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some linocut blocks These are cut from battleship linoleum,
unmounted
The window looks yellowish because the
keyblock ink was opaque white relief ink thickened with nickle
titanium dry pigment.
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some linocut blocks These are cut from battleship linoleum,
unmounted
The window looks yellowish because the
keyblock ink was opaque white relief ink thickened with nickle
titanium dry pigment.
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REGISTRATION I use a chase made from enameled Masonite countertop board which is slightly thinner than battleship linoleum. (In cold type letterpress printing, the frame that held the galleys of type was called a "chase," so that's where I got the word.) I cut the opening in the chase first and use that as a guide to cut the lino blocks. The irregularities in the cut (made with a saber saw) help to get the blocks oriented correctly. I punch a sheet with a standard 3-hole punch and use the holes to position the register pins. I don't use regular metal register pins because these pass under the roller and I don't want to punch holes in my blankets. So instead I use a sheet of thick black heavy duty double-stick material, from which I punch out buttons, using the same punch as I use to punch the sheets. (For Wild Geese I used only two buttons, which is why the middle one is missing in the picture.) I get pinpoint registration with this system. Usually. |
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Pressure is another problem. Generally speaking, the ground block (black printer) can take much more pressure than the key block. You want a very light, just finger-tight pressure for the white printer. But you just have to experiment with each print. I start by cutting the key block, then pull a print from it on some dark paper (like the one in the picture), leaving it pinned under the roller, remove the key block, replace it with the uncut ground block, and pull a counterproof on it. I use this as the guide to cut highlights from the ground block. Good luck. Warren |
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Contact
Warren Criswell All images and text on this Web site |
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