LINDA COTE Printmaking Supplies: Lino Carving Tools
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 1 ต.ค. 2024
- I get asked all the time about what types of carving tools I use to create my fine art printmaking editions. It really depends on what type of lino I am creating with (soft or hard). It is largely a personal preference, too.
Here’s more detail - and links - for the tools mentioned in the video.
SPEEDBALL LINO CUTTERS
Being frugal, I began with Speedball lino cutters. Although these cutters will work on traditional (harder) linoleum, if you mostly carve the softer linoleum, the Speedball lino cutters work great. (If you are carving mostly hard linoleum, see the palm tools section below.) My favorite Speedball blades are the 1V, 2V, 3U & 5U sizes.
CANADA:
You can often get Speedball lino cutters in local art supply stores and Michaels, but here is a link to two stores in Toronto that carry extensive printmaking art supplies:
Above Ground Art Supplies - Toronto, Ontario, Canada
store.abovegro...
Curry Art Supplies - Toronto, Ontario, Canada
www.currys.com...
USA:
www.dickblick.c...
or search on Amazon.com as many craft resellers also sell these cutters.
UK:
www.amazon.co.u...
PALM TOOLS FOR WOOD OR LINO
If you prefer working with traditional (harder) lino, you may want to invest in palm tools (used both for wood carving and lino cutting) which are more expensive than the Speedball cutters. They are also more sturdy and will stand up to hard lino better.
You may need 4-6 different palm tools to get a wide range of marks on the lino. You can buy them individually or as a set. Pfeil is a high-quality brand, but there are also other types of lino/wood cutters available, like Flexcut or Japanese carving tools.
CANADA:
www.amazon.ca/P...
www.leevalley....
www.canadianwo...
USA:
www.amazon.com/...
UK:
www.jacksonsart...
www.classichan...
WHICH SIZE OF PALM TOOL?
There is a wide variety of sizes and shapes of cutters. See these size charts for an idea about what’s available.
USA:
www.chippingaw...
A NOTE ABOUT WORKING WITH SHARP TOOLS
Remember that palm tools - although the blades are more sturdy - will dull with use. Speedball lino cutters are designed to be exchanged once they dull (you simply buy another blade to put in your handle), but palm tools will require special sharpening methods. You will either have to invest in additional sharpening materials (that's a whole other subject!!) or pay someone to sharpen them for you. Having sharp tools is VERY important for the quality of the linocuts, but also for your safety! Sharp tools cut clean, and dull ones skip and can result in injury.
Thanks for watching, and be sure to check out my other videos on the printmaking supplies I love!
If you like reading blogs, check out my post on my carving tools here:
lindacotestudi...
Thank you so much for sharing your materials and process. I find your art inspiring. Because i am in awe of the natural world, your subject matter appeals to me! I also find your registration tech very interesting and helpful as I think i can actually do that! Thanks again. Suzanne from NC, USA
Suzanne C Gwynne Thanks so much, Suzanne! I'm so glad you found it helpful. I scratched my head a lot over registration initially, so I'm happy to share that! Happy Printmaking!
many thanks. as i'm only just getting started, this is really informative.
You're welcome - happy to help!
I am wondering which linoleum you would recommend for t-shirt printing? I love your video. So educational.
+blogsoidontforget Thanks for stopping by my channel! I haven't yet used lino blocks to print t-shirts, so won't be much help there. I would suggest you check out Boarding All Rows Printmaking, a company I follow on social who use lino to print on tshirts: boardingallrows.blogspot.ca/ :-)
I took a printmaking class in college. We often sat on our linoleum to warm it up while we fine tuned our drawings, dug out our other supplies from our book bags to set up, or while giving our fingers a quick rest. Took a few minutes initially, but worked well.
I love that! There`s an easy low-tech way to approach it. Thanks for sharing, Terrasel!
Such wonderful information, you're videos are a a pleasure to watch and learn. Thank you so much Linda 🌸
+Linda Dinolfo Thanks for watching, Linda! :-)
thx
Thank you Linda! I just took my first class yesterday and I'm looking forward to practicing until I get the results I want! enjoy your videos!
Thanks, Cynthia! I hope you enjoy the process of printmaking -- I'm still practicing, too. Haha!
where can I get a carving kit? Where do I purchase? I live in Atlanta, GA.USA
Hi Patricia, if you click on the SHOW MORE section right underneath my video, there are notes with links on a variety of tool ideas and where to buy them. As I'm based in Canada, I've provided online references, but from these you can also chase them down locally. Here also is a link to Dick Blick online supplies for printmaking of all kinds: www.dickblick.com/categories/printmaking/ . Also, I notice there is a printmaking studio right in your town and they are offering an "Intro to Relief" printmaking class starting in January 2020. www.atlantaprintmakersstudio.org/studio-classes I got your note on Etsy, and I find the best thing for beginners is to take a class to find out about the techniques and where to get local supplies. Good luck and have fun!
You're too cute and a natural! I never knew about the hot plate technique, very clever. Also, I peeked at the Valentine's Day prints? Yay!
+Roni J. Thanks for watching! I'm only just starting to feel more comfortable in front of the camera after almost 20 videos! Practice! Haha. That hot plate is great, eh? I hear it also works well for melting wax...who knew all the uses for retro materials?
This video was very informative. I have done a few lino cuts in high school and some other types of printmaking in college. But, it's been a long time. And I never got to try out different types of linoleum or tools. So, thank you very much!
I`m so happy you found it helpful!
Thank you so much for this video. It's so well explained, just what I needed :)
So happy it helped, Cynthia!
Clear and concise. Very helpful. I've only made a few stamp in linoleum.... my disclaimer. I have a question about the hard linoleum. I am a poet and want to put poems on fabric. I plan to hire a guy with a laser to burn the poem into the linoleum for stamping. Does that sound even realistic? Thanks for your consideration and expertise.
Hi Pam, I haven't tried this method, but I do know that people use different materials other than hand tools to "carve" into the lino (power tools, etc.). I would have a few questions: once the lino block is done, are you going to hand-print it? Have you tried this method before? Fine detail like lettering can be tricky, depending on how small the letters are, and printing on fabric is a whole other thing that I have only tried in a very rudimentary way. It can sometimes be tricky to get a good solid transfer of the fabric ink onto the fabric. So while in theory this idea sounds like it may work, I don't have specific experience printmaking on fabric (or much expertise with printing letters). Before going ahead, I would suggest that you have this person show you several samples of their work on an actual block plus samples of the resulting pieces that show lettering like you are looking for (size, type and quantity of words). Good luck!
in my cold climate i have an electric throw rug- i fold it over my block while organizing my desk...about 2-3 mins...multitasking
That's a sweet hack! Love this idea!!
Thank you Linda! I am just starting out and I found your videos really helpful, you explain everything beautifully!
Thanks for your comment, Ero -- so happy to help. Happy printmaking!!
hi, i was wondering - if the soft lino is cheaper and uses cheaper tools, what is the attraction for people to use the hard lino? does it give a better result?
Hi Jonny, the choice of lino base is partly a personal preference and partly mechanics. If you are printing your linocut through a printmaking press, you would want to use the hard/traditional lino because of the pressure from the press. The hard lino will stand up to repeated "pressings" much better because it is a more durable substance. The soft lino would also spread under that pressure of a mechanical press, giving you undesired results. I am printing the majority of my art without a press, so it is my preference to use the softer lino to hand-pull the prints. I could -- and have -- used harder lino to hand-pull prints, but for me, I like the result with soft lino. Traditional lino is also "historical" lino and some artists feel the connection to the more traditional material. The right carving tools for traditional lino, although more expensive than those used for soft lino, can be beautiful to work with and produce amazing results. It's all about what you want from your art practice and what works best for you. No right or wrong, just choice! I hope that helps!
LindaCoteStudio thanks a lot!
SUPER useful. None of the tutorials I watched before mentioned this. have a great day. You made mine :)
That makes me really happy, Claire! Thanks for making MY day!
Hi Linda! Thanks for the info! I was wondering what the advantage is to using the harder linoleum? I ordered a bunch of it by accident and was wondering how I could use it to my advantage.
Hi Sumera! The harder linoleum is really great for using on a press since it's surface is much harder than the softer linoleum and so it will stand up to the added pressure a printing press will apply. You can also print harder lino by hand, although you may need to apply a fair bit of pressure on the back of your paper to get a solid print. I'd suggest using a barren rather than your hand or a wooden spoon if you are doing that. Largely, it's a matter of personal preference, so really it's good that you will try this, too, to see which you like. Some printmakers I have heard from find the 'soft' linoleum too easy to cut, and mistakes or mis-cuts made too easily. The harder lino provides a lot more resistance for carving and so naturally forces you to go slower. A couple tips for cutting the harder linoleum. 1) Make sure your carving tools are really sharp because the harder surface of the lino means that you want to be able to slice through the surface with clean lines. Dull tools will give you a ragged line. I prefer the higher end (wood handle) carving tools for this purpose over the Speedball disposable ones since I find the higher-end tools more sturdy, but the Speedball ones will work in a pinch although they will wear out faster. 2) Warm the hard lino before carving to make it more pliable and easier to carve. I use an old-fashioned heating plate on low and place the lino face down on it. My mom used this warmer to keep dinner buns warm at a large family gathering! Search 'Vintage hot plate or dinner plate warmer' to see what I mean - you can often find them at thrift stores or antique shops. I have also used a hair dryer to warm the surface, too. 3) When cleaning the hard linoleum, don't immerse it in water as it will warp and expand. If you're using oil-based printmaking inks, I find an easy way to clean harder linoleum is to wipe off the surface as best as you can, then do the final clean up with canola or vegetable oil. Use a Q-tip to get into the carved grooves, if need be. Works like a charm! 4) As always, carve AWAY from your opposite hand, as the harder lino is tougher and 'skipping' of the tools more frequent, and it's easy to cut the hand not carving. Or, use a 'bench hook' to carve with. Hope this helps!
Really helpful video, thank you so much. I'm about to go on my first lino cutting coursr here in South Wales, UK!
So glad it helps, Gaynor! Enjoy your course...I bet you'll be hooked! :-)
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You're welcome!
@@LindaCoteStudio As someone who loves and makes the art of printing, I liked your channel. It contains good information. I will follow
@@LindaCoteStudio 🙏
Thanks for posting and teaching us. :). My local craft store doesn't carry palm tools. What sort of other stores might sell them?
Hi Joy, thanks for watching! Not knowing where you are in the world, it would really depend on where you could find them. I'm not sure if you noticed, but under this video where the "Published on..." information is, there is the type SHOW MORE. Click on that, and I include links to where to find more information and also companies selling carving tools online in the US, Canada and the UK. Hope that helps!
Very useful info! thanks a lot, you're great!!!!!
+lefthandedstrat You are welcome. So glad you found it helpful!!
Can I get this equipments in south Asia...I am a prinmaking student (1st year) by the way. And if not found what is the procedure of shipping?
Hello, I am not sure where these tools might be sold in South Asia, as I am located in North America. I do know of another printmaker who mentions a couple places in Singapore and a printmaking supplier in the UK (Jackson Art) that ships lino carving tools worldwide. Have a look on Jennifer Lim's website here jenniferlimart.com/lino-printing-techniques and scroll to the bottom where she talks about carving tools. Hope this helps!
@@LindaCoteStudio Thank you so much..for replying and also for the sugesstion. Someday we will meet I hope. Stay healthy.
Nice to have found your channel, some great tips, thanks
Thanks for your note, Laurie. I'm glad you find these videos helpful!
Wow, this is incredibly helpful. Thank you for taking the time to do this, Linda! xo
Thanks for watching, Meg -- glad it helps!
Thank you for your video! Have been contemplating whether I should jump into this craft as I haven't got much patience to cut out intricate details... but who knows until I try it! haha Gorgeous art work, by the way. :)
It can be so much fun, and minute detail is not necessary. I see lots of amazing linocuts done with broad strokes and bold designs. Enjoy, and thanks for watching!
nice
Thank you, your tutorial is so helpful.
You are so welcome, Mary! Thanks so much for watching!
Hi Linda! What brand of soft Lino do you use?
Hi Sara, oddly enough the soft lino I get is just called "Softoleum" and comes to me unwrapped without any branding. When I've dug around, I believe it to be manufactured by a company out of the USA called Nasco, but I am not 100% sure because I have never ordered directly from Nasco [a link to their product is here: www.enasco.com/product/9719193(C)].
I am assuming you saw my video about the block material I use? th-cam.com/video/6Yg98Nfjkac/w-d-xo.html
Click on the notes below the video (the "SHOW MORE") link, and I provide web links to some of the places it can be found online. Hope that helps!
Thank you Linda!
thank youuuuuu! i trust your energy
Thanks so much! :-)
Can you use linoleum tiles for lino printing. The reason why I'm asking is so I can order from Ali Express. Linoleum is not available where I'm from
Hi Fatima, I'm not sure as I've not seen these tiles. But, I did have some linoluem flooring material (came in a roll) that my mom had stored in her garage that did work, although it was a bit tough to carve since it was a bit old! The first linoleum for printmaking I heard was made from flooring material, so it is possible! I would order one tile and try it and see what result you get. Another thing you can sometimes use is the pink or white dense art erasers as I have successfully printed using these. They are small, but I have seen some big ones in the dollar stores that are about 4 inches x 6 inches! Good luck!
Great video! Thanks for the help!
Thanks, Adam. Happy to help!
thank you so much that was really helpful
Glad you found it so, Cathy! Happy to share my advice 😊
Hi Linda, Please could you let me know of the best all round paper that is for lino printing. Being new to this beautiful craft just want to start right. Many thanks. Laurie
Hi Laurie, thanks for watching. Although I use a lot of different papers, I have a few favorites. I'm not sure where you are located, but I will provide some links with a USA reference. One of my favorites is BFK Rives, a paper that's a little thicker (www.dickblick.com/products/bfk-rives-printmaking-papers/). For a more lightweight but still strong paper -- I use and love the Speedball acid-free PrintMaster paper. It mimics more of an oriental paper but holds the ink well without wrinkling or tearing (www.dickblick.com/products/speedball-printmaster-paper-pads-for-block-printing/). Think really high-end bond for the PrintMaster paper, but it's really lovely. Really, any brand of mullberry paper is great -- if it says "for block printing" that's usually good for linocuts. Here's a type by Black ink on Amazon: www.amazon.com/Black-Ink-Bleached-Mulberry-Printing/dp/B001DNH8I0/ref=sr_1_8?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1532131492&sr=1-8&keywords=mulberry+paper+art. Also, the Japanese papers are beautiful, more delicate but definitely worth a try -- there are so many that the best is to pick some and experiment to find your own favorite. Just a note, that I do all my linocut printing by hand (no press, as you may have seen on my videos), so I am using the paper dry (not dampened). Most websites that sell printmaking supplies also have a section for printmaking paper, so check those out and try different ones. Hope this helps!
i like all your info but can you give me more info about the board you use to line up your blocks when printing . I love the pegs on it to hold each paper also thanks jane from florida usa
Hi Jane, it's a homemade system I have that is a wooden board on the bottom, and a piece of wood at the top that I glued dowels into (then carved them to a point). I hole punch my paper to line up with the dowels. To hold the block, I just screw foam core around the block on three sides, and slide the block in and out for inking and that holds it in the same place every time when you're doing multi layer blocks. When I have a new block, I simply unscrew the old foam core, and cut new ones and reposition them around the new block.
Thanks so much. Really clear, concise video. Looking forward to seeing more of your videos. 👍
Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching!
Seems to me, if the higher quality tools cost several times more than the Speedballs, they might still be the better bargain in the long run, if you plan on doing a lot of printing, as their blades can be sharpened instead of having to replace them every time the start to get dull.
Absolutely - thanks for this perspective. It is nice to have options if a set of palm tools are out of reach due to the cost, or people don't have the knowledge or the required tools to sharpen carving tools themselves.
I've just started to dip my toes into linoblock printmaking and your video was really helpful :)
So happy to hear that, Jasper! Glad to help and enjoy your printmaking. It's a wonderful way to create!
Really great tips...thanks a tonnnn!!!!
You are so welcome!!
I am an artist, doing acrylics and water colours and I have been wanting to do prints for such a long time now.....finally have got started and watching your video made it more inspiring to begin right away....all the best for all your future endeavours 🙏
Thanks for this lovely helpful video. I have a question about whether you are supposed to prepare the surface of lino before carving...I bought some lino-like stuff that an art shop attendant told me was for linocutting, but when I rolled the ink on it was clear that the surface of the lino-like stuff (definitely wasn't real lino) didn't take the ink and the ink went all patchy. So I took it back to the shop and got a refund, but later I wondered whether there was something I should have done to the surface in preparation, like maybe sanding it or something, to make the ink adhere. Possibly the stuff they were selling was just rubbish quality or not even lino - difficult to judge because I did not ask about the name of the material. Thanks if you have any advice. :)
Hi Philippa. You shouldn't have to prepare the surface of the lino. Anything you purchase at an art shop should be ready to go without prep. Perhaps it wasn't really for use with lino (? hard to tell without seeing it), but one other thing this sounds like is that if you were using the water-based printmaking inks, they often do not roll on well and can get patchy very quickly. I have had less-than-ideal results using water-based inks -- they even go patchy when rolling them out on the glass on the ink tray! If you were using those, it may have been the ink rather than the lino material. If you try again, be sure to buy oil-based inks as these perform MUCH better all around. They do take longer to dry (up to a day or two, whereas the water-based ones dry in less than an hour or faster). I explain more in my video on the inks I use, if you want to check that out!
Hi Linda your video is awesome and very helpful. Thank you
Thank you! I'm so happy it helped!
Great videos! Thank you so much for the information!
Thanks for watching, Norma Lee! Happy you found them useful!
Hi linda, can you have video on the speedball blades usage and type of marks created with them. I got the kit and there are more than V and U gauge blades. I am not sure what to use with those other shape blades. Thanks.
Hey Kosh, I think you will find this video helpful regarding the Speedball blades, assembly and different cutting marks. Enjoy! th-cam.com/video/Sk7Vo8eotCg/w-d-xo.html
LindaCoteStudio thank you linda
Thanx,It was a informative and helpful video.can you please tell me,From where can i buy some linoleum?
Hi Karishma, depending on where you live, it's available through art supply stores, and also online through a number of sellers of art or printmaking products. Check out my video on "the block" (see link below) and be sure to click on the SHOW MORE in the notes underneath the video where I provide online links to some of the products available (close to where I live) in Canada and the USA. This should give you a starting point! th-cam.com/video/6Yg98Nfjkac/w-d-xo.html
thanx Linda for the reply.I will follow your link.
Hello , I would like to know the name of the soft material u use ?
Hi Kathrin, you can find out more about the block material I often use for printmaking on my other video here: th-cam.com/video/6Yg98Nfjkac/w-d-xo.html . Be sure to click the "SHOW MORE" underneath the video description for more information on where to purchase the materials (based on where I live). Basically, it's called "Softoleum" from the supplier I purchase it from, and it comes unwrapped and unbranded to me (without manufacturer identification). The best I've been able to find out is that it is a material made by Nasco Art Supplies for printmaking, but I've never seen it packaged with anything other than the name that's on the website link I provide under my other video. Hope this helps!
Nice Vid Linda - thanks for the info
You're welcome, James! Happy to share.
@@LindaCoteStudio thanks for sharing. why I prefer it if I just add a frame to the cut as a wall decoration. What do you think? greetings from Indonesia I like your art
@@giwangpvcartslamp1349 I think that would be a lovely idea! I have framed a number of my blocks, too, as I think the base art is as beautiful as the final prints! :) Hello back to Indonesia!!
Thank you so much for sharing all these information. I was wondering what inks you use for fabric printing. I tried printing some cotton fabric for a tote bag and ink didn't work. I tried to dry it with a blow dryer, heatpress and over night and it was still wet the next day. Thanks again.
Hi Vicky, I have not done a lot of printmaking on fabric, so cannot give you anything from my personal experience, but I have read that the Caligo inks I like (th-cam.com/video/bpCqWbwMA7I/w-d-xo.html) can be used on fabric. Here's a link to a guide: www.jacksonsart.com/blog/2015/03/10/angela-brown-caligo-inks-tells-us-printing-fabric/ Good luck!
Thank you so much Linda. I think I found the problem to my inks thanks to you. They are oil base. I didn't know they take so long to dry. Thanks again for your time and wonderful videos.
I'm glad that helped. And, yes, these inks take a long time to dry, even on paper! They dry by absorbing into the material, so I find when layering them over a dry patch (with multi-color prints) it even adds to the long drying time. It's tough to wait, but I find the results are so much better with oil-based inks than with water-based!
Thank you very much, your videos is a great help 😊
Thanks, Kri!
Wonderfully informative. Thank you...
Thanks, Lisa! Glad it helps!
Great tips! Thank You.
You're welcome - thanks for watching!
👍👍
That's amazing 😍👏
Thank you! I appreciate that!