Block Print Magic: The Essential Guide to Designing, Carving, and Taking Your Artwork Further with Relief Printing

424 Pages·2019·70.59 MB·English

by  Emily Louise Howard of “The Diggingest Girl”

BLOCK PRINT MAGIC
THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO DESIGNING, CARVING, AND TAKING
YOUR ARTWORK FURTHER WITH RELIEF PRINTING
EMILY LOUISE HOWARD
OF “THE DIGGINGEST GIRL”
CONTENTS
Introduction
CHAPTER 1:
Essential Tools and Materials
Essential Tools
Blocks
Carving Tools and Tool Care
Brayers, Barens, Plates, and Knives
Essential Materials
Inks
Papers
Miscellaneous Equipment
Anatomy of a Print Studio
Project: Tightrope Drying Rack
CHAPTER 2:
Essential Techniques
Design Essentials
Transfer Methods
Carving Techniques
Printing Techniques
Project: Box Grid
Project: Hinged Window
Project: Pin and Tab
CHAPTER 3:
The Basics
Project: Texture Quilt
Project: Multi-Block Hex Sign
Project: Reduction Cut Sunflowers
Artist Spotlight: Derrick Riley
Project: Contour Line Skull
Artist Spotlight: Kelli MacConnell
Project: Dress Up
Project: One-Page Pocket Zine
CHAPTER 4:
Targeted Techniques
Project: Puzzle Block Print
Project: Uncommon Ground
Artist Spotlight: Aftyn Shah
Project: Living Landscape
Artist Spotlight: Lili Arnold
Project: Rainbow Roll
Artist Spotlight: Jen Hewett
Project: Wall Hanging
CHAPTER 5:
Waste Not
Project: Frankenstein’s Monster
Project: Woven Print
Glossary
Resources
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Index
INTRODUCTION
Dear reader,
We’re about to make something awesome together. In this book I’ll be sharing
essential techniques and processes for creating visually captivating linoleum and
rubber block prints. I’ve designed a series of projects to hone your skills and test
your creativity, including some fun ways to salvage your mistakes and give mess
ups a second life. This book is meant to inspire, encourage, and help you build
the skill set you’ll need to bring every glorious idea you have to life.
Never picked up a carving tool before? No worries—this book is for you.
Dabbled in printmaking in art class, and looking to take your work more
seriously? This book is for you, too! In the following pages you’ll find useful
information on everything from tools and materials to elements of a good
composition. I’ll show you how to make some of your own studio supplies, such
as simple inking plates and drying racks. Each printing project is designed to
focus on a specific skill or skills—from basic textures to multi-block prints to
rainbow rolls and everything in between. We’ll also meet a handful of
printmakers from across the United States who graciously share their experience
and secrets to help us along. No matter your own art history or skill level, there’s
something for you here.
My own background as an artist is interdisciplinary: my roots are in classical
drawing and painting from observation, and I found printmaking relatively late
in my education. I treat sculpture like a creative palate cleanser, and love
tweaking designs for woodworking projects. I practice embroidery as a form of
stress relief. Each discipline informs the other. The painter has something to
learn from the sculptor, just as the football player has something to learn from
the ballet dancer. It is my dearest hope that you’ll be able to learn something
from me.
And now it’s time! Test the weight of the carving tool in your hand and feel the
tingling sensation of possibilities. Listen for the kiss of the brayer as it rolls out
the ink. Let some choice swear words slip in tandem with your V-gouge (hey, it
happens to all of us). Make plenty of mistakes, stab yourself once or twice, learn
your lessons, and then revel in your first perfect print. Pull something into
existence by the force of your own will. There’s magic to be made here.
Yours in inky solidarity,
Emily

CHAPTER 1
ESSENTIAL TOOLS AND MATERIALS
In this chapter, you’ll learn about the basic materials needed to take you from
bright idea to successful linocut print. Linocut printing is a form of relief
printing, the process of pulling a print from a carved block, where the ink is
deposited on the remaining (uncarved) areas of the block. One of my favorite
things about relief printmaking is that you don’t need expensive equipment to
make studio-quality prints, and most tools are relatively affordable. There are
lots of brands of tools, papers, blocks, and inks to try, so research and
experiment to find what works best for you.
ESSENTIAL TOOLS
Blocks
CARVING BLOCKS
Though printmaking encompasses many different types of carving surfaces, this
book focuses on the use of linoleum and rubber blocks. Soft rubber is often a
good choice for younger, less experienced printmakers as it is easy to cut with
beginner’s tools. I also prefer soft rubber when printing on fabric. The sturdier
linoleum is harder to cut and requires sharp tools but its density holds detailed
cuts beautifully, and it is less likely to accidentally squish and bleed during
printing.
LINOLEUM BLOCKS
Made of linseed oil, cork dust, wood flour, and pine resin, linoleum is a medium
that many artists choose to work in because of its renewable composition. It
comes in a variety of small-to-medium standard sizes as well as in large rolls,