Linoleum Block / Printmaking

Step 7 Proofing/ Inking

This is a very important step. Proofing is printing the block before it is completed. This is important because it will show you the flaws in the block and you can fix them. Save your brown paper bags from the supermarket they are great way to do proofs without wasting paper. Save some trees.

Inking the block

Set out your materials: you'll need your block (or blocks), an ink roller, a container with a smooth surface (such as a glass pie plate), ink, and your paper.

Glass Pie Dishes are great because they are pretty cheap and you can have multiple dishes with different color inks. (Remember print lighter colors first and give each color its own roller)

Step
1
Put on rubber gloves and wear clothes you don't care about ( Oil ink is permanent!)

Step
2
Dust off your linoleum block with a paper towel or clean rag ( Wipe away all cut out pieces of linoleum, because they will stick to the roller and it is annoying and will ruin a print)

Step
3
Squeeze some ink onto your smooth surface use a paint knife to spread or popsicle sticks. ( If you plan on printing the future buy some tins of ink. They are a little more expensive ( they last "forever" if you keep them closed when not in use). Start with a small amount of ink and add more if you need to. Think about it, if you add more then you need you waste more ink plus you have more to clean.

Step
4
Roll it around with the roller until the roller is evenly and thinly coated ( It should sound like velcro ripping apart when you have the right amount of ink on the roller, too much ink on the roller leaves blobs of ink too little gives a faded print)

Step
5
Roll the roller back and forth over your linoleum block until the entire surface of the linoleum is coated.

Step
6
Set the roller down ( Upside down) Because you will get globs ink on the roller.

Step
7
Be sure your block is anchored correctly. I just get a piece of carpet and cut it to the size of the block and velcro it to the workspace. Then the block won't slide around.

Step
8
Make sure your hands are clean! Meaning no ink( i use Vegetable Oil to clean my hands. Pick up the paper by the corners and lay it down on the inked block.

Step
9
Press gently ( Use a brayer or I use the back of a wooden spoon and rub it gently on the paper), but do not wiggle or twist the block - if you twist, the design will smear.) You can also use a press if you have access to one. Read directions because every press is different and they are expensive and you don't want to ruin one. The point is to get the ink transferred to the medium.

Step
10
Lift the paper off the block and set it down and inspect for flaws. Flaws are great keep all your misprints because you can learn from them.

Step
11
Place the paper in a safe, clean place to dry.(Buy a drying rack) Or Make one yourself! Or You can take a piece of string and thumbtack both sides to opposing walls so it is tight and get some clothes pins and clip up the prints.

Step
12
After every print you must re-ink the block or it will be a faded print.

Look at the design and if you are happy with it give it about 3 to 4 days to dry to be safe. Oil ink takes a while to dry up. Do not stack the prints til they are dried completely. Hanging them works best for me they stay out of the way. I suggest even longer dry time for fabrics about 1 week.