cut 3

cut 3: mark-making exercise

Borrowed from https://hughhadfield.com/2-1-linocuts/.

Keywords from the project brief:
Marking out a grid on your lino of four squares by six squares
Make cuts and patterns using one blade only in each square
Make a note in your learning log of which square has marks made by which tool
Make notes about how you might use the different textures and cut lines to represent your ideas

things I learned along the way

carving

• I'm using actual linoleum this time, so everything is different
• I sanded the block after I painted it. It removed some of the color but not too bad.
• a shelf Iiner is great for keeping the lino from moving, but I still like having the bench hook under it so that I don't gouge my desk 😅
• heating up by setting on the baseboard heater for a minute worked pretty well to soften it up.

printing

• ternes burton pins/tabs are AMAZING, I like using them even on one color because it gives me the chance to line everything up before inking.
• speedball fabric ink is working better for me than the speedball basic blockprinting ink
  • it seemed to dry out less quickly
  • it has a very soft feel compared to the basic ink after dry
• press press press press!!! I was able to get a good print but only with a crap ton of pressure from a spoon, very thorough.
• lol at people who say cleanup of oil based inks with water is "one wet-one". It took way more than one wipe for me.
  • and I still don't think I could get the linoleum fully clean without running water.
  • edit from the future: I take it back. Wet ones get it cleaner than running water.
    1. Remove as much ink from the lino as possible after completion
       • Spray a little water over the block
       • Do a crap print with crap paper to suck ink off of the block
    2. Use a wet one basically to get the ink all diluted. The wipe will be ink-y, but it does a really good job of removing most of the ink.
    3. Soak it all up with a paper towel/rag.
    4. Use another wet one & paper towel to finish cleaning.
• too little ink is bad, too -- when I did this, the paper didn't stick, and I ended up smudging it all around while rubbing.

things for next time

• try carbon paper transfer?
• not so many tiny details yet!
• would love to have a baron
• press press press press!