While the hessian backing provides sturdiness to the lino block, the fibres can loosen and start pilling after cutting and from handling. These little fibres can accidentally get inked or transfer to your inked plate, which can be incredibly frustrating. Luckily there is a simple solution!
Long strings can first be easily trimmed off with a knife or scissors. To prevent those pesky small fibres from being inked a small flame (from a lighter or candle) can then be used gently around the edges. This will seal the edges of the fibre and prevent further pilling resulting in crisper edges for your prints.
We recommend using a candle, as you will have more control moving the edges of your block around.
If you are using a flame to seal the edges of your block, please take the necessary precautions to ensure safe working practices.
How To – Preparing Silk Cut Lino
Like all printing techniques, working with Silk Cut Lino requires a bit of preparation. Taking the time to properly set up your plate before you start carving helps you avoid common issues down the line, and sets you up for a smoother, more enjoyable printing process. Here are some of the key things to think about before carving up your newest lino design.
Sanding the surface
Just as degreasing your plate is a key step of the intaglio process, it is an important step when printing with Silk Cut Lino.
Our grey Silk Cut Lino is made in large rolls and, while you may not be able to see it, there can be remnant oils and imperfections left on the surface. We will refer to our Silk Cut Lino surface as a 'block'. Giving your block a quick clean and light sand will improve ink adhesion and prevent uneven printing.
To sand the block, we recommend using a 600 or 800 grit wet/dry sandpaper. A small dash of water added at this stage is handy – however, too much water can cause plate warp! After sanding, a quick clean with a rag and a small amount of acetone, or any white spirit, will remove any dust and remaining oil from the surface. You can use soapy water but again be careful of getting too much moisture in, or on, the lino block.
Tip: If you are unsure if the surface is clean, a good test is to brush a small amount of water over a section of the lino. If you notice water beading on the surface, the block must be sanded and cleaned again.
Cutting the block to size
Silk Cut Lino is available in larger sizes than our other relief options – which makes it extraordinarily versatile. When it comes to customising the size of your matrix, creating a specific shape or if you are printing with a 'jigsaw' technique, there are few tips to help fine tune this process.
Trimming the plate: To simply cut down your block to size, our favourite method is to use a solid ruler (preferably metal) and a good quality knife (we recommend the NT Knife and its replacement blades). A sharp blade is very important for this step, especially to secure a clean line. After measuring and marking your cut lines on the back side of the Silk Cut Lino (a biro pen works well on the hessian backing), use the edge of the ruler as a guide to score through the back of the block. You don't need to press too hard – slower and consistent pressure works best. Repeat this a few times before snapping the lino along the cut.
Tip: If you need a really crisp edge, score once along the grey side of the Silk Cut Lino first, before lightly scoring and folding the hessian side of the block.
Cutting out a Shape: If you are doing a jigsaw print, or just want a particularly shaped plate, we recommend carving out your image first. Pay particular attention to creating a clear deep cut (we recommend using a 'V' or Knife tool) where you want to cut through and create your block edge. Score through this line with a fine scalpel or cutting knife, and either snap away or cut away the excess lino.
Tidying up the edges
Staining your block
A common complaint when carving up Silk Cut Lino is that it is difficult to see the design coming together as you are working on it. This is because the Silk Cut Lino is grey on the surface, and grey on the inside. While there are many methods artist use to combat this, here are two methods we enjoy:
Indian Ink: For most designs, a black surface will provide a stark contrast to the carved lino lines. Using a soft, clean rag, apply a splash of either a Sumi Ink or Indian Ink to the surface of the block using a circular motion until the entire matrix is covered. Allow to dry before transfering your image and carving.
Acrylic Ink: For reduction linocut, or if you have an image with detailed highlights, shadows, or different colour layers, a toned backing may work better than a solid black. Acrylic Ink can be easily diluted with water (use a 1:1 ratio) and applied as above with a rag – any colour will work!
Tip: These inks can be left on the plate as you carve and when using oil-based inks can remain on the lino block as a good guide as you carve and print each layer.
Transferring your image
Not all of us are brave enough to carve a design straight into a plate without a drawing or loose outline of the final design on the block. Fortunately there are a number of techniques you can use to transfer your image to your block. Remember – what you carve must be the reverse of what you want printed!
Pencil: The simplest way to transfer your image is the classic pencil transfer. Using tracing paper draw or trace your image, or a rough outline, in a soft lead pencil (2B or 4B). After drawing straight onto the tracing paper, flip it over and place it drawing side down onto your block. Using a bone folder, apply pressure to the tracing paper focusing on your drawn lines – essentially you are 'burnishing' your drawing onto the block. Once you are done, remove the tracing paper and reveal your cleanly transferred guidelines!
Tip: Use masking tape to register your tracing paper securely and to remove mis-registration while transferring your image.
Laser Print Transfers: Laser printed images, or photographs, can be transferred to your block using acetone or eucalyptus oil. Place the laser printed image face down on the block (you may want to tape down an edge to prevent movement). Using a rag, apply either acetone or eucalyptus oil over the top of the paper in a circular motion. Note: Be careful not to go in to liberally with the acetone as it can smudge the image.
Handy tips
Mounting:
For large editions or more stable printing you may even wish to mount your lino to a block of wood (such as MDF or a similar board). This way the lino will remain flat. We recommend a strong PVA glue rolled evenly on the back of the block to ensure no bubbles or lumps between the wood and Silk Cut Lino.
Tip: use a book press, or place a heavy book, on top of your freshly glued block to ensure even adhesion.
Warming the block:
Before carving, it can be a good idea to use a hot water bottle, radiator or warm hot plate (or even just sitting on the lino for a moment) to warm the surface. This lightly softens the lino and makes it easier to carve. Silk Cut Lino can be susceptible to cold weather (just as we are) and is more likely to crack in the colder months.
Cutting:
Once your block is ready to carve you may have some questions of what tools are best to use. Luckily, we love to talk about all types of printmaking materials, and have an in depth blog post that can explain the differences in our relief tool range. Find out about our different cutting tools here.
Alternatives to Silk Cut Lino
While Silk Cut Lino is our most popular surface for relief printing, and is able to hold and print the highest level of details, we offer a range of alternatives that require a little less preparation and are designed for an easier carving experience.
Vinyl Tile
The classic blue/green Vinyl Tile is often the first relief plate many printmakers will remember using. These tiles offer the closest alternative to Silk Cut Lino in regards to print quality, but the largest size is 300x400mm. They can be cut into on both sides with the black core making it easy to see the image throughout the carving process.
Essdee SoftCut Lino
A softer block than its alternatives, this SoftCut Lino from Essdee comes in a pack of two and is designed with hand printing in mind. The soft material is perfect for young and inexperienced printers to get familiar with the process of carving on a easier material. It can still produce fine and detailed work.
Speedball Speedy Carve
Speedball Speedy Carve is a lovely thick pink carving plate offering a very soft and thick surface which can be used on both sides if not carved too deeply. These plates take an easy transfer of photocopied images by using an iron.
Speedball Speedy Cut
Speedball Speedy Cut is the thickest block on offer and one of the easiest cutting experiences. They are great for cutting down into smaller sizes or shapes for stamp printing techniques.
Materials Journal:
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