This is the most time-consuming step in creating Linocut Prints, so it’s important to take your time and read through this section carefully. For further visual guidance on the ink rolling process, you can refer to the “Prep for Your Final Print” section later in this guide. Looking ahead might give you helpful hints and a clearer understanding of the process.
Creating a test print is a crucial step in linocut printmaking for two key reasons:
- Assessing Your Carving Progress: A test print allows you to see your linocut carving as it will appear in the final print. It reveals any areas that need further refinement or adjustments, ensuring your design is exactly as you envision it.
- Conserving Materials: Using test prints prevents the waste of expensive materials, especially premium papers like Japanese Kitakata paper. By testing first, you avoid potential mistakes on your final, costly print papers.
While making a test print might initially seem like an unnecessary extra step that consumes valuable studio time, it is actually a time and cost-effective practice in the long run. It’s an investment in the quality and success of your linocut prints.
To begin, carefully remove the tape from your linoleum block. Once the tape is removed and the block is free, gently shake off any loose linoleum scraps or clean the surface with your hands to remove any debris. With your block clean and prepped, you are now ready to prepare your ink for the test print!
For ink preparation, gather your glass or plexiglass inking plate. Ensure it is clean and free of any dust or dirt by wiping it down with a rag or towel. For a design that is approximately 8 inches by 6 inches, a dollop of ink about 1 inch long should be sufficient. Squeeze the ink directly onto the cleaned glass plate. As you can see in the images, the glass does not need to be perfectly pristine. If your linocut print design is larger, you’ll need to use a bit more ink. Determining the correct amount of ink to use is something that becomes easier with practice as you create more linocut prints.
Next, take your roller or brayer and begin to roll out the ink. Use short, firm strokes in one or two directions to spread the ink. It’s best to focus on rolling the ink within a 5 to 8-inch square area on your inking plate. This technique prevents the ink from becoming too thin or drying out prematurely. Continue rolling the ink until it achieves an even and smooth appearance with a slightly stippled texture. This ensures that the ink will transfer evenly to your linoleum block. You can experiment with rolling forwards and backwards, but many printmakers find that rolling consistently in one direction—either forwards or backwards—yields the best results. Ultimately, the most effective technique is the one that works best for you and your process. There is no single “right” way to prepare your ink for a linocut print.
Once the ink is smoothly rolled out on the glass plate, begin transferring the ink to your linoleum block. Roll the brayer through the ink on the glass, and then apply it to the surface of your carved block. Repeat this back-and-forth rolling motion across the block until the ink coverage is smooth and consistently dark. You should no longer be able to see the bare linoleum underneath the layer of ink. Depending on the size of your block, achieving adequate ink coverage usually takes between 10 to 25 rolls. Again, with more practice in creating linocut prints, you’ll develop a better sense of when your block is sufficiently inked and ready for printing. This intuition is another reason why test prints are so invaluable!
With your linoleum block now inked, take your test paper. Gently place the paper onto the inked block, being careful not to shift or wiggle it once it makes contact with the inked surface. Once the paper is in place, lightly press straight down with your fingers to ensure it adheres evenly to the block. Next, take a piece of wax paper that is approximately the same size as your block and lay it on top of the test paper. This creates a protective layer for burnishing. With the wax paper in position, take your burnishing tool—this could be a wooden spoon, a squeegee, or a specialized burnishing tool—and rub firmly across the wax paper. Apply even and consistent pressure across the entire “sandwich” of block, test paper, and wax paper. This pressure is essential to ensure the ink properly transfers from the block to the paper, creating a clear linocut print. The burnishing time will vary depending on the size of your print and the type of paper you are using, ranging from about 1 to 10 minutes. For a test print of this size, approximately 2 minutes of burnishing is usually sufficient.
After burnishing, set the wax paper aside. It’s reusable, so don’t discard it! Gently—and this is important, very gently!—rub the back of the test paper with your fingers. Pay particular attention to areas of fine detail in your design, as these may need a little extra pressure to ensure ink transfer. If you are using standard printer paper for your test print, you should be able to faintly see the image through the back of the paper. Now, carefully take hold of one corner of the paper and begin to peel it slowly away from the linoleum block. You should feel a slight resistance as the paper separates from the inked block, but it shouldn’t stick excessively. Once you have completely peeled the print away from the block, lay it down with the inked side facing upwards to allow it to dry thoroughly.
Congratulations! You have just created your test linocut print!
Tip:
Paper that has been inked absorbs moisture, which makes it more susceptible to tearing. Exercise extreme caution with any rubbing or handling of the paper after you’ve removed the wax paper to avoid accidentally puncturing or tearing your new linocut print!
