A poster with lino printing
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Make your own poster with block printing. Use the lino printing technique, which is also called block printing, because the printing blocks are divided into several parts. Decide whether the line or the surrounding area should be cut away. Cut the printing block from linoleum and apply paint to the raised areas with a roller. Then print the design on a sheet of watercolour paper. Note that the print will be mirrored if text is included.
How to do it Download the templates/recipes
1 Shade the back of the design with an oil pastel rather than a pencil because the transfer with a pencil may be difficult to see.
2 Attach the design onto the lino block using masking tape. Transfer the design onto the lino block by tracing the design with a pencil, adding pressure when transferring with the pencil.
3 Trace the design with a permanent marker. Avoid smudging the oil pastel on the back by turning the lino block when working from the edge.
4 Cut away the design or alternatively cut away the background. Begin with a small lino cutter blade. Insert the blade into the wooden handle from the top. Begin by cutting along the edge and by cutting all the fine details. Cut away from yourself and preferably along the design.
5 Change the lino cutter blade and explore the different widths of the cutter blades. Change the cutter blade by pushing it out of the handle with the supplied wooden stick.
6 Transfer the flower designs onto the lino block in the same way as described above. Make them as five small printing blocks. Cut away the background from the small flower stamps for a raised design.
7 Here are the mixing ratios for the block printing inks:
Grey: ½ white + ½ black.
Pink: 1 tsp. white + 1 drop of red + ½ drop of black.
Dark red: 1 tsp. red + 1 drop of black.
8 Roll out the block printing ink onto an inking tray. Roll the lino roller back and forth until the block printing ink is evenly distributed on the lino roller. Avoid too much paint on the lino roller to prevent the ink getting into the cut-away designs.
9 Now roll the paint onto the lino block in a thin and even layer.
10 Roll the lino roller back and forth and across until the block printing ink has covered the entire lino block in an even layer. Be thorough to ensure an even and beautiful print.
11 Carefully place a piece of paper on top of the carved lino block design. Attach the paper with masking tape to ensure it stays in place. Roll back and forth on the paper with a clean lino roller whilst pressing hard. You may use a rolling pin instead.
A tip: use watercolour paper and moisten the paper for a more beautiful print. Wipe the paper with a hard wrung-out cloth prior to printing.
12 Make flower stamps and stamens stamps. Press these onto the poster once the poster is dry.; first the stamps with the flowers and then the stamps with the stamens onto the flowers when these are dry.
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