalk

• Ruler

• Fabric paint

• Piece of fleece or other soft material

• Stamp

• Brayer (rubber roller)

• Glass casserole type container

1) Mark out the area on your pre-washed and ironed fabric with your chalk.

2) Decide on the pattern you are going to use. Use your ruler and chalk to lay out the area in which you will stamp.

3) Ensure that no chalk lines cross the area you plan on stamping- some paint will not adhere to chalk and can disrupt the design.

4) Pour a small amount of paint into your glass dish.

5) Lay out the fleece on a solid surface like a desk or table. Secure it to the surface- I use

masking tape.

6) Place the area to be stamped on the fleece. Do not stretch or allow the fabric to pull in one direction.

7) Roll the paint on the brayer, ensuring every area is covered. Do not overload the stamp or allow paint to build up in the negative areas, as this will cause smudges.

8) Gently place the stamp on the fabric. Hold in place with one hand, while applying gentle pressure with the other. Do not roll, smack or thump the stamp.

9) Carefully remove the stamp from the fabric. Allow the paint to dry before moving.

10) Re-coat the stamp with paint and continue. When the stamp becomes too messy or

covered in the negative areas, rinse under cool water. Let stamp dry air before using, to

ensure paint does not become diluted. Stamp can be blotted on a towel.

12) Set the paint as required by the manufacturer. This might involve heat- read the container.