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  • Designing a Repeat Pattern by Hand

    Designing a Repeat Pattern by Hand

    This method is quick and simple. No digital equipment or software is required: all you will need is paper, a pen/pencil, tape and scissors. With this technique, a repeat pattern can build seamlessly with no awkward joins or obvious lines. It’s perfect for a scatter design and can be used for screen printing or block …
  • Monoprinting with the Drawn Line

    Monoprinting with the Drawn Line

    This method is fantastically quick and easy. If you’re looing for a way to loosen up your drawing skills and mix up your printmaking, this is one to try! Scroll to the bottom to watch a video or read on for instructions. Begin with a sheet of plastic (drypoint plastic works well for this). You …
  • Using an Etching Press to Print a Linocut

    Using an Etching Press to Print a Linocut

    Etching presses aren’t just for printing etchings. They have a bed that is rolled between two rollers, the top of which is adjustable in height. This makes it great for printing from lots of different surfaces as the tension is customised for each print! Printing a linocut with an etching press is easy with a …
  • Introduction to Linocut for Beginners

    Introduction to Linocut for Beginners

    If you are completely new to linocut and would like help getting started, you are in the right place! Read on or scroll to the bottom to watch a video. Start with a piece of lino. There are several to choose from, from traditional Lino to Easy Carve to Softcut. You can learn more about …
  • How to Make a Set of Rubber Tangrams

    How to Make a Set of Rubber Tangrams

    Tangrams are a set of seven puzzle pieces all cut from one square. The pieces can be rearranged into lots of different designs, making them a great activity for children. We can make our own set of tangram stamps from a square of Mastercut or other stamp carving material, to be stamped onto paper or …
  • Uses for Zest It Printmakers Washdown

    Uses for Zest It Printmakers Washdown

    We have found Zest It Printmakers Washdown an incredibly useful addition to our studio. It’s designed to remove dried on acrylics and so far has got us out of a couple of scrapes. Here are a few ways to use it in your studio: Removing dried on water-based relief printing inks from rollers, blocks and …
  • Creating Hand-Drawn Designs for Exposed Screens

    Creating Hand-Drawn Designs for Exposed Screens

    Making exposed screens is a fantastic way of creating screen prints from your bespoke artwork. If you’d like to make exposed screens at home but would rather skip the digital processes then we have a great way of creating screen films with analogue methods! For detailed advice about exposing your own screens at home, head …
  • Using Drawing Fluid and Screen Filler to Print a Design onto Fabric

    Using Drawing Fluid and Screen Filler to Print a Design onto Fabric

    Using Drawing Fluid and Screen Filler can create a semi-permanent design on a screen, allowing you to print multiples of your design without stencils, over several sessions if you like. This is not a photographic technique so there’s no need for a light source, a computer or a dark space. This makes it accessible to …
  • A Quick and Easy Fabric Paint Project

    A Quick and Easy Fabric Paint Project

    Handprinted Fabric Paints come in loads of colours and are so easy to use! Here’s a quick, easy project that’s great for adults and kids alike. Read on for instructions or scroll to the bottom for a video. Cotton fabrics are best for fabric painting. This project uses a heavyweight cotton tote bag but you …
  • How to Clean Caligo Inks

    How to Clean Caligo Inks

    Caligo Inks are oil-based but water-washable so they are a fantastic option for your printmaking practice but how do we clean up after using them? Read on or scroll to the bottom of the page for a video. No solvents or special cleaners are needed to clean up Cranfield’s Caligo Inks. Fill an old jug …
  • Screen Printing a Gradient with a Split Fountain

    Screen Printing a Gradient with a Split Fountain

    Usually when you’re screen printing you have to use a different layer for each colour. By using a split fountain we can create a single layer screen print with multiple colours! It’s so easy. Scroll down to watch a video or read on. Set your screen up ready to be printed. You can use a …
  • Using Caligo Extender and Opaque White

    Using Caligo Extender and Opaque White

    When mixing Caligo Relief Printing Inks (although this also applies to other brands), we can choose between adding Extender or Opaque White when we want a paler colour. They produce quite different results. Watch our video at the bottom of the page or read on. Extender is a colourless ink. It will make colours more …
  • Cyanotype

    Cyanotype

    Cyanotypes (sometimes called blueprints or photograms) are made using a really old process that uses light to create designs on fabric and paper. Scroll to the bottom of the page to watch a video on the process or read on. We are going to need a cyanotype kit. The kit contains two bottles, each with …
  • Removing Ternes Burton Tabs from Delicate Papers

    Removing Ternes Burton Tabs from Delicate Papers

    Sometimes, when we use Ternes Burton pins and tabs, the tape sticks to the printing paper making a mess. We can choose to cut our paper a little longer so the excess can be trimmed but there’s another way that doesn’t waste paper! Watch the video below or read on. If you haven’t heard of …
  • Taking a Quick Proof of your Linocut with a Rubbing

    Taking a Quick Proof of your Linocut with a Rubbing

    When you’re carving a lino block it can be handy to be able to see how your block will print before you ink it up. By taking a rubbing of your block you can get an idea of what your final print might look like. Scroll to the bottom of the page for a video …
  • At Home Screen Exposure with Bridget

    At Home Screen Exposure with Bridget

    Like many others over the past year, I have been working on a lot of my printmaking projects at home. However, being limited on space doesn’t stop me from trying new things. In this blog post, I will be sharing how I exposed a screen at home in my tiny bedroom! You can adapt this …
  • Using Mirror Card to make an Expressive Drypoint

    Using Mirror Card to make an Expressive Drypoint

    Mirror Card is a great option for intaglio plate making. It's shiny and wipeable, making it brilliant for expressive inking and sketchy designs. Peel away the surface to create dark, inky areas too. Scroll to the ...
  • Using a Mylar Mask to Reduce Chatter in a Linocut

    Using a Mylar Mask to Reduce Chatter in a Linocut

    One of the problems to overcome when printing a linocut is ink being picked up by the carved away areas of the block. These lines print onto the paper causing 'chatter' or 'noise'. Sometimes chatter on a print can add character or interest to a piece but other times it can just get in the way. This method uses Ternes Burton Pins and Tabs and a piece of Mylar to mask the areas causing chatter. (scroll to the bottom of the page for a video)...
  • Choosing which Type of Lino is Right for Your Project

    Choosing which Type of Lino is Right for Your Project

    There are lots of different types of lino to choose from. Read on for guidance on which lino could be right for you and your project (or scroll to the bottom of this post to watch a video).
  • How to Fix Ink Reticulation when Relief Printing

    How to Fix Ink Reticulation when Relief Printing

    Sometimes when block printing, blocks can resist the ink and it splits on the surface. This makes it difficult to print a flat, even colour and can be so frustrating. This is particularly common on vinyl blocks when using water-based inks but can occur on lots of surfaces. Use this quick, easy technique to prepare … Continue reading "How to Fix Reticulating Ink when Relief Printing"