PRINTMAKING _ Fall 2024: Week 1

CARVING THE BLOCK

Materials:

- linoleum block w/ completed Sharpie drawing

- X-acto knife (with new blade)

- carving set (gouges)

- bench hook and/or non-skid material

SAFETY FIRST

1. Use a “bench hook” (fig. 1) when carving your block to avoid cutting yourself. A bench hook holds the block in place as you carve so that your hands are free. It is typical for people to use both hands on the tool when carving for greater control. If holding your tool one-handed, always keep your non-tool holding hand BEHIND the cutting tool. Always cut away from yourself.

2. Keep your tools sharp, a dull tool makes a ragged cut, it is hard to push through the material, and it is dangerous (a sharp tool is safer than a dull tool.) If your blades are sharp and you are having trouble cutting into linoleum (i.e., you are meeting resistance) heat the surface of the linoleum with a hairdryer, this will soften the linoleum and make it easier to cut.

CARVING GUIDELINES

There aren’t fixed rules for carving the block. Practice and experimentation lead to expertise and a personal “hand,” as in regular drawing. However, the following suggestions will help you to develop your own procedure.

The tools may be described as U-shaped veiners, V-shaped veiners, gouges, and chisels. Take a piece of scrap linoleum and experiment freely with each of your tools (or tips) to familiarize yourself with the marks they make. Veining tools are used for cutting close to the lines or masses of the design and may thus be considered outlining tools, while gouges and chisels are better suited for quickly removing large negative shapes.

When trying to cut very fine details in Linoleum, pre-cut the lines with an X-Acto knife, and angle the cuts away from the surface that will be inked. This makes the areas that are left more stable and less likely to break off. (fig. 3) Curves and angles require utmost care in cutting. Pivoting the block often works better than turning the tool in cutting curves or angles.

Cut away (remove from the block) anything you do not want printed, but remember that some of what you leave in large cutout areas will probably print as well so be aware of the directions of your cuts and make them fit the “flow” of the image. In terms of depth, you want to carve low enough so that ink won’t catch on unwanted areas, but not so deep that you hit the burlap backing.

Leave an uncut border (fig 2) all the way around the edge of the block unless your image has only small areas that are cut out. This allows you to roll ink over the whole surface without having the brayer “fall” into the cut areas of the block. You can always tape the border before inking, and remove the tape when you are ready to print the block, if you do not wish to have the border printed.

Work carefully and deliberately. You can always remove more material from the block, but you can’t go back and add it after it’s gone.