Author: handprinted

We are thrilled to be taking part in this year’s Chichester Open Studios Art Trail. 119
venues are opening their doors to 155 local artists exhibiting a wide range of work in and around the city of Chichester, West Sussex.

The two of us here have been working hard putting together a body of our own work to exhibit in the Handprinted Studio.
We’ve got examples of all of our favourite techniques: screen printing, linocut, woodcut, indigo shibori, batik, drypoint and cyanotype in framed prints
as well as in the form of lampshades, bags, tea towels, garments and sketch books!

We opened last weekend on the 30th April and will be exhibiting again this weekend on the 7th and 8th May.

Some of our new range of lampshades and garments, all hand printed and dyed by Shirley and Holly.

‘Branches’ – a linocut by Shirley

Screen printed sketch books with Shirley’s designs.

‘Flight’ – a two layer photographic screen print by Shirley

Our lovely Adana press tucked in the corner with four of Holly’s botanical drypoints and one of Shirley’s cyanotypes.

There are plenty of additional prints in the browser!

‘Venetian Door’ – a five layer reduction linocut by Holly

Screen printed tea towels featuring Holly’s ‘Polyprop’ and ‘Fern’ designs

Screen prints by Holly – ‘Botanical’ and ‘Hydrangea’

Please pop by and see us this weekend if you are in the local area! We are venue no. 59 on the map at Handprinted, 22 Arun Business Park, Shripney Road, Bognor Regis, PO22 9SX.

 

We are lucky to have relief printmaker Ian Phillips joining us in July for a two day Reduction Lino Workshop! We spoke to him about his incredible work:

 

 

I am a relief printmaker based in Mid wales. I studied Illustration at Leicester and then worked as a Freelance Illustrator in London for a number of years.
I came to my senses in the new millennium and moved to Wales to live in the hills and concentrate on printing the landscape. I work full time as an
artist and also teach, give talks and take workshops on the joys of lino.

Describe your processes.

Until very recently I worked solely with reduction linocut print making. A relief process. After a day spent collecting drawings I return to the studio.
The drawing is then transferred to a sheet of lino and the consecutive layers are cut and printed from the same lino sheet. Starting with the lightest
and finishing with the darkest colour. You have to print the whole edition at a time. All that is left is the sheet of lino with the areas of the final
colour remaining so you cannot go back and print any more. This is also known as the waste or suicide method.

I am now also experimenting with multi-block lino prints and,with Pine Feroda on large
woodblock prints. (Pine Feroda is the collective name used by five artists working together on one print. The artists are Ian Phillips, Merlyn Chesterman,
Rod Nelson, Julia Manning and Judith Westcott). 

 

How and where did you learn printmaking?

I actually taught myself. I studied Illustration and lino was one of the techniques we were introduced to. I enjoyed it but didn’t follow it up. It was
only later, weeks before my degree show, that I decided to use lino, badly, for my final show. After graduating I worked exclusively in lino and kept
looking for my own solutions to improve my mistakes and achieve what I wanted in a picture. I gradually became obsessed by it. Until very recently
I wouldn’t have described myself as a printmaker. Now I do.

Why lino?

I don’t know. I just love it. After twenty years I still get completely involved in the process. I love the inherent contradictions in the medium. The
complete control in transferring a sketch accurately to lino then the spontaneous quality of cutting pattern freehand within the confines of the drawing.
Then the painterly freedom of mixing and rolling up the ink. Of course after all that there is the magic moment when you peel back the paper to see
what you have created and it is always a surprise, so all that control was just an illusion.

Where do you work?

I have a studio in the Old College in Aberystwyth, Mid Wales which is an amazing building. A cross between Harlech Castle and Hogwarts. Although when I’m
drawing I could be anywhere in Wales or the UK, walking up a mountain or sitting on a beach, with my sketchbook. I’m also working a lot down in Hartland,
North Devon, at the moment with Pine Feroda.

Describe a typical day at work.

Luckily I don’t have one. There is, unfortunately, always admin to do and emails to answer but there is a lot of variation; I might be driving down to
Bognor Regis for a printmaking workshop at Handprinted;
clambering over moorland in the rain to get a good view for a drawing; framing and delivering work; Ideally if it’s in the studio I’m losing myself
for a week or more in the cutting and printing of a new picture. My favourite type of day is when I’m kitted up and, having driven to a deserted laybay
somewhere, stroll off for a day’s drawing in the hills. It’s all worth while then.

What inspires you?

Spending all day outside in the countryside, walking, looking and drawing. The weather doesn’t matter and the further I walk the more excited I get to
see what’s just around that bend or over the ridge. Once I think I’ve spotted a great composition for a drawing I really get a bit giddy. It’s all
there for the looking and I’ll never see it all or ever get bored of it.

What is your favourite printmaking product?

My favourite product is currently a Ball Bearing Baren, that a fellow printmaking friend, Laura Boswell, brought back from Japan. It really helps when hand printing large prints on heavy paper, and it makes a really cool
swooshing noise when you use it. Everyone I’ve shown it to wants one, until they hear the price..

I’m also currently testing a new Tabs form of registration which seems pretty neat, so I could become quite taken with them and they’ll become the next best
thing!

What have you made that you are most proud of?

This was a hard question to answer. However I have literally just finished a new print with the print collaboration, Pine Feroda, in which I pushed my cutting and inking abilities further than I have before and painted with the roller as well as
cut.

Really though I’m actually most proud of my nine year old daughter Lily for working so hard to do her first reduction print in a day (pictured below).
It’s lovely and she was very insistent on doing most of it herself. She mixed colours, cut and used the Baren. Brilliant.

Where can we see your work? Where do you sell?

I sell from my studio, in Aberystwyth, through my website, Reliefprint.co.uk, and in various
galleries in the UK.

What will we be seeing from Ian Phillips next?

I’ve got a new series of new multi blocks prints I’m currently working on which, hopefully, will be quite exciting. In terms of showing work I have two
exhibitions coming up with the print collaboration Pine Feroda. We are showing
at the Rebecca Hossack Gallery, 2a Conway Street, London (4^th May – 28^th May) and the Devon Guild of Craftsmen, The Riverside
Gallery, Bovey Tracey. (21^st May – 3^rd July)

Do you have any advice for other printmakers, designers and creatives?

That’s a hard one. Everyone’s situation, motivation and circumstances are so different. What I know applies to what I do and how I got here which might
not always be relevant or interesting to others. I would say though that your art should excite you somewhere in the process. Conversely it’s okay
for some bits to be boring too. It IS work, after all, and should be respected and treated as such by yourself and by others. Also, when you can, take
a risk with stuff like colour and technique and always, always be honest in what you do. ( Except when you can’t ). Finally remember when it comes
down to it, it’s not brain surgery and no-ones going to die if you get that blue wrong so relax.

See more of Ian’s work on his website, or book a place on his Reduction Lino Workshop.

Transfer printing is a fantastic way of getting colour and designs onto synthetic fabric. You’ll need hardly any equipment and materials to get started – you can just use an iron at home! Here’s our simple method:

You can use Transfer Dyes (disperse dyes). The dyes come in powdered form and need to be mixed with water. To mix up a transfer dye, sprinkle 2tsp of Transfer Dye onto 100ml of water (please wear a mask for this part). Mix and leave for five minutes. Mix up all the colours that you want to use – you can combine dye colours to make your own shades too! These will keep for a long time in a lidded pot.

Paint your dyes onto paper. Standard 80gsm copy paper works perfectly but you can try others if you like.

You can create different marks and textures on your papers, or paint full designs and patterns.

Transfer dyes appear dull when painted onto paper but become very vibrant when heat transferred onto fabric. If you want more subdued colours, mix up more muddy looking shades. Paler shades can be achieved by adding less dye to the water when mixing them up. Leave your papers to dry. These will keep for a very long time so you can keep these to use another day.

Assemble a collection of objects. Feathers, seed heads and leaves work really well. These objects need to be able to be pressed completely flat to the fabric. Thick stems won’t work. The materials need to be dry too – plants with water content will make a wet steamy mess when heated!

You will need to use synthetic fabrics for transfer dyeing for the best results. Polyester works perfectly. In order to use natural fibres, Transfix can be painted onto the surface and left to dry before use.

Lay your objects over the fabric. Place a sheet of dry painted transfer paper face down on top of your assemblage. Cover with baking paper and iron on a hot setting. You can also use a heat press or a trouser press. After a minute or two (less with a heat press or trouser press), the dye will have transferred to the fabric with the objects acting as a mask. This fuchsia pink appeared as a dusty mauve on the painted paper. The print is dry and heat set immediately, making this technique pretty instant and mess free!

Create layered designs by placing different papers onto the fabric and ironing over the top. You can layer the designs as much as you like.

This blue layer was added next, using the same leaves to mask areas. You can cut shapes from the transfer papers and place them face down before covering and ironing again.

Your design will build up as you add more layers.

The design below was created using a dried hydrangea flower between the dark green paper and the fabric. Pink stripes of paper were placed down before the green paper.

After being pressed against the transfer papers, your objects will pick up colour of their own. Turn them over and iron them onto the fabric.

You can use paper masks and stencils between your paper and fabric.

You can see that the vibrancy of the transfer dye intensifies when it is heat pressed onto the fabric. Each piece of painted paper can be used several times. The intensity of the colour will decrease each time until very little dye will be transferred.

The hydrangea print below was heat pressed onto cotton that had been painted with Transfix and left to dry. First the fabric was pressed with a hydrangea and pink paper, then the flower was moved slightly and pressed with green paper. Both the pink and green papers had been used several times before this print was made, giving subtler shades. The Transfix treated cotton produces paler shades than a synthetic fabric would.

To create transfer dyed fabrics of your own you will need:

• Transfer Dyes
• Measuring jug and measuring spoons if using transfer dyes
• Paper – 80gsm copy paper is perfect
• Paintbrushes
• Synthetic fabric such as polyester (or natural fabrics painted with Transfix)
• Objects to print with such as leaves, seed heads and feathers
• Scissors
• Baking Paper
• Iron (or heat press or trouser press)
• Ironing board or padded surface

Hi, I’m Sarah Waterhouse and I’m a Sheffield based fabric designer and screen printer. I specialise in hand printed sustainable fabrics, printing my original
designs on to hemp and organic cotton fabrics with water based eco friendly inks.

(Photo by Nigel Barker) 

How and where did you learn to screen print?

I studied Art & Design at college and immediately fell in love with lino printing, unfortunately I never got a chance to screen print whilst I
was there, but the idea fascinated me so I decided to teach myself some years later. I couldn’t find any classes any where near where I lived so
I taught myself with videos and books instead. It was a great learning experience as I learnt the hard way, making a lot of mistakes along the
way, which helped me to troubleshoot issues from early on. Also I built most of my equipment (screens and exposure unit) so that was a great way
to learn. In 2007, a year after I taught myself to screen print I launched my business selling hand printed accessories and small craft items.

Why screen printing?

I had already tried other methods of printing which had given me the printing bug, I especially enjoyed lino printing but the ability to create patterns
and repeat them with screen printing really appealed to me. Also, the kind of designs I found myself drawing were more suited to screen printing,
especially the photo emulsion method which allowed me to keep the nice clean lines in my drawings.

(Photo by Nigel Barker)

Where do you work?

I work from my studio in Sheffield, it’s in a building called Yorkshire Artspace which houses over 70 artists and craftspeople. I share my studio with
my husband, who is also a designer, and we have our rescue pug Etty in work with us every day. I’ve had a studio here for nearly 6 years and it’s
such a lovely place to work, the best thing is being surrounded by so many talented artists and makers.

Describe a typical day in your studio.

A typical day starts for me at 7am, usually with something creative like sketching or painting. I used to always get in the studio and turn the computer
on first thing to catch up with my admin, but I found that by swapping this to after lunch, I got so much more done in the morning! At the end
of the previous day I set out any orders, sewing and printing that needs doing so I usually start that work around 9am and work the rest of the
morning on those jobs. After lunch I spend some time doing admin and answering emails then it’s back to more printing and putting orders together
so that by 3pm I can start to pack up things that need posting out that day. By 4pm I’m ready for home.

How long have you been printmaking? For how long has your business been going?

I’ve been printing for 18 years but only screen printing for 10 of those. My business is celebrating 8 years in business this year.

What inspires you?

I’m inspired by so many things around me, from the buildings and street furniture on the streets of Sheffield to the mesmerising patterns in the natural
world. I take my camera everywhere with me and record everything I see that catches my eye. At the moment I’m particularly obsessed with worn and
distressed things so I’ve been taking lots of pictures of random rusty gates and weathered bark on trees, I’m not sure if this will lead to a new
collection but it’s definitely creating some interesting drawings.

What is your favourite printmaking product?

My favourite item is definitely my squeegee, I get really excited when I get a new squeegee made up, especially if it’s one of my super large squeegees
that are around 80cm wide, those are wonderful to see with a shiny new blade.

What have you made that you are most proud of?

I think I’m probably most proud of the furniture pieces where I’ve used my fabric. I love seeing the fabric come alive on a piece and also choosing
just the right fabric for the style of the furniture. All of my furniture pieces are vintage pieces and so I’ve already fallen in love with them
when I choose them, and tend to have a fabric already in mind that would work well. It’s great to see it all come together when the piece is finished.

(Photo by Nigel Barker)

Where can we see your work? Where do you sell?

I sell a variety of homeware pieces and furniture alongside my fabric by the metre, all of these are sold online through my own website and I also still keep my Etsy shop open where I sell smaller pieces of fabric and remnants. I also sell at galleries and shops around the country and have a number of fabric shops
who hold my fabric books where customers can come in and choose fabric for a project.

What will we be seeing from you next?

I’m due to go on maternity leave soon so I’ll be taking a few months off work, but I’ve been busy preparing for a new collection and wallpaper launch
which will be ready for when I return to work so that’s really exciting. I also have plans for more products to add to the collection, including
some more small furniture pieces.

Do you have any advice for other printmakers and creatives?

Doing what you love is an amazingly rewarding career and I wouldn’t change it for the world, but it’s definitely hard work. If you’re thinking of running
your own business then it’s a labour of love and one that takes over your life so you have to be prepared for that. But whether you’re making and
printing as a hobby or running your own business then my best advice would be to just enjoy what you do, don’t worry about what you create, also
try to do something creative every day.

You can see more of Sarah’s beautiful work on her website and in her Etsy Shop.

This week we wanted to test a technique for transferring an image onto lino using a printed image and an iron. It worked surprisingly well and was very quick and easy. Here’s how we did it:

Your image needs to be printed either through a laser printer or a photocopier (inkjet printers will not work). If you are working from a drawing, scan
it into the computer and print it out. It needs to be full black.

Place your printed image face down onto the lino. Your paper needs to be larger than the lino block.

Place baking parchment over the top. This will protect the lino and paper from becoming too hot and make it easier to slide the iron without moving the
image.

Iron over the top of the paper for a few minutes. Hold the paper and lino still with one hand. We used the iron on its hottest setting for about three
minutes. You can carefully peel up the paper in one corner to check its progress.

Remove the paper to reveal the transferred image! We were pleased with the strength of the lines and the fact that they didn’t smudge. The transfer is
a little patchy but you can see where all the cuts need to be made.

If you make any mistakes or the image smudges under the iron, the carbon can be removed with nail varnish remover and a cotton bud.

We tested this technique on a few of our other printmaking materials but the traditional lino was definitely the most successful:

Softcut lino – the image turned yellow before it turned black. The black can be removed with nail varnish remover but the yellow stain stays behind. The
softcut also warped a little in the heat! In retrospect perhaps it would have been better to turn the iron down a little…

Mastercut – the image turned yellow and then the Mastercut started to warp before the image could be properly transferred.

Japanese ply – the image transferred beautifully but then the layers of ply began to separate (!) The think this would work better on a solid piece of
wood.

You can watch a video of the transfer here:

or click here to see the video full size.

We’re really excited to have Ternes Burton pins and tabs in stock! We have already started using them for our own work and wanted to show you a really simple example of how they can be used to register block
prints with effortless accuracy. We’ve whipped up a quick reduction print and a multi-block to show you how they work!

Printing a Reduction Linocut using Ternes Burton Pins and Tabs:

You’ll need a pair of pins and a flat board that is bigger than your paper.

Tape the pins to the top of the board using parcel tape. The holes in the pins will allow more of the tape to stick to the board and stop the pins from moving. Place the
lino underneath the pins (leaving enough space for your paper all the way round). Stick the lino down with double sided tape. It will need to stay
here for the whole printing process.

Place your paper over the lino. Leave a little extra space at the top that can be trimmed off later if you can.

Snap your stripping tabs onto the pins so that they overlap the paper. They should make a clicking sound as they go into place. Stick your tabs down with masking tape. If your
paper has a correct print side, make sure the paper is print side down.

Prepare your paper for the whole edition in this way. You’ll need two tabs for each piece of paper in your edition. We sell them in packs of approximately
100. 

Ink up your first layer. We inked up our block using Caligo Safewash Relief Inks and a Hawthorn Roller onto an uncut piece of lino.

Click your paper back into place using the strips and pins.

Take your print using a baren or by putting the board through a press. The pins are slightly lower than the height of a piece of traditional lino
so will go through a press easily with no damage!

Remove the paper by peeling it off the block and unsnapping the tabs from the pins. Print the first layer of your whole edition this way.

We wanted to use a simple grid to show you the accuracy of the registration.

Carve your block whilst it remains stuck to the board.

Ink it up with your second colour.

Snap the tabs of each piece of paper to the pins and print as before. The paper will go down in exactly the same place as on the first layer.

The edges line up perfectly!

Printing a Multi Block using Ternes Burton Pins and Tabs:

 

We are using Softcut for this print. It is important to make sure your blocks are exactly the same size and shape.

Stick your pins as before. Use mount board corners or plastic (as we have used here) to register your block. Both of your blocks should be able to
slot into the space without room for movement.

Ink up the first block. Place it into the space.

Snap your tabs on the paper to the pins.

Place the paper down and use a baren to take your print.

Ink up the second block and place it on the board in your marked out space.

Snap the paper to the tabs and take your second layer.

You can find Ternes Burton Pins sold in pairs here and Strippng Tabs in packs of 100 here!

 

 

It’s time to meet Amy! We love Amy’s beautiful designs, hands-on making process and enviable attitude. Read all about her here:

Hello I’m Amy Laws! I setup There’s Only One Amy Laws, a handmade and hand printed
clothing business, just over 3 years ago. I design, screenprint and sew every garment from scratch in my flat in Bath. My aim is to make unique clothing
with fun, playful prints that my customers will love to wear time and time again.

How and where did you learn to print?

I learned to screen print at the Edinburgh Printmakers. I’ve always filled sketchbooks with ink drawings in my spare time and thought that screenprinting
would give me the opportunity to turn my sketches into prints. I took a weekend course and then used their open workshop facilities in the evenings
and at weekends while I was working.

Why screen printmaking?

I love the effect of the print and how you can take a complex image either straight from a drawing or a computer graphic and create an exact replica on
the screen. It’s also possible to create your own screen printing setup at home fairly cheaply which has been essential for me to start my business.

Is there a story behind the ‘There’s only one’ bit of your brand?

It just started as a joke! I remember making a sticker for my friend at school that said There’s Only One Amy Laws, then later on my sister had clothing
labels made for me with it on and it just stuck. I didn’t really give it much thought when I set up my business but now it gets a bit embarrassing
when I have to give my company name to people over the phone!

 

 

 

Where do you work?

I work from the living room in my flat in Bath and then 2 days a week I rent a room at The Makery, a lovely sewing studio and shop in town. It’s really
helped my sanity working out of the house for a couple of days a week!

Describe a typical day in your studio.

I’ve got into quite a good weekly routine, on Mondays I cut and print all of my orders for the week and take over the whole flat with fabric drying on
every surface. I then spend the rest of the week sewing up all of my orders depending on what needs to be posted out first. I start everyday replying
to emails and ordering equipment, have a break at lunchtime for Neighbours and finish most days with a walk down the hill to the Post Office.

How long have you been screen printing?

I took a screen printing course in Edinburgh about 10 years ago but then I moved to London and didn’t do any printing for about 5 years. It was only when
I was struggling to find exciting fabric to sew with that I thought about printing my own. I did a lot of internet research and found out how to create
screens at home and it all developed from there.

What inspires you?

I love bold colours and simple, graphic styles. I like looking at vintage fabrics and dresses for inspiration, particularly the 1950s/60s style. A lot
of my prints are inspired by nature but then I really simplify the designs and use vivid colours so they look more cartoon like by the end. I’ve also
just created a The Potteries print inspired by the wonderful Stoke-On-Trent where I grew up.

What is your favourite printmaking product?

I think it has to be the Permaset Aqua inks, I’ve tried lots of other brands but I’ve found I get on best with these inks. As they’re water-based they’re
really easy to clean and safe to use at home as they are completely solvent free, they don’t dry out as quickly as other water-based inks either and
they wear really well.

What have you made that you are most proud of?

I think I’m most proud of my Wild At Heart print. I love the 4 colour design and how the print works around the border of the skirt. It took quite a bit
of planning to figure out each screen layout, and how to repeat the print around the hemline.

Where can we see your work? Where do you sell?

I have my own website www.theresonlyoneamylaws.co.uk, and I also have shops on Etsy and Folksy. I also trade at the Frome Independent Market once a month.

What will we be seeing from There’s only one Amy Laws next?

I’m just making a new range of espadrilles, I’ve screen printed the fabric for them using the designs from my dresses and then sewn the shoes together
by hand. I’m also working on a couple of new prints for Summer at the moment, I’ve got a palm tree print which is starting to take shape quite nicely.

Do you have any advice for other printmakers, designers and creatives?

Don’t give up! If the first things you make don’t turn out how you expected keep on going. When I first started I had grand plans for my prints but I struggled
for so long trying to get the screens to develop properly and print how I wanted them to, there were a lot of tears! I kept researching online and
trying new techniques until I found a method that worked for me.

You can see more of Amy’s work on her website! Find out what Amy’s up to on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

We get a lot of questions about the best way to lino print onto fabric. Which ink should I use? Should I use a roller? Will it be washable? Will it change
the handle of the fabric? These are all questions to which we wanted to know the answers – not just for all of our lovely customers, but for our own
work too!

We have tested four different inks on

cotton , each using the same

lino block , to give you the methods available for creating beautiful block printed fabric!

All of the prints below were made on a slightly padded surface. This is a really important tip when printing onto fabric as it makes it easier to get an
even print. We use an old blanket stretched over a board then covered with cotton. Too hard a surface and you will get an uneven print, too soft and
you will get a messy print so experiment with what you have at home.

We used the block made in our
last blog project !

1:

Versacraft Fabric Inks Pads

We sing the praises of these humble little ink pads a lot and Handprinted. We love how quick, easy and tidy it can be to print onto fabric, paper and so
many other surfaces.

We tested

Versacraft Poppy Red.

Inking up a block is so easy and mess-free. I like to have the block face up and use the pad press all over. This way you can see how much ink you are
putting on and where it’s going.

Press the block onto your fabric, making sure to press all over.

Versacraft prints fairly evenly and easily. The ink pad used for this print has been used a lot in our studio and still has a lot of ink left. A brand
new ink pad would produce a slightly stronger colour.

Iron to fix the prints when dry and the fabric will be washable and not fade. The handle of the fabric doesn’t change at all.

The prints are fairly even but not always completely consistent. I prefer to use

Versacraft ink pads with a softer printing material such as Mastercut which is perfect for stamping.

2.

Caligo Safewash Relief Pri
nting Inks and a

roller

We are testing Caligo Process Magenta Relief Ink using a

Soft Rubber Roller . The ink is oil based but water soluble (you can wash up with water and soap or a baby wipe) – the best of both worlds!

This ink rolls out beautifully into a lovely tacky square on a glass slab.

The ink rolls out easily onto the block. We use this ink for relief printing all the time and love the way it works with lino. You can mix in some extender
if you would like a more transparent ink that goes a little further.

Caligo inks are designed to print onto paper – they are not made for printing onto fabric. However, we have used them to print on fabric before and will
again! They print beautifully, evenly and with good colour. The downside to using these inks is that they take a day or two to properly dry. Once dry
they are washable and hold their colour very well! The ink leaves the fabric soft with only a small change to its handle. (Please test this ink on
your fabric for drying time and wash-fastness before you undertake a large project as this ink was not originally designed for use on fabric and results
may differ.)

3.

S
peedball Block Printing Inks for Fabric and a roller

We’re using the Red from the multi-pack kit but they can also be bought individually in larger sizes. We are using it with the same soft rubber roller
as before.

The inks rolls out well. It’s a little less tacky than the Caligo because it is water based.

It rolls out onto the block well.

The colour is strong and the prints are neat but a little less even than the Caligo and the Versacraft. Because this ink is designed for block printing
onto fabric it becomes washable without losing colour after being left for approximately one week to air dry. The handle of the fabric barely changes at all.

4.

Speedball Fabric Screen Printing Ink and a

sponge roller

This is a technique that we are always suggesting to our customers. The screen printing ink is more economical, completely washable, colour fast and easy
to use. We are using Speedball’s Red ink but

Permaset Aqua inks work just
as well. A sponge roller is necessary for these inks as they are much looser and more slippy. An ordinary roller would just slide around in the ink
and not put down an even layer.

The ink rolls out easily with a sponge roller if you don’t press as hard as you normally would with a hard roller. You’ll need to spoon out more ink than
you would with a block printing ink as the sponge absorbs some.

A firm pressure transfers the ink well onto the block.

These prints can be a little bubbly textured where the sponge has been used –  seemingly the only down side to this method.

The prints are bright, washable after ironing and change the handle of the fabric not one bit.

All the prints together:

(Although the inks were all red, the shades differ as seen above).

The

S
peedball Screen Printing Ink prints the boldest and brightest, is the most washable, does not change the handle of the fabric and is the most economical
(a 236ml pot of the ink will cost under £10 and last a very long time). you will need to use a sponge roller with this ink as a hard roller will
slip.

The

Caligo Relief ink  produces
the most even print with a consistent colour, rolls out in the most satisfying way possible and washes well. It does however take a long time to dry
and leaves a very very slight stiffness to the fabric. (Please test this ink on your fabric for drying time and wash-fastness before you undertake
a large project as this ink was not originally designed for use on fabric and results may differ.)

The

Versacraft Ink Pad s are by far the easiest to use, require the least equipment and a spend of only £5.50. The prints are a little less bold when
using lino rather than a stamping material such as Mastercut and the method may become a little tedious if printing a large area of fabric (I’m currently
about a third of the way through printing a duvet cover using this method which looks lovely but is taking a very long time! I expect I will have to
keep my duvet in the living room so that more people might see it).

The Speedball Block Printing Inks for Fabric serve their purpose very well, producing a strong colour and soft handle with good wash-ability. They do work out a little more pricey than the Screen
Printing Inks though, at the same price for a smaller quantity.

We hope our testing helps you to discover the right method for your project!

We are really excited to have Laura Boswell visit us to teach a Japanese Printmaking Workshop in September (this course is now full. Give us a call or
email if you would like to put your name down on the waiting list. We will see if we can persuade Laura back for another workshop!) Learn about Laura
and her work in this week’s Meet the Maker:

Trained in Japan, Laura Boswell is a printmaker specialising in rural landscape, working in classical Japanese water based woodblock and reduction linocut.
She divides her time between printmaking, teaching, writing a monthly page for Artist and Illustrators Magazine and public art. She has work in national
collections including the House of Lords and the National Library of Wales. Learn more about Laura and her work here:

Describe your processes.

I specialise in relief printing, specifically reduction linocut and Japanese watercolour woodblock and my subject matter is the rural and coastal landscape,
usually images of the UK, but sometimes from my visits to Japan

How and where did you learn printmaking?

I specialised in printmaking during the final year of my joint visual arts/art history degree at Aberystwyth University and went on to learn Japanese woodblock
during an artist residency in Japan in 2009

Why Lino and Japanese woodblock?

I gravitated towards linocut at university because I liked the bold colours and graphic quality of the medium, also because it was something I could self
teach – I was the only one in my year to work in printmaking so I spent a lot of time working alone! Japanese woodblock I discovered through learning
about the residency offered to printmakers through the Nagasawa Art Programme. It is a little known process in the UK and a great privilege to have
learned in Japan.

Where do you work?

I draw and photograph out in the landscape, but most of my work is done in my studio where I turn my sketches into ‘design drawings’ suitable for making
a print. The printing is all done in my studio at home.

Describe a typical day at work.

I usually begin the day at about 8.30 with answering emails and catching up on any paperwork which needs doing – gallery admin, teaching duties etc. Then,
if I am working in the studio, I will go and begin cutting and printing. If I am working on lino, I may be juggling three or four prints at once. With
Japanese woodblock I am usually only working on a single print at a time. Sometimes I could have a one to one day with a student in my studio in which
case I spend the day both teaching and acting as a technician to facilitate the student’s printing. If I am alone I will also answer mails if needed
through the day and also update Facebook which is an important part of my marketing: I treat it as my virtual open studio and keep followers up to
date with work and any useful hints and tips about printmaking. My working day usually finishes around 7pm.

What inspires you?

Lots of things, but usually it begins with colour and shape. I spend a lot of time looking at other artists, including lots of artists from the past, not
necessarily printmakers. I am also constantly looking at the landscape trying to work out the essence of shapes: what makes a cloud different from
a tree etc. Inspiration comes from all over – I am often interested in textiles and product design, or it could be a film, car drives, walks, museum
visits. Almost anywhere, any time.

What is your favourite printmaking product?

I would have to say the Japanese printing brushes I use. I like that their design has barely changed since the tenth century and I have my pick between
summer deer hair, winter horse hair and other natural bristle brushes.

What have you made that you are most proud of?

That’s hard to say as, once the work is created, I am already falling in love with my next project. There are a couple of prints that I did in Japan that
I am very fond of and proud to have printed successfully. Mrs Sasuka’s Garden and Bluebells, Wet Spring were both so tricky to design and print that
I am proud to have printed both.

Where can we see your work? Where do you sell?

I sell on line, in galleries, at my Open Studios and art fairs. My web site has an on-line gallery and always has details of upcoming events and a list
of galleries that show my work

What will we be seeing from Laura Boswell next?

At the moment I am very seduced by British birds. I have just done a series of linocut designs which will be turned into large enamel panels for an arts
trail on the Grand Union Canal. They feature local water birds and I am now expanding that series to other birds while keeping the same simplicity
of design

Do you have any advice for other printmakers, designers and creatives?

I would say that you have to be businesslike and pragmatic if you are a self employed artist like me. I see myself as running a small business with all
the admin, marketing and paperwork that that entails. To me that is part and parcel of being a professional artist and is best done efficiently and
regularly as part of the job alongside the creative time in the studio. The other bit of advice is to be generous with your knowledge and advice: what
goes around, comes around and I think openness and sharing is the best way to build a good reputation, which in turn leads to a successful career as
a self employed artist.

See more of Laura’s work on her website

 Printing onto fabric is one of our specialties here at Handprinted. We like to come up with easy ways in which fabric can be printed in a small space at home with minimal mess and equipment. One such way we have been  laying with recently is printing using a square piece of lino. From just a small block, a large number of designs can be made.

We have had a go at a diagonal block and a quarter-circle block to show you ways to print repeat patterns onto fabric!

Here’s how to create a design with a quarter circle:

Draw around your block onto a piece of paper. To create a circular design draw a curve joining opposite corners. Using a folder piece of paper to  create an even curve might help here. This design uses several curves (each made with a piece of folder paper) filled with pattern. In the empty section outside of the curve, draw another smaller design radiating from the corner.

Transfer your design onto the block. You can use carbon paper or tracing paper.

Use a small V tool to carve around the edges of the design. A piece of anti-slip matting can help hold the lino in place whilst you carve, keeping your other hand safe away from the blade.

Use a large U tool to clear the unwanted areas of lino. Always clear the lino in a direction that flatters your design as some areas may be picked up by the ink and print. Around the edges of the circle I cleared in the direction of the curve.

Inside the circle I cleared in radiating lines from the corner.

On the back of your block, draw a curve that mimics how the print will look underneath. You can even number your edges 1, 2, 3 and 4 to help you place your block later.

Spoon out a little Fabric Screen Printing Ink onto an inking tray or glass slab. Use a sponge roller to roll out the ink.

We are using fabric screen printing ink as it keeps the handle of the fabric soft, dries quickly and is inexpensive to buy. A flat roller would slip around in this ink as it is much looser than block printing ink. A sponge roller ensures a more even coverage of ink – more info about using different inks for block printing coming up in our next project blog post!

Use the sponge roller (or better yet, a textile roller) to transfer the ink to the block. As it has more give, the sponge roller will put more ink down on the cleared sections of the lino, showing more of your carving lines. This does not necessarily mean that they will show in your print but using a mounted piece of lino will minimize the amount of extra lines that are printed. Textile rollers will give you less carving lines and absorb less ink, so you’ll use up less ink.

Place your block face down onto your fabric with the curve as shown in the picture (number 1 should be at the top). Press down on the back of the block with the flat of your hand. Pinning your fabric onto a slightly padded surface helps to create an even print.

Re-ink up your block. Rotate it and place it so the curve creates a semi-circle (number 2 should be at the top). Print as before.

Place your next print following the clockwise direction of the circle.

Place your forth print to complete the circle.

Continue to print in this way, starting again in the top left corner.

Your blocks should match up to create a design from the outer corners too.

This is what our fabric looked like after 9 full circles were printed (36 prints).

You will need to set this ink with an iron once the prints have dried. This will make the fabric washable.

Try changing the configuration of your prints. This pattern staggers the circle to create semi circles in a wave.

Here the semi circles all face the same direction but are staggered to create a design like overlapping scales.

This design was printed with the block diagonally, all facing the same direction.

This design matches up the curve to create a spiral (use the curve drawn on the back of your block to help you).

Try a diagonal design where the edges do not need to line up so accurately. This fabric was printed using the same method as the one above:

Different orientations of this block creates new patterns:

To have a go at this printing method you will need:

• Mounted square block of lino
• Carbon paper or tracing paper
• Pencil
• Lino Tools
• Inking tray
• Speedball Fabric Screen Printing Ink
• Sponge roller or Textile roller
• Fabric
• Slightly padded surface
• Iron