This is the best tutorial I have seen. I hope you will make more. I am a brand new beginner and love the tips you have shared. The Sharpie is a game changer.
This brought back so many good memories from a printmaking class I took in college. (That wonderful ink roller sound 😍) I’m thinking of jumping back into printing and this was the perfect re-introduction! Thank you!
Your lino-sheet looks like it easily carved. I did lino prints my first year in art school. The instructor gave us older plates and the lines were hard to cut. I found that warming the plate in the oven before carving, made for super easy clean cut lines in half the time with less stress on my hands. What type of lino-sheet are you using?
Hey! Yes - I've been there too with that harder lino lol. You usually end up using it in school because it is soooo much cheaper than this softer stuff! I am using a soft-cut linoleum that I get from Curry's art store (I believe you can also get it from Blick if you are in the USA!) The Curry's website calls it "Essdee Softcut Lino" and it comes in bulk packs!
@@sylviareck-xy3kn Heat oven and pan to 350. Turn off oven, remove pan. Place lino on hot pan. Test w/fingers if transferring heat is softening plate. Place back in oven until it reaches desired softness.
Soft cut sheets are easier for beginners, but the teacher might’ve also given you dull tools. It’s kind of sad that so many people who get to try linocut in schools have such a bad experience with it because they’re given such bad materials. I remember it myself, it took so much strength to force the tool into the material, and it was super frustrating and impossible to do nice looking details that way. The linoleum might’ve been old, but mostly the tools were just completely dull. I don’t know if it’s because they’ve been used so often, or if the teachers are afraid that students will injure themselves with properly sharp tools, but if it’s the latter that’s bullshit because you’re so much more likely to injure yourself with dull tools because you’ll have to press super hard and then suddenly it might slip. Doing linocut with proper materials is completely different, and actually really satisfying and fun
Incredibly helpful video. Feel a lot more confident starting my first linocut print. Do you have a recommendation for the acrylic colour you use? I think this might help my brain understand the positive and negative space better when carving. Thank you 😊
My mom bought me a lino cutter at a flea market not too long ago. She thought it was for wood carving, which is something I plunderwith from time to time. It's an old William Mitchell No. 454 but with about 15 different blades inside the box plus the handle. After watching your video, I think I am going to give this artform a try. I love exploring new formats to express my creativity.
@ehollingsheadart6601 thank you for the encouragement. It looks very interesting. The kind of hobby you just put some good 70s prog rock on the headset, crack open a nice beer, and zone out while making something cool. I'll be back to your videos to learn as soon as I get some material to work with. Keep up the good content. Cheers.
Thanks for the video! Been drawing my designs for the past few weeks and have my beginners kit and paper arriving today! Definitely going to be using these techniques you've shown here, thanks!
Thank you very much for this detailed and simple video on lino-printing. It's been a long while since I'd last done lino-printing and it feels reassuring to get back to it after watching your video.
I've only worked with wood blocks so far but plan to make some lino prints this winter. I like your method for adding finer details in stages of carving. Thanks for your tutorials. I look forward to more videos.
I havent done this since elementary school (I'm 37 now) and I want to do it again. This is helpful. I also feel like i see people carve out everything around the drawings linework but you carve your linework as if it is the pencil drawing. I find your way to make more sense but i guess it depends on how you want to end look?
Yes! It boils down to how you want it to look in the end. Sometimes I carve away my pencil lines and sometimes I carve around them to preserve them! Just depends where you want your lights and darks! I highly recommend giving it a go! Haha it's the best!!!
This was a wonderful tutorial, end to end. I am just starting out do lino cuts, did etching in school back in the 70's, but have never done a lino cut. Thanks so much for a great demo!
Cool video, thorough and enjoyable! I recently saw the artist Sun Xun rubbing his print with lightbulbs, youuse a wooden spatula...Love these tool choices, they make printing less intimidating and more personal...❤
you hold your instrument like a pencil held close to the cutting nib. Others have said not to hold the cutting instrument this way. I like your technique it reminds how i hold for my ink line drawings. Is this a good way to hold for me to get smallest of tiny details? I want to mimic the effect of pen & ink thin line drawings i personally enjoy
I find holding it this way gives me more precision, so it might be good for some finer details I think! The tool has a rounded end that is meant to rest inside the palm of your hand as your fingers wrap around it. Like the palm of your hand gives you the force to move forward and then the way your fingers grasp it gives you precision. Depends on your preferred style and possibly some other things!
I love your suggestion on covering your block with a black sharpie to see your carving better. However, does it somehow not let the ink adhere as well when its time to print?
Hey Kathy!! No issues with the sharpie making the ink adhere to the carving properly! It doesn't make it slipper since sharpies are alcohol based - the alcohol evaporates and just leavea behind the pigment. If I'm printing with any other colour that isn't black, I will wash my block first to remove excess sharpie or the first print I make will be a dud but will take the excess sharpie pigments off the carving!!
Hello :) Super nice video. Thanks. Can you give a little inside to me, what pen you did use to make the hole block black. I am new to linocut and would appreciate any kind of help. Thanks :)
Just gorgeous and an excellent tutorial. Might it be helpful to gently tape down the paper before pressing it onto the linoleum block. My fear is that I would move it. And do you have any videos that show two or three color block printing?
Absolutely! Some people definitely find that method helpful! For myself, I find the ink sorta sicks the paper down and I deal with very few prints that have shifted around. Can also use a pin and system (turnes burton pins) as well! I have a video about registration that you might find helpful and it talks about registering a 2 block print :) more to come!
I can't tell; after you covered the whole thing in sharpie, were you just free handing the cuts? or could you see lines through the sharpie that you were following, that we can't see on camera? Beautiful by the way!!
Thanks very much for watching! I definitely think you can apply many of these techniques to woodcut. I have a couple of woodcuts I am about to work on - I'll have to make a video!
great work, I'm amazed at the finesse you can achieve with this material. I've got an Esdee kit and honestly: the "1mm" lead is impossible to use (digs absolutely nothing, impossible to sharpen too), the 2mm still makes much more than 2mm. It's just a nightmare! What brand do you use?
It's so satisfying to watch your process Erin, and I'm really intrigued with printmaking. You have such a relaxed and soothing way of explaining that process. Love the seahorse!
Hi there! I just use cold water and a gentle soap to clean my linoelum. I use a water soluable oil based ink that doesn't need any thinners or harsh chemicals to remove it!
Thank you for the video. I do have one area im still confused on. You said that the ink you use is oil based but water soluble. i always thought that water soluble inks are water based. Im interested in ink for fabric. what would be the best kind?
There are new inks that Speedball offers that are water soluable oil based inks! They wash off with soap and water - they are oil based inks but soap is enough to break down the type of oil in them so no need for harsh solvent chemicals! They perform nearly identically to regular oil based inks :)
@@ehollingsheadart Thank you so much for your reply. I already have some speedball water soluble ink, but im not sure if it will be good for fabric. is all water soluble ink ok for fabric?
I want to try the Sharpie technique that you used after the first pass of carving just the outlines, but does the Sharpie ink impact the way that the printing ink adheres to the linoleum? Thanks for such a great video!
The sharpie does not effect the ink or printing! You can use a bit of rubbing alcohol to remove as much as possible if you wanted to! But i've never had any issues
Love this video! I have the same Speedball carving tools as you. What size gouge are you using when you first start carving? Is it the really narrow V (the #1 blade) or the #2 blade? Thanks!
@@ehollingsheadart Thank you! How many prints can you get from one carving? I'm just learning about this cool style of art. Do you just clean the ink off with a solvent so you can use the block again later?
I use water soluble oil based inks - it just takes soap and water to clean them up! If you use oil based ink, you would need a solvent to remove them. Soft-cut lino shouldn't be used with solvents, as the solvents dry out the rubber and it cracks. Water soluble oils are great because once they dry they don't go anywhere, but clean up with ease. You can also print onto fabric using fabric ink for silkscreen prints (you set it using an iron). I've printed one carving over 500 times and counting! Others that I've made out of different materials (not soft-cut lino) have lasted around 100 prints before they warped or cracked!
Hii! ive been trying linocutting out and i have some questions if anyone could help. So do you need to wash the lino itself after printing? And also does the surface where you put the paint have to be glass? Loved the final result btw, turned out so pretty :)
Thank you! Glad you liked it. I wash my carvings with cold water - if I am using a water soluable oil based ink I will add a drop of dish soap. I prefer glass because none of the ink gets absorbed into it. Keeps my ink from drying out but I also don't waste any of it. It's also a very flat surface which allows for an even distribution of ink onto the brayer (roller) :)
The absolute BEST paper for printing without a press are Japanese papers! They are thin enough that the ink will transfer very easily with minimal pressure, but also very strong and won't rip very easily.
Hey Dana! The original drawing is drawn in the orientation that I want my final image to be! When I flip the drawing over pencil side down onto my linoleum it will be backwards on my block and therefore, will print the original way it was drawn :) I can get 100's of prints from a lino-cut. My most printed block has made me around 300 prints so far and is still exactly like new. The sharpie always transfers onto my hands lol but I do wait a minute or two before putting my hands on it after I first apply it, and it transfers less than if I start carving right after I draw with the sharpie onto my carving!
Thank you, being a beginner I really enjoyed the slower process and your narrative. Did you use the same tool for all the carving and a slightly bigger one for taking out the excess lino?
Honestly you can print onto any paper! Just be sure to choose one that is acid free :) I print on 80 lb smooth cardstock. You can also print on even higher quality papers such at stonehenge, fabriano papers, japenese papers
Great video! A question though, do you re-ink the lino in between every print? I've just tried my first printing session, and I find it hard to get consistency. I'll get a couple of great prints, then add more ink, but suddenly it's bleeding in the little details, then it's too dry and it doesn't print enough... I also feel like after 5-8 prints, the quality is not as sharp anymore compared to the first couple of prints. Do you have to wash your lino during a printing session to keep it clean? How many prints can you do in a row and still have it looking good?
Thank you!! I do roll a fresh layer of ink onto the block in between every print. Doing this is key for getting consistent prints! If you find your details are flooding when you add more ink, try adding an even thinner layer. If your ink is goopy on your palette/wherever you roll it out, it tends to flood the print. Multiple thin layers of ink roll onto a carving much better :) Sometimes, if it is hot and dry especially, I do a handful of prints and then I wash my block off when I find the ink is getting dry or details are filling in! :) Hope this is helpful!
Thanks for this video, I just recently discovered linoleum carving and have wanted to try it out as a more handmade (and maybe sustainable?) option to printing my illustrations on paper surfaces. One question, is linoleum eco-friendly?
Thanks for watching!! The linoleum that I use is rubber - which is a natural product! You can also make wood-cuts in the same way, which would be the most eco-friendly carving surface!
hi, thanks for the video :) I am thinking about starting lino cut again, used to love it in art school. I remember we always sketched directly on the lino, but it was a long time ago... is it not convenient to draw on lino like yours or why should I transfer my drawing on the lino like that? Thanks :)
Hey Jana! You can absolutely draw directly onto the lino (even this rubbery kind). My sketches are always so messy so I like to plan it out on paper first and transfer an exact design onto my lino since I find extra lines and sketching a bit confusing to work around!
Hi all!
I have been SO busy that it's taken me a long time to get back to all of your comments. Thanks for watching - new video coming shortly :)
This is the best tutorial I have seen. I hope you will make more. I am a brand new beginner and love the tips you have shared. The Sharpie is a game changer.
Thanks so much!! So glad you found it helpful. More videos coming for sure!
This brought back so many good memories from a printmaking class I took in college. (That wonderful ink roller sound 😍) I’m thinking of jumping back into printing and this was the perfect re-introduction! Thank you!
Yay!! Absolutely jump in - I hope you have fun creating!
Thanks. Just bought some carving tools and lino. This was my first lino video. A very good start to my learning. Thanks
How wonderful! Enjoy carving and printing. It can be tricky at first but definitely gets better with some time! Glad you enjoyed my video!!
Your lino-sheet looks like it easily carved. I did lino prints my first year in art school. The instructor gave us older plates and the lines were hard to cut. I found that warming the plate in the oven before carving, made for super easy clean cut lines in half the time with less stress on my hands. What type of lino-sheet are you using?
Hey! Yes - I've been there too with that harder lino lol. You usually end up using it in school because it is soooo much cheaper than this softer stuff! I am using a soft-cut linoleum that I get from Curry's art store (I believe you can also get it from Blick if you are in the USA!) The Curry's website calls it "Essdee Softcut Lino" and it comes in bulk packs!
The only thing to be aware of with softcut is that it's a kind of plastic, unlike lino, so if you care about that then be mindful !
At what temperature would you warm the lino and how long for?
@@sylviareck-xy3kn Heat oven and pan to 350. Turn off oven, remove pan. Place lino on hot pan. Test w/fingers if transferring heat is softening plate. Place back in oven until it reaches desired softness.
Soft cut sheets are easier for beginners, but the teacher might’ve also given you dull tools. It’s kind of sad that so many people who get to try linocut in schools have such a bad experience with it because they’re given such bad materials. I remember it myself, it took so much strength to force the tool into the material, and it was super frustrating and impossible to do nice looking details that way. The linoleum might’ve been old, but mostly the tools were just completely dull. I don’t know if it’s because they’ve been used so often, or if the teachers are afraid that students will injure themselves with properly sharp tools, but if it’s the latter that’s bullshit because you’re so much more likely to injure yourself with dull tools because you’ll have to press super hard and then suddenly it might slip. Doing linocut with proper materials is completely different, and actually really satisfying and fun
Some artists add a layer of acrylic color at the beginning so they can see better where they need to carve. I also do this.
Yeah!!! Such a good method!!
Incredibly helpful video. Feel a lot more confident starting my first linocut print. Do you have a recommendation for the acrylic colour you use? I think this might help my brain understand the positive and negative space better when carving. Thank you 😊
This was extremely helpful. Detailed, informative, and straight to the point! Thank you!
Yay! So glad you liked it - thank you!
You’re a great Teacher. This suits my learning style
Thank you so much Inge!
Ditto!
How fun is that!! Your detail work is amazing!! What a great tutorial!! Thank you so much for sharing this 😊
Thank you!! I am so glad you found it helpful
My mom bought me a lino cutter at a flea market not too long ago. She thought it was for wood carving, which is something I plunderwith from time to time. It's an old William Mitchell No. 454 but with about 15 different blades inside the box plus the handle. After watching your video, I think I am going to give this artform a try. I love exploring new formats to express my creativity.
Sounds like an awesome find with all the blades you got with it! Making lino-cuts is such an enjoyable process!! Have fun!!!
@ehollingsheadart6601 thank you for the encouragement. It looks very interesting. The kind of hobby you just put some good 70s prog rock on the headset, crack open a nice beer, and zone out while making something cool. I'll be back to your videos to learn as soon as I get some material to work with. Keep up the good content. Cheers.
Thanks for the video! Been drawing my designs for the past few weeks and have my beginners kit and paper arriving today! Definitely going to be using these techniques you've shown here, thanks!
Thanks so much! Glad you find it helpful :)
Beautiful! I'm an absolute beginner, really enjoyed your video. I love the Seahorse. Thank you :-)
Awesome vid 🤘 hardest part as a newbie for me right now is comprehening what ends up on the paper
Something that I still always spend so much time thinking about!!! Glad you enjoyed the video :)
Thank you very much for this detailed and simple video on lino-printing. It's been a long while since I'd last done lino-printing and it feels reassuring to get back to it after watching your video.
Thank you! You got this - enjoy!
TY! Very helpful. And very nice work, too.
Thanks so much!
Covering all over with Sharpie -brilliant- that might be a huge help to me.
It's the best thing I've done with my carving process. Really changed the way my carvings turned out!!
Thanks for this video, really helped me get some tips before taking the jump into linocut.
So glad you enjoyed it!
Really beautiful and such a helpful video to see your process
Thank you! So glad you found it helpful!
I really like watching this process. Relaxing, informative and love this seahorse print!
🥰🥰🥰
Thank you for sharing your thought process as you carve
Thanks for watching!
So great video! 🤩 And beautiful work... 🤗 You are doing it without this "special roller"!!! 😍
Thank you!!!
Thank you so much for this video. It will help me to start doing linocut
I am so glad you find it helpful!
thank you!!! that demo was fabulous. I am doing Lino with my teen art students, and this was so helpful. I love how your art turned out!!
Love teaching lino to my high school students too! So glad you like it!
Wow, amazing and must take a great amount of patience! So talented! 🌸🍃
Taking your time is crucial for sure!! Haha I would consider myself a pretty patient person!
I loved your video. Your artwork is beautiful and uplifting, and your demonstration is wonderfully clear and a joy to follow.
Thank you so much! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
I want to try this so bad. I work in a variety of mediums, but I’d love to start doing these.
I highly recommend. I started 10 years ago and am still so obsessed with the possibilities
I've only worked with wood blocks so far but plan to make some lino prints this winter. I like your method for adding finer details in stages of carving. Thanks for your tutorials. I look forward to more videos.
Carving wood and lino are both soooo satisfying! Best of luck to you with your projects!!
Thank you so much for posting! Really helpful video!
So glad you found it helpful!!!
I just started, and this video is so helpful. Thank you!
So glad you found it helpful!!
Thank you this was great, and I love your seahorse print 😀
Thank you so much for watching Christine!
Thank you! I learned several really helpful tips!
I'm so glad you found it helpful!!
Super nice tutorial & work here 😍 Thank you!
Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed it
I got the tools and accories for this project. ❤Thank might start a new hobby
It's the best!!! Have fun and enjoy!
Excellent video 👍🏼. I needed a refresher and the sharpie idea is great!
Wonderful! So glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks, some good tips there.
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed :)
Thanks so much for the video tutorial. Just doing my first block print and wasn't too successful. This video was very helpful.
I remember my first lino-cut lol it was a disaster!! It gets better every time you do one for sure!!
@@ehollingsheadart oh this makes me feel better. My first one was horrific and I've been scared to try again 😂
I havent done this since elementary school (I'm 37 now) and I want to do it again. This is helpful. I also feel like i see people carve out everything around the drawings linework but you carve your linework as if it is the pencil drawing. I find your way to make more sense but i guess it depends on how you want to end look?
Yes! It boils down to how you want it to look in the end. Sometimes I carve away my pencil lines and sometimes I carve around them to preserve them! Just depends where you want your lights and darks!
I highly recommend giving it a go! Haha it's the best!!!
Excellent video. Concise information but with important details included. Thank you!
Thanks so much for watching Robert!
Wow wow wow ! I love your work ! You are so gentle , super beautiful and great explanation. Thanks
Thank you so much for watching Ivana!
Love your design! I am going to try linocutting for the first time, and I think this is really helpful 😃
Have the best time carving and printing! It really is such an enjoyable process
This was a wonderful tutorial, end to end. I am just starting out do lino cuts, did etching in school back in the 70's, but have never done a lino cut. Thanks so much for a great demo!
Thank you so much for watching Kathy! Etching is so enjoyable too - have a blast experimenting with lino-cut!
great work ! thanks so much!
Thanks for watching!
Wow thats beautiful well done
Thanks so much!
Excellent video. Very helpful.❤
Thank you! So glad you find it helpful!
that was fantastic. Thank you for the inspiration
So glad you enjoyed it!!
This looks beautiful! Great job!
Thanks so much!
Very nice work.
Thanks so much!
Beautiful printmaking.
Thanks so much!
Very nice. I enjoyed everything about your video. Thank you kindly for sharing.
Thanks so much!!
Hermoso caballito de mar!!! felicidades... eres una gran artista.
Beautyful seahorse!!! congratulations... you are a great artist.
Thank you!!
Cool video, thorough and enjoyable! I recently saw the artist Sun Xun rubbing his print with lightbulbs, youuse a wooden spatula...Love these tool choices, they make printing less intimidating and more personal...❤
Woah - lightbulbs is so unexpected! It's always so interesting to see and hear about the different ways people do things!
Thanks....Im doing a class in this so helpful +
Thanks!! Glad you find it helpful!
you hold your instrument like a pencil held close to the cutting nib. Others have said not to hold the cutting instrument this way. I like your technique it reminds how i hold for my ink line drawings. Is this a good way to hold for me to get smallest of tiny details? I want to mimic the effect of pen & ink thin line drawings i personally enjoy
I find holding it this way gives me more precision, so it might be good for some finer details I think! The tool has a rounded end that is meant to rest inside the palm of your hand as your fingers wrap around it. Like the palm of your hand gives you the force to move forward and then the way your fingers grasp it gives you precision. Depends on your preferred style and possibly some other things!
Beautiful!
Thank you!
I wish tutorials would also cover clean up
Ohhhh! I love this! I will do that :)
Beautiful
Thank you!
Very beautifull vidoes learning lino sheet
Thank you! So glad you find it helpful
Beautiful 🌸
Thank you!
Wonderful.
Thank you!
I love your suggestion on covering your block with a black sharpie to see your carving better. However, does it somehow not let the ink adhere as well when its time to print?
Hey Kathy!! No issues with the sharpie making the ink adhere to the carving properly! It doesn't make it slipper since sharpies are alcohol based - the alcohol evaporates and just leavea behind the pigment. If I'm printing with any other colour that isn't black, I will wash my block first to remove excess sharpie or the first print I make will be a dud but will take the excess sharpie pigments off the carving!!
@@ehollingsheadart thank you! I'm so excited to try this on my latest lino block! Thanks so much for your reply and great video
Thank you for this very well-done video. What paper do you use for the printing?
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it. I am using a 70 lb smooth cardstock that is acid free :)
great tutorial
Thank you! So glad you found it helpful
It’s lovely
Thank you!!
Hello :)
Super nice video. Thanks.
Can you give a little inside to me, what pen you did use to make the hole block black. I am new to linocut and would appreciate any kind of help. Thanks :)
Hi! I use a black sharpie marker for that :)
great tutorial thanks
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it
Just gorgeous and an excellent tutorial. Might it be helpful to gently tape down the paper before pressing it onto the linoleum block. My fear is that I would move it. And do you have any videos that show two or three color block printing?
Absolutely! Some people definitely find that method helpful! For myself, I find the ink sorta sicks the paper down and I deal with very few prints that have shifted around. Can also use a pin and system (turnes burton pins) as well! I have a video about registration that you might find helpful and it talks about registering a 2 block print :) more to come!
@@ehollingsheadart Thanks! Subscribed :)
Awesome.
Thank you!
I can't tell; after you covered the whole thing in sharpie, were you just free handing the cuts? or could you see lines through the sharpie that you were following, that we can't see on camera? Beautiful by the way!!
I didn't even think about this...such a good question. I am just free-handing those details I carved after I put sharpie over the entire thing!
Great tutorial! Thank you for doing this. Can these tips work on woodcuts?
Thanks very much for watching! I definitely think you can apply many of these techniques to woodcut. I have a couple of woodcuts I am about to work on - I'll have to make a video!
great work, I'm amazed at the finesse you can achieve with this material. I've got an Esdee kit and honestly: the "1mm" lead is impossible to use (digs absolutely nothing, impossible to sharpen too), the 2mm still makes much more than 2mm. It's just a nightmare!
What brand do you use?
I am using the Speedball carving tool! Love it. Flexcut tools are also great if you want to invest in some high quality carving tools!
What a great informational video! It is so kind of you to share the process with all of us. Can’t wait to try it.
🩵💛🩵
Thank you! So glad you like it :)
This is really nice work, thank you for the insight and inspiration!
Thanks very much 🙂
very neat process!
Thank you so much!
Great video! May I ask how you sharpen your tools?
This is a great question! I should do a video on this. I use a slip strop made by FlexCut tools
Very helpful, thank you
I am glad you found it helpful!! Thank you!
It's so satisfying to watch your process Erin, and I'm really intrigued with printmaking. You have such a relaxed and soothing way of explaining that process. Love the seahorse!
Thank you so much Patti!
Question: please can you tell me what you use to clean your soft cut linoleum after you finish the printing process?
Hi there! I just use cold water and a gentle soap to clean my linoelum. I use a water soluable oil based ink that doesn't need any thinners or harsh chemicals to remove it!
Beautiful work. Thank you for sharing your process with us.
Thank you so much! Glad you enjoyed it!
Sick print
Thanks very much!
Parabéns muito lindo o seu trabalho 👏👏👏
Thank you!
Thank you for the video. I do have one area im still confused on. You said that the ink you use is oil based but water soluble. i always thought that water soluble inks are water based. Im interested in ink for fabric. what would be the best kind?
There are new inks that Speedball offers that are water soluable oil based inks! They wash off with soap and water - they are oil based inks but soap is enough to break down the type of oil in them so no need for harsh solvent chemicals! They perform nearly identically to regular oil based inks :)
Oh! Also - speedball makes block printing ink for fabric. It's great!
@@ehollingsheadart Thank you so much for your reply. I already have some speedball water soluble ink, but im not sure if it will be good for fabric. is all water soluble ink ok for fabric?
I want to try the Sharpie technique that you used after the first pass of carving just the outlines, but does the Sharpie ink impact the way that the printing ink adheres to the linoleum? Thanks for such a great video!
The sharpie does not effect the ink or printing! You can use a bit of rubbing alcohol to remove as much as possible if you wanted to! But i've never had any issues
Love this video! I have the same Speedball carving tools as you. What size gouge are you using when you first start carving? Is it the really narrow V (the #1 blade) or the #2 blade? Thanks!
I am using the #1 V gouge!!!
@@ehollingsheadartI really struggled to get fine enough lines even with the #1 - is it just a case of getting a feel for it? 😅
What kind of vinyl do you use and can you use that to press onto t-shirts for a graphic tee?
Hey! I am using a soft-cut lino. The brand is Essdee! You can most definitely print onto fabric!
@@ehollingsheadart Thank you! How many prints can you get from one carving? I'm just learning about this cool style of art. Do you just clean the ink off with a solvent so you can use the block again later?
I use water soluble oil based inks - it just takes soap and water to clean them up! If you use oil based ink, you would need a solvent to remove them. Soft-cut lino shouldn't be used with solvents, as the solvents dry out the rubber and it cracks. Water soluble oils are great because once they dry they don't go anywhere, but clean up with ease. You can also print onto fabric using fabric ink for silkscreen prints (you set it using an iron).
I've printed one carving over 500 times and counting! Others that I've made out of different materials (not soft-cut lino) have lasted around 100 prints before they warped or cracked!
Hii! ive been trying linocutting out and i have some questions if anyone could help. So do you need to wash the lino itself after printing? And also does the surface where you put the paint have to be glass? Loved the final result btw, turned out so pretty :)
Thank you! Glad you liked it. I wash my carvings with cold water - if I am using a water soluable oil based ink I will add a drop of dish soap. I prefer glass because none of the ink gets absorbed into it. Keeps my ink from drying out but I also don't waste any of it. It's also a very flat surface which allows for an even distribution of ink onto the brayer (roller) :)
Your gouge looks really amazing and professional! What kind of gouges are they? And where did you buy them? Thank you 🙏❤
In this video I am using the lino-cutting gouge tool that speedball makes! I also really like flexcut tools too!
With relief printing, which paper would you recommend? Thanks 😊
The absolute BEST paper for printing without a press are Japanese papers! They are thin enough that the ink will transfer very easily with minimal pressure, but also very strong and won't rip very easily.
Thank you
Thanks for watching!
Hi thanks for the toot, is the og traced image the one you drew backwards? I get confused with the amount of flips one needs
also, how many prints can you get out of a lino? I've only done etching on plexi so far.
I love this subject, seahorse!
and did you need to wait, the sharpie seems it will stick on my hand, high humidity here lol
Hey Dana!
The original drawing is drawn in the orientation that I want my final image to be! When I flip the drawing over pencil side down onto my linoleum it will be backwards on my block and therefore, will print the original way it was drawn :)
I can get 100's of prints from a lino-cut. My most printed block has made me around 300 prints so far and is still exactly like new.
The sharpie always transfers onto my hands lol but I do wait a minute or two before putting my hands on it after I first apply it, and it transfers less than if I start carving right after I draw with the sharpie onto my carving!
Thank you. 👌
Thanks for watching!
Very helpful! What brand of block do you use?
Thank you for watching! I am using the Essdee Softcut Lino!
Beautiful!❤
Thank you!!
Thank you, being a beginner I really enjoyed the slower process and your narrative. Did you use the same tool for all the carving and a slightly bigger one for taking out the excess lino?
Thank you! I am glad you enjoyed it 😊 I used a small V gouge for carving the majority of this one, and a larger U gouge to remove large areas!!
Hello what kind of paper do you recommend?
Any acid free paper so it wont yellow over time! I like cardstock, stronehenge or japanese papers!
Hi does anyone know what kind of paper you can print on to? Thank you :)
Honestly you can print onto any paper! Just be sure to choose one that is acid free :) I print on 80 lb smooth cardstock. You can also print on even higher quality papers such at stonehenge, fabriano papers, japenese papers
@@ehollingsheadart thank you so much :)
does the sharpie marker not get on your fingers?
Not really! I give it some time to dry before touching it which helps!
Great video! A question though, do you re-ink the lino in between every print? I've just tried my first printing session, and I find it hard to get consistency. I'll get a couple of great prints, then add more ink, but suddenly it's bleeding in the little details, then it's too dry and it doesn't print enough...
I also feel like after 5-8 prints, the quality is not as sharp anymore compared to the first couple of prints. Do you have to wash your lino during a printing session to keep it clean? How many prints can you do in a row and still have it looking good?
Thank you!! I do roll a fresh layer of ink onto the block in between every print. Doing this is key for getting consistent prints!
If you find your details are flooding when you add more ink, try adding an even thinner layer. If your ink is goopy on your palette/wherever you roll it out, it tends to flood the print. Multiple thin layers of ink roll onto a carving much better :)
Sometimes, if it is hot and dry especially, I do a handful of prints and then I wash my block off when I find the ink is getting dry or details are filling in! :)
Hope this is helpful!
P.s. I usually print around 20 prints at a time so I have enough on hand. Can usually do all 20 without having to wash my block!
Thanks for this video, I just recently discovered linoleum carving and have wanted to try it out as a more handmade (and maybe sustainable?) option to printing my illustrations on paper surfaces.
One question, is linoleum eco-friendly?
Thanks for watching!!
The linoleum that I use is rubber - which is a natural product! You can also make wood-cuts in the same way, which would be the most eco-friendly carving surface!
hi, thanks for the video :) I am thinking about starting lino cut again, used to love it in art school. I remember we always sketched directly on the lino, but it was a long time ago... is it not convenient to draw on lino like yours or why should I transfer my drawing on the lino like that? Thanks :)
Hey Jana! You can absolutely draw directly onto the lino (even this rubbery kind). My sketches are always so messy so I like to plan it out on paper first and transfer an exact design onto my lino since I find extra lines and sketching a bit confusing to work around!
Did I miss it? What's the paper you're printing on?
I am going to talk about papers in another video! 😊