Blog - Advice & Tips

Blog menu
  • Transferring an Image onto Lino

    Transferring an Image onto Lino

    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). …
  • Registering a Print with Ternes Burton Pins

    Registering a Print with Ternes Burton Pins

    We wanted to show you a really simple example of how to use the Turns Burton pins and tabs and 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 …
  • How to Block Print with Lino onto Fabric

    How to Block Print with Lino onto Fabric

    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 …
  • Printing Fabric with Square Lino

    Printing Fabric with Square Lino

    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 playing with recently is printing using a square piece of lino. From …
  • Drypoint Printing

    Drypoint Printing

    Drypoint is an intaglio printmaking method that involves scratching an image into a plate with a pointed tool. These lines create a burr that holds ink, meaning that the print reveals the drawing. Intaglio printmaking is the opposite of relief printmaking as it is the positive marks that are printed rather than the areas that are left behind...
  • Reduction Linocut

    Reduction Linocut

    The reduction lino cut is a method of block printing in which each colour layer is taken from the same block. More lino is removed from the block for each layer and each colour is printed on top of the last. This means that an entire edition must be printed in one go – once...
  • Block Printing onto Fabric with Permaset Aqua and Speedy Carve

    Block Printing onto Fabric with Permaset Aqua and Speedy Carve

    It can be difficult to find the right inks for block printing onto fabric, especially if you haven’t got a few days to wait for it to dry. We have loved screen printing with Permaset Aqua Textile Inks, so we wanted to try block printing with them too! You will need: Permaset Aqua Textile Ink …
  • How to Make a Tie Dye Top with Colour Magnet

    How to Make a Tie Dye Top with Colour Magnet

    We have been enjoying the sunshine here at Handprinted so we thought we would show you how to make a Summery top out of an old plain T-shirt using Colour Magnet and Procion Dyes! You will need: Light coloured T-Shirt Fabric scissors Pencil, paper and a fine paint brush Screen Parcel Tape Drawing Fluid Screen Filler …
  • Ice Dyeing

    Ice Dyeing

    You will need: White prewashed T-shirt Procion MX Dyes Soda Ash (fixative) Dust Mask Calgon PT (if you are dyeing in a hard water area) Rubber Gloves and an apron – these dyes will stain. Ice Cooling rack or similar Plastic bowl Bubble wrap or plastic bag Mix three tablespoons of Soda Ash with warm …
  • Registering Screen Printed Layers on Fabric using acetate registration sheet

    Registering Screen Printed Layers on Fabric using acetate registration sheet

    You will need: Mount board cut into an ‘L’ shape right angle A plastic sheet such as table covering with a true right angle on the bottom left-hand corner. It is useful to put some coloured tape on this corner to make it more rigid and easier to see Line up the bottom left-hand corner …
  • How to Use SolarFast on Fabric

    How to Use SolarFast on Fabric

    For this project you will need: A high contrast image SolarFast SolarFast Wash T-Shirt Brush/Foam Brush Newsprint/Newspaper A sheet of Glass OHP film or similar A sunny day! Create a negative image in a programme such as Photoshop by inverting a high contrast black and white image. We used one of our dog – Fletcher! …
  • Tie Dyeing 5 Ways – Random Dyed Leggings

    Tie Dyeing 5 Ways – Random Dyed Leggings

    These black and white leggings were purchased in the sale at New Look but never worn. We mixed up three squirty bottles of dye putting 1 teaspoon of Soda Ash, 1 teaspoon of dye and 1 teaspoon of Urea in each along with 200ml of warm water. The dyes we used were Golden Yellow, Scarlet …
  • Tie Dyeing 5 Ways – Part 3 – Scrunch Dyed T-Shirt

    Tie Dyeing 5 Ways – Part 3 – Scrunch Dyed T-Shirt

    One plain white, cheap cotton T-shirt, made to look very Isabel Marant! Here was our inspiration: Take one plain white T-shirt and soak it in water. Scrunch the T-shirt up and tie into a bundle. Mix 1 teaspoon of Charcoal Procion MX Dye with 100mls of warm water. Mix 1 tablespoon of Soda Ash into …
  • Tie Dyeing 5 Ways – Part 2 – Dip Dyed Denim Waistcoat

    Tie Dyeing 5 Ways – Part 2 – Dip Dyed Denim Waistcoat

    Next up was a cropped denim waistcoat. We wanted to dip dye it. This method can be used for a huge variety of garments. First we gave the complete waistcoat a good soak in a bowl of water. Mix 1 teaspoon of Procion MX Turquoise into 100ml of tepid water. Dissolve 3 tablespoons of table …
  • Basic Batik

    Basic Batik

    A simple guide to batik.  Step 1 Pin the fabric tightly to a frame using silk pins or drawing pins. Draw the design on lightly using a pencil. Step 2 Mix up a dye base using 1 litre warm water with 10 tbsp Urea and 1 tsp of Calgon. Mix 1/2 tsp Lemon Yellow Procion …
  • Paper Stencil Screen Printing

    Paper Stencil Screen Printing

    A quick introductory guide to screen printing with a paper stencil. You can download a printable pdf. here! You will need: Screen Squeegee to fit Paper to cut your stencil – photocopy paper is good – layout paper is better Craft knife Water-based fabric ink such as Speedball A padded surface to print onto – a folded …
  • Tie Dyeing 5 Ways – Spiral Dyed T-Shirt

    Tie Dyeing 5 Ways – Spiral Dyed T-Shirt

    Here is the last instalment of Tie Dyeing 5 Ways and it is a bit of a classic. We used the method for a Spiral Rainbow Tie Dye but only used two colours Scarlet Red and Bright Royal. We took a dry plain white T-shirt and placed a fork where we wanted the centre of …
  • Open Access Print Studios

    Open Access Print Studios

    Below is a list of open access print studios, facilities and cost varies per location – if you know of anymore please let us know so we can add them to the list. Aberystwythprintmakers – Wales http://www.aberystwythprintmakers.org.uk Art Academy Print – London http://www.artacademy.org.uk Bainbridge Studios – London http://www.bainbridgestudios.co.uk Black Church Print Studio – Dublin, Ireland http://www.print.ie/ Boden Print Studios …