Even if you have never heard of Swifty you will probably have seen or even owned a piece of his artwork. In the late 80s he was plucked straight from
art school in Manchester by Neville Brody to work on The Face  – the most influential magazine for music and graphic design. He has worked
for record labels like Gilles Peterson’s Talking Loud and James Lavelle’s Mo Wax, designed TV titles such as Smack the Pony and Peep Show, was
the art director of Straight No Chaser magazine, designs Fonts, club night flyers, T-shirt designs and skateboards. 

Swifty’s is a very hands on graphic designer – equally at home with a Rotring pen and a stack of paper to designing in Photoshop. To create his iconic
artworks he mixes up to the minute design tools with lo-fi production techniques. 

Describe your process.

My process has been refined over a period of about 30 years. Even though I was at the forefront of digital technology being one of the first graphic designers
in the UK to adopt and use Apple Macintosh computers I still adopt a very hand drawn analogue approach.

Yes the computer will always be used as the tool of choice but my tools are still very much pencils and marker pens. Original type is drawn by hand and
then scanned. A Photoshop file is generated at the right size and I print a positive heavy black print onto OHP inkjet film.

Handprinted have been instrumental in helping me develop my process which is all in house and very lo-fi. I use aluminium screens in a 55T mesh – this
grade works best for me, giving me the right amount of detail and the aluminium frames stand up to the elements as most of them are stored outside
in the garden. I have found that the 55T grade mesh works best for me giving me the right amount of detail. After coating the mesh with Speedball Photo Emulsion I leave it in my shed/studio overnight in the dark to dry thoroughly.

First thing in the morning I set up for exposing which is about as basic as it gets. I have an old 60’s photographic light with the biggest traditional
bulb of about 500 watts which exposes the screens in a range from 22-27 minutes depending on how old the emulsion is. I print the positive film printed
off on my Epsom 1400 inkjet which provides a really good positive black similar to and old fashioned Bromide or film positive. After exposure I wash
out the emulsion in our family bathroom.

My set up is very simple – just hinge clamps on a wooden table, prints are hung to dry, on a makeshift drying line with clothes pegs in the shed and when
that’s full up and it’s a nice day on the washing line outside.

How and where did you learn to print?

I learnt to print on my foundation course aged 16-17 at Padgate Art College near Warrington, Merseyside. I was immediately drawn to the silk screen process
in particular and then discovered the work of Andy Warhol which sealed my interest in the print form and ways of reproducing multiples in any medium.
After pursuing a career in graphic design I didn’t then silk screen print properly for about 30 years. I then taught myself how to produce an edition
starting from scratch and the golden rule was I couldn’t outsource any part of the process apart from buying the materials and ink needed, I had to
be self sufficient.

Why printing?

So I can produce editions primarily. Rather than spend a fortune outsourcing the prints I prefer to print myself. Not only for the obvious cost reasons
but because the act of printing is such a joyous one. Every print is hand pulled by myself and I like the slight imperfections and accidents that occur.

Where do you work?

My studio is in a small shed at the end of my garden in West London. It’s the smallest studio I’ve operated out of but in some ways the best because I
have customised the layout several times to a point now were every available space is used to the maximum – small space working is very exciting when
you have everything just how you want it – ‘were there’s a will there’s a way’!

Describe a typical day in your studio.

As varied as possible, not every day will I be printing: only when I have a new edition connected to say ‘Dingwalls’ (the bi yearly jazz Dance event my
partner Janine organises) or for the ‘Art Car boot Fair’ (another yearly event in the diary I always produce a new edition). Not only silk screen printing
but lino cuts, stencils and spray paint etc. I often mix the mediums on one print. Usually my days are still spent designing logos, record covers,
fonts and magazines for my usual clients in the music industry. Very occasionally I  design the odd title sequence for TV or I might be planning
and producing bits of art for a gallery show. No two days or even weeks or a month is ever the same. I’m blessed to have a rich and varied client base
who come to me for all sorts of stuff. It’s that variety that keeps me going most of the time.

How long have you been printmaking?

Since I retaught myself – about 10 years now. Silk screen is my preferred medium but I still do the odd mono print or etching. And I do have a range of
inkjet prints called the ‘Swifty Jazz festival’ which are very popular. That’s not the same as a proper print but it does make them cheap which is
part of their appeal.

What inspires you?

Everything from Saul Bass title sequences to Reid Miles Blue Note record covers, Charles Eames furniture to Brutalist architecture – the list is endless
and it changes with the mood. I just saw the Rauchenberg exhibition at the Tate so that’s big on my mind at the moment. He’s another great artist who
adopted the silk screen medium and produced some amazing work right through to his transfer paintings of late, another technique I am very interested
in. Inspiration has to be a constant and us creatives need to constantly discover new stuff to keep us inspired.

What products do you use? What product/tool could you not be without?

One stop shopping at Handprinted! They give great advice about screens and new products. Speedball is my favourite ink for both t-shirt and paper printing,
I recently had fun with some of the fluorescent inks.

My aluminium screens, hinge clamps, squeegees, everything comes from Handprinted. Although my 60’s photographic lamp is the one bit of kit that I couldn’t
do without, bought on Portobello Road market well over twenty years ago.

What have you made that you are most proud of?

Oh that’s a tough one, I’ve got a couple of camouflage paintings which I’m pretty fond of but in terms of printing some of the editions for ‘Dingwalls’
I think are very classic Swifty designs. But of course I’m still proud to have designed some great logos for the likes of ‘Talkin’Loud’ or ‘Mo Wax’
and my font designs like ‘Coltrane’ or ‘Gunshot’ are works that people still resonate with over 20 years later.

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

My website for general info and portfolio (needs a lot of work!) I sell prints and other bits on my
Big Cartel shop. 

My monograph book – ‘Swifty: Funky Typografix’ is available from the Gamma Proforma website.

What will we be seeing from you next?

Lots more editions with a bit of luck – time to delve into the archives and pull out some gems!

Do you have any advice for other printmakers and creatives?

Never stop.

I have been longing to get my sewing machine out since I saw the gorgeous selection of patterns and fabrics that The Draper’s Daughter have on their website.

         

They stock some beautiful linens and denims that are perfect for printing to make your garments a complete one off. I chose to start with Top 24
by Merchant and Mills – The pattern is simple to make with no zips or buttons – perfect! It also has a panel at the bottom that was perfect
for printing on. I chose to use a Robert Kaufman Essex Linen in Steel our Grid Thermofax and Speedball Black Fabric Screen Printing Ink.        

 

I cut the pattern pieces first and then scatter printed the bottom panel. The Grid Thermofax is great for this as you can layer
it up and don’t need to do much planning! When the ink was dry I gave it a very good iron to fix the ink.

 

 

The top was easy to sew with great step by step instructions. 

 

As soon as I had finished the Top 24 I was itching to make another garment. I went back to The Draper’s Daughter and purchased The Raglan Dress/Top Pattern by The Avid Seamstress and some Indigo Denim by Robert Kaufman. I amended the pattern a little as I wanted to add some pockets to the top.

 

I wanted to print a border along the bottom for this I used our Fabric Paint in Opaque White and our Ink Spot Thermofax. I wanted it a bit more regimented than the previous print so I pinned my cut front and back pieces
to a print board and taped a metal ruler to the board. I lined the bottom of the Thermofax along the ruler. I also put another piece of masking
tape onto the pattern where the top edge of the Thermofax should sit. As the repeat would be every 10cm I put a piece of masking tape every
10cm vertically on the ruler – I then printed the top at 10cm, 30cm and 50cm – gave the print a quick dry with a hairdryer before printing
the Ink Spot Thermofax in the gaps at 0cm, 20cm and 40cm – for these ones I rotated the Thermofax by 180′ to make the repeat less obvious.

 

 

The pattern had an invisible zip which wasn’t as bad to insert as I had feared. The instruction book that comes with the pattern is very comprehensive
and the blog is really useful with lots of hints and tips along with step by step photos.

 

 

 

 

 

Hello! My name is Miesje Chafer and I am textile designer, screen printer and maker. I live down in Southsea and work at The Sorting Office studio in Eastleigh,
Hampshire. I have an unquenchable thirst for fabric, pattern and colour and love nothing more than knocking up a prototype that’s been niggling away
at the back of my brain.

Photo credit: Harry Usborne

Describe your printmaking process.

My designs either begin with a doodle, which I scan into photoshop to play around with to come up with the repeat, or a stencil cut from paper. I then
screen print my fabric in whichever colour or pattern I need for the product I’m making that particular day.

How and where did you learn to print?

I learned to screen print at the London Print Studio on a three day paper printing course. I’d never tried it before so it was all a very new and exciting
experince for me! Once I’d done that I joined the Oxford Printmakers Cooperative, where I battled through months of tears, tantrums and terrible printing
to finally get to a point where I was printing fabric I was actually happy with.

Why printmaking?

I don’t really know what attracted me to screen printing originally, as I’ve said I hadn’t tried it before. I think I had a vague notion that it would
be a relatively easy and cost effective way of getting my designs onto fabric. I took me quite a look time to get any good at it, but once I’d cracked
the technique it opened up a whole world of possibilities.

Where do you work?

I have a lovely space at the Sorting Office Studios in Eastleigh. As the name suggests it used to be a sorting office but was converted into 16 studios
about three and a half years ago. After having worked from home for a quite some time it was brilliant to find somewhere relatively local that I could
work surrounded by other artists and makers. As well as all the fab people, we also have screen exposure facilities, a big room we use for teaching
workshops and photography, brilliant managers who source us funding for various projects and a business mentor.

Describe a typical day in your studio.

Rock up mid morning (the joys of being self employed and no alarm!), have a bit of breakfast and do all the boring email admin, then crack on with some
printing. In the afternoon I’ll sit down at my sewing machine for some making – the day is usually interspersed with chats with various other members
of the studio!

How long have you been printmaking?

About six years, although it probably took me a good two years to produce anything that I was really happy about selling.

What inspires you?

It’s so difficult to say, broadly speaking I think my work has a Scandinavian/mid century feel to it, however I’m usually inspired by colours and shapes
that maybe catch my eye for a few seconds, or a mundane object taken out of context. It’s tricky to explain, I think everything I see subconsciously
goes into the mental ideas pot and pops out as something concrete a few months down the line!

What is your favourite printmaking product?

I love bit of Speedball Hot Pink, it’s the best shade of neon pink I’ve found to date.

What have you made that you are most proud of?

I recently made a quilted patchwork wall hanging, I should really probably have it up for sale on my website but it looks so good on my wall and was such
a labour of love that I can’t bear to part with it!

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

I’ve recently started adding more products to my website, but I also have work in the Old Fire Station in Oxford, Loop in Islington, Lowie in Brixton and
Paisley and Friends down in St Leonards. I do quite a few fairs and markets over the course of the year, mostly in the run up to Christmas and we also
have open studios twice a year in June and November.

What will we be seeing from you next?

I’m planning something a little bit bonkers to enter into the Festival of Quilts, that’ll be the next big project!

Do you have any advice for other printmakers and creatives?

Don’t be afraid to play, sometimes the best ideas come from mucking about, and it really doesn’t matter if things go wrong – you don’t have to show it
to anyone!

See more of Miesje’s work on her website: www.miesjechafer.com

This project uses just one block of Easy Carve to create a two colour block print on fabric. This is an adaptable technique that will have you printing yardage in
no time!

Start by drawing your design out onto a piece of Easy Carve. Try using a pencil to map out your image and then a permanent pen to finalise your lines.

Use a V tool to go round all the edges of your shapes and to carve out the finer detail.

Use a shallow U tool to clear larger areas and the background. Don’t worry about carving out the whole background as we are going to remove most of it in a few steps time…

Use a scalpel to divide the block into pieces that will be printed different colours. In this case we want a separate plant and pot. The Easy Carve cuts easily without having to apply too much pressure.

Cut out the bits of your background that you don’t need. The shaped block will also help you to see where you are printing on your fabric.

Mix your favourite colours from Speedball Screen Printing Inks for Fabric. Note we are using screen printing inks for block printing – they produce a soft handle
and washable colour on the fabric.

Roll out your colour using a Sponge Roller. A solid roller will
slide around in the ink and you will not get even coverage.

Roll your ink onto your first block.

Press your block face down onto your fabric and press down hard all over it. We used a masking tape line as a guide to keep our prints straight. We always
recommend that you use a slightly padded surface when printing onto fabric to ensure even prints. A piece of board covered tightly with a blanket and
topped with fabric works well.

Re-ink your block and repeat the process alongside your last print.

Use another masking tape guide to mark the next row, using a piece of Easy Carve to make sure your whole block will fit. Be sure to remove your previous
piece of tape first.

Print rows of your first block. We printed them in brick fashion to add a little more interest.

Mix a second colour and ink up your second block.

You should be able to see where the new block fits into the first block’s print (this is the part that I managed to cover up with my hand here…)

Fill in the gaps along the whole fabric to finish your print. When your prints are dry, iron the fabric on a hot setting to fix your ink. Your fabric will
then be washable.

To print your own fabric you will need:

• Easy Carve
• Pencil and permanent pen
• Lino Cutting Tools
• Scalpel
• Speedball Screen Printing Inks for Fabric
• Sponge Roller
• Inking Tray or glass slab
• Fabric to print on
• Slightly padded surface
• Iron

I’m Eric Gaskell, born in Wigan, going through school in 60’s and 70’s. I was always good at drawing but only really finding out about art as a 17 year
old sixth former. Before then I’d never heard of even Van Gogh or Picasso (let alone anyone else). For the last 37 years, since leaving art college,
I have been making “things” for myself, other people, publishers and companies in one way or another. Illustrations, graphics, typography, design and
art. I have always made the effort to draw, whatever else was happening, and whenever possible to exhibit work in open, group and one-man shows.

Describe your printmaking process.

Drawing. Then more drawing. Depending on the “idea”or the motif that would be drawing from life or drawing entirely from my head. This means some of my
work is quite abstracted (with no particular idea of how the print will develop) and some very figurative. But it all starts with drawing. When I have
“sort of” got something I can work with I transfer to a block, that could mean a highly detailed drawing or it could be a very loose set of boundaries.
I try to decide in advance if it will be a reduction or a multi-block linocut but more often than not I will go for a multi-block, which means I can
leave open the option of a reduction as well. Annoyingly this path often leads to confusion and progression dilemma. Whether it is highly figurative
or very loose I will always transfer the key block (whether that has lots of info or little) to the other blocks, at least this way I know they will
register. With highly figurative work it is around now that I will give each block its colour ways (on the understanding that they could change). From
here on out it is more a matter of flying by-the-seat-of-my-pants, however I do always proof on a very regular basis, probably a little too much sometimes.
It’s only by this constant proofing that I can work out the next sets of cuts, it’s a bit like playing chess and being aware of the next 5 or 6 moves
ahead. Here is why making multi-block, reduction print (which is how the majority of mine end up) can be problematic. As you cut less from each block,
than a typical one-block reduction, your options are always open. So knowing when to finish can be difficult. In the end you do though, generally because
I put it to one side and don’t do anymore for a month or so.

How and where did you learn to print?

I went to Wigan College of Art where, when we did any printmaking it was principally intaglio. It was also a bit ad hoc, I don’t remember a lecturer being
there very often so we would mix our own acids until there was a pungent green smoke. When I moved to Sunderland Art College the print rooms were a
lot more professional, certainly not as relaxed as Wigan. I spent my time split between painting and intaglio/linocut. The head of printmaking Dave
Gormley was brilliant, he was very good at prompting you to push your work, quick to questions your motives and technical skills but always there to
add comments about the best way to achieve something. Although mainly linocut/etching I did dabble in typography (producing a small book), litho and
engraving, but always went back to lino.

Why printmaking?

I am one of those printmakers who actually is a painter, who also makes prints. My working process tends to push me toward bright, graphic shapes and compositions
which can be developed in either discipline. Most of the time it ends up as print – but sometimes it goes down both avenues.

Where do you work?

In my studio at home which is big enough “just”, to print and paint. My painting area was the bigger, but over the years that has shrunk as printing took
over.

Describe a typical day in your studio.

Generally the first thing I do is check my emails – just in case I have sold something (which I do amazingly) and check out the world. I usually have some
form of work on the go, so I will generally take time to see where I up to with those pieces. That could be either print or paint as I usually work
on both at the same time, often the same motif crossing from one to the other. I try to spit my time between printmaking and drawing (painting fits
in there, but not as much) so while I am waiting for colours to dry, or for some form of inspiration about what to do next, I will draw. Often that
will mean leaving the studio to draw in front of the motif, sometimes it is drawing from drawings, to work out what either the next step in the print
or painting is or to push forward an new work. I spend an inordinate amount of time prevaricating through drawing, looking at new angles, new shapes,
marks, textures etc. Sometimes they do actually get used, most of the time they are added to 1000’s of drawings that time forgot. I don’t have a set
time for doing things as such, but I do try to have a couple of prints going at the same time. That means I try to get two colours a day on each. Clearly
that leaves time for the multitude of other things like; drawing, vacuuming (it has to be done), eating and most important of all – daydreaming.

How long have you been printmaking?

The very first “real” print I made, with real tools, in a print-room was in 1976. Before that I couldn’t really say that any printmaking I made at school
was done properly.

What inspires you?

Apart from a list of painters/printmakers as long as my arm, generally the world around me. I am principally a figurative artist, so the majority of my
drawings are from life, which get transferred and many times lose their “reality” in the print process. For many years what I has really inspired me
are man-made structures, things with angles and shadows. Which is why I like the canals, they are man-made but also have the benefit of water which
adds a separate dimension.

Having said all that I have for around 10 years been making work based on my genealogical research. I’ve even managed to have several one-man shows of
the work around the UK. This is a very different type of work, based on shape, iconography, abstracted colour and often – text.

What is your favourite printmaking product?

That is really tricky as without good tools, ink and paper I wouldn’t be able to do anything. But the two things I use a lot at the moment are extender/water-soluble
vehicles which let me play around with colours and newsprint which lets me soak up colours to produce subtle tints.

What have you made that you are most proud of?

From a printmaking point of view there are two things fairly recently, one “Narrowboat” because it was commercially successful and I actually sold out
the edition very quickly. The other a triptych “Rugby School 1, 2, 3” because it was a departure from work I had been doing (and in effect closer to
my drawing/painting) and commercially the opposite of the other print.

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

I try to show work several times during the year, in one-man shows and often in group shows (with the Printmakers Council and SGFA). I do have work in
galleries (which sadly come and go) and at the moment have work in The Fosse House Gallery in Dunchurch, The Pump Rooms in Leamington Spa and Audlem
Mill in Audlem.

Ellesmere Port Museum: 11 May – 9 July

The Glass Museum, St Helens: 11 Nov – 12 Jan

I am fairly mobile and teach linocut to any group that would like me to, so I have taught in Cheshire, Stoke, Coventry and to numerous small groups locally.
I also open up my own studio to groups of 3-4. I have in the past taught in Art Colleges, but recently teach regular classes in Rugby at The Percival
Guildhouse and to an Art Society in Weedon. If anyone would like me to do the same just email me.

What will we be seeing from you next?

The work I am making at the moment is moving away from the three-dimensional reality of previous work, toward a more stylised view of – in this case –
tumbling water, something I have played with a lot. That of course doesn’t mean that in the future I won’t be bouncing back and forth between reality
and abstraction.

Do you have any advice for other printmakers and creatives?

Whenever I am asked this the most important thing I can say is – draw. Often the reply is, “I can’t draw” my answer is, It doesn’t really matter if you
can or can’t. Fundamentally the art of drawing is the act of seeing. To draw well you need to look a lot, most people give the world a casual glance,
they don’t really “see” it. Drawing also lets you develop ideas, it lets you experiment with mark-making, texture and composition and all very quickly.
If after you have made all those squiggles, and dots and marks and you still want to be able to draw, in an academic way – then take classes, but never
think that in order to make an interesting/engaging linocut that you need to be able draw at a very advanced level.

 

To see more of Eric’s fantastic work, visit his website.

This is Maisie on work experience at Handprinted. Shirley and Holly have very kindly let me try out this Carve a Stamp Kit and write about my thoughts on it. The kit contains: An ink pad, carving tools (1 V shape fine tool and another
V shape wider tool) and 5 blank stamps.

This new product uses a simple technique that produces effective results. The product is reasonably priced at £12.99 including everything you need to produce
many prints. It is a great gift idea for birthday presents or just if you are feeling creative.

You can print on plain wrapping paper to give it your own unique style. You can also be inventive with what you choose to print on. For example, present
labels, cards, envelopes and scrap book covers.

Step 1: Design the stamp.

Firstly, place the rubber on a piece of paper and draw around it so you know the size that your design needs to be. Then, draw your design in the box.

You could write a message, symbol or image.

Step 2: Draw your design onto the stamp.

You could use carbon paper or tracing paper to get the design exactly the same to your drawing or you could draw it free hand.

Step 3: Carve the stamp.

Holding the tool at a low angle, carefully carve away the areas of the stamp that you don’t want to print. There are 2 carving tools that you can use.
The finer V shape tool should be used for smaller detailed areas and the wider V shape tool should be used to clear away larger areas.

Step 4: Print the stamp.

Make sure that you generously cover the stamp as you don’t want it to be patchy. It should shine when you tilt the stamp like the image below. Then press
down firmly onto the material of your choice.

These are all 5 of my stamps.

And that’s it! 4 easy steps for creating your own stamps. The Carve a Stamp Kit is an easy way to add that homemade touch.

Here at Handprinted we are always getting asked to explain the difference between all the lino relief blocks available. It can be very confusing knowing
whether to choose traditional lino or try an alternative such as Softcut or Vinyl.

To help you decide on the right material for you, we’ve tested five different blocks in a variety of ways such as cutting fine lines and ink application
and posted our findings below. At the bottom of the page we’ve summarised each material to help you make an informed choice.

Blocks tested:

Traditional Lino –
hessian backed grey lino

Softcut – a softer, smooth rubber-like material

Easy Carve –
dark grey, soft carving material

Transparent Block – a see-through plastic carving material

Japanese Vinyl – double sided material that is blue on one side, green on the other and black in the middle

All of the blocks were fresh and tested with our versatile Japanese Cutting Tools which are inexpensive and cut very well.

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Cutting Fine Lines

We used the V tool from our set to test how easy it was to cut very fine lines into the blocks.

Traditional Lino – When pressing fairly firmly a very fine line can be achieved by skimming the V tool across the surface

Softcut –Very easy to cut fine lines with less pressure needed than on lino

Easy Carve –As with softcut, very fine lines achieved easily

Transparent Block – Very fine lines can be achieved but are a little harder to control as more pressure is needed

Japanese Vinyl – Very fine lines can be carved easily but are too shallow to reach the black middle layer and so are not as clear to see

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Cutting Curves

 

Traditional Lino – Smooth curves can be achieved but it’s a little tricky and needs practice

Softcut – Easy to cut, smooth curves, steeper curves can become a little jagged

Easy Carve – As with Softcut, curves are easy to cut but steeper curves can become a little jagged

Transparent Block – Stiffer to cut a curve and slightly harder to control

Japanese Vinyl – As with Softcut and Easy Carve, curves are easy to cut but steep curves can come out a little jagged if rushing!

 

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Clearing

The large, shallow U tool was used to clear a larger area of the blocks.

Traditional Lino – Easy to clear large areas

Softcut – Easy to clear but with a little bit of stretch when pushing the tools

Easy Carve – Easy to clear

Transparent Block – More pressure needed and a little slippy but clears well

Japanese Vinyl – Easy to clean and the black middle layer makes it very easy to see where you have cut deep enough

 

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Cutting Edges

With the large U tool we carved to the edges of the materials to see how they behaved.

Traditional Lino – Easy to control when carving edges and close to the edge with a little pressure

Softcut – Easy to carve to the edges with less pressure but the slight stretch leaves a slightly raised edge that needs to be cut

Easy Carve – Easy and controlled to cut to the edges

Transparent Block – Stiffer and a little harder to control, left a slight raised edge as with the Softcut

Japanese Vinyl – Easy to cut to the edges, clear to see and controllable with not too much pressure needed

 

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Drawing your Design

We tested three ways of drawing a design onto the blocks: with a white pencil, an HB pencil and a Sharpie permanent marker.

 

Traditional Lino – Can see both white pencil and HB pencil clearly

Softcut –  Cannot see the white pencil, can see the HB pencil softly

Easy Carve – Can see both pencils in the right light

Transparent Block – Neither show

Japanese Vinyl – HB pencil shows, white pencil does not

Sharpie permanent marker can be used on any of the materials. The pen must be left to dry for a few seconds or it may smudge. It is worth noting that the
inside of the Japanese Vinyl is black so if using a black pen to mark a drawing, it may be a little confusing to see where you have cut. Another colour
would be better.

Transfer Paper or carbon paper can also be used to transfer a design. This works extremely well on Traditional Lino and quite well on Vinyl. The
design can be seen slightly on Transparent Block but not at all on Softcut or Easy Carve.

 

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Cutting with a Scalpel

Sometimes you need to trim a block down to the correct size or shape. We tested how easy this was to do on each of the blocks with a scalpel.

Traditional Lino – 7 cuts needed to get through the block with quite a bit of pressure but easy to control

Softcut – Easy to cut in only 2 cuts

Easy Carve –  Easy to cut in 4 cuts

Transparent Block – Harder to cut a straight line, 5 cuts needed

Japanese Vinyl –  Harder to cut straight, 6 cuts needed

 

 

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Ink Application

We tested each of the blocks for ink application using Cranfield Water-Based Inks.

All of the blocks covered easily in an even layer of ink with no separation or slippage.

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All Five Materials Overall

Traditional Lino – pleasing
to cut, lovely detail and very controllable. Easy to draw onto with white pencil, HB, pen or transfer paper. A little more pressure is needed when
cutting, especially when the lino is very cold. Fresh lino is a lot better than old lino which will dry out and become crumbly. The edges snap off
when the cutting tool is flicked upwards to create a lovely edge to your marks. This seems unique to lino – when carving other materials, the tool
needs to be raised up through the surface to end your marks.

Softcut – Very
easy to carve with less pressure needed. Good for those with a little less strength or for younger printmakers. There’s a little bit of stretch when
cutting which can affect the edges slightly but does not crumble. Carve on the smooth side not the rough.

Easy Carve – Pleasing
to carve with less pressure needed than with traditional lino but a little more than with Softcut. Similar to Softcut with no crumble but with less
stretch.

Transparent Block – A
little firmer to cut and slightly harder to control. It can be tricky to see where you have carved but the transparent quality of this material is
really useful when registering prints and when tracing designs onto the block. Brilliant for multi-layered prints but not as pleasing to carve as the
other materials. Does not crumble.

Japanese Vinyl – Pleasing
to carve with slightly less pressure needed than with traditional lino. Does not crumble. Either side can be used (the blue or the green). Potentially
both sides can be used for a multi-layered print as long as large areas do not need to be cleared as they may affect the pressure. The black middle
layer is very useful as it allows you to see where you have carved (as long as you cut deep enough!)

We’re really getting stuck into using our new Ready-Made Thermofaxes.
Two weeks ago we showed you how we used some of them to print patterned papers in bright colours to make all the pieces seen here:

We printed a big stack of these papers using six of the Ready-Made Thermofax designs. We then used these papers to make a découpage chair! Here’s how we made it:

We cut a 3 x 10cm template from a piece of plastic and used it to cut up our papers into rectangles.

A while ago we got hold of two vintage chairs. We used the first to create this Block Printed Chair and now we’re ready to use the second!

Using Mod Podge we began to glue the pieces in a line down the centre
of the chair.

We used a foam brush to spread a slightly watered down Mod Podge over the surface of the chair and then over the top of the paper, one piece at a time.

We overlapped the edges of our chair to be trimmed later and left a few gaps in the pattern where the wood can be seen.

When the glue was dry (we waited overnight) we used a scalpel to trim the edges of the overlapping pieces.

The surface was then covered in another layer of Mod Podge.

The glue dried overnight to a clear finish, leaving us with a bright, print-covered chair!

To have a go with Thermofax printing yourself, take a look at our
Ready-Made designs or
make your own! See how the designs
were printed in our Blog Post.

My name is Elizabeth Harbour.

I studied illustration at Maidstone College of Art and went on to study an MA at the Royal College of art. I am a Printmaker, illustrator, designer and
crafter and run art classes and print workshops in Kent and Sussex.

Describe your process

I always make several drawings for ideas, often exploring mark-making and colour-combinations. Then I decide what print process my design is best suited
to, as each print process produces a very different result and feel. Once this is decided, I refine the image using trace and work out the colour.
Sometimes I like to make colour separation decisions halfway through the print process.

How and I where did you learn to print?

Maidstone College of Art’s print room where I gained my first print experience, this was with large cast iron presses. In the last 20 years I have developed
my own printmaking methods: mono-printing, screen-printing and relief-printing all of which can be done from home. I always paint directly onto my
screens, this method reminds me a little of the lithographic process.

Why printing?

I love that fact that sometimes print making can be unpredictable, this has been very freeing for me as an artist. I also love the fact that you can print
in multiples with some print processes – printing on paper, fabric and even printing books, I have always found this exciting. In the last few years
I have been making limited edition prints as well as hand-printed cards, printed papers and textiles.

Where do you work?

From my studio on warm days in my greenhouse and even from the kitchen table!

Describe a typical day in your studio.

I love my studio days, which are three days a week, as I also run my own Art for Enjoyment art classes in Kent and Sussex, which I really enjoy.

Once my children have left for school, I work in my studio from about 8.00a.m. I always listen to music when I work (I love an eclectic mix of music).
For laborious processes such as cutting 80 tiles for a paper design I listen to Radio 4 drama from the BBC website. I always have ideas and projects
that I am working on, whether it’s limited edition prints, new card designs or printed papers. I also love creating new seasonal crafts for Country
Living Magazine, which I have been asked to do again this year. Some of the crafts use simple printmaking techniques.

How long have you been printmaking?

30 years

What inspires you?

 Exploring Processes, Folk Art, Kent, Nature and 20th Century British Art and Design.

What product/tool could you not be without?

I am afraid that there are several: a Japanese hole-punch (it’s great for cutting holes in designs), a wooden-handled lino-cutting set and my homemade
silk screens.

What have you made that you are most proud of?

I still love an etching with aquatint that I created in my Maidstone days – ‘Ice Skating’ and more recently my block printed-paper designs and Lavender
Tabbies.

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

Leadbetter and Good, Emma Mason Gallery, Edwards and Todd Hastings, Barnstar Rye and on my website and web shop.

My Twitter and Facebook pages (where I often show work produced in my print workshops) can be accessed via my website.

What will we be seeing from you next?

More Designs for textile animals, hand-printed papers and large monoprints.

Do you have any advice for other printmakers and creatives?

Good prints can be created from home and the process doesn’t have to be expensive.

 

See more of Elizabeth Harbour’s work at elizabethharbour.co.uk

We’ve been working hard at Handprinted getting lots of designs together for a new range of Ready-Made Thermofaxes. We wanted to create adaptable designs that can be printed as they are, in repeat, layered to create textures
and printed onto paper or fabric! A special project using these new Thermofaxes is underway and we can’t wait to show it to you. Here’s a few of our new designs being printed:

Our new Zigzag design:

Printing our Circles design:

Six out of eleven of our new Thermofaxes printed onto paper:

All eleven Thermofax designs are available to buy through the website now!
We’re really pleased with them. Which is your favourite?