Here’s a fascinating project for your summer camp or DVBS program
how to do linoleum block printing
T inoleum block printing is an excellent camp craft. It can be done with simple tools, with little equipment and at reasonable cost. And for the camper— it is a skill that can challenge his surren der and service for Christ. Materials 1. Battleship linoleum . You can often buy scrap pieces for a song from any linoleum store. In many ways the scrap sheet pieces are preferable to the ready-made blocks found in the hobby shop. The thick er the piece, the easier it is to carve, but 1 /4 ” to 1 / 8 ” is a good range. Insist that you get battleship lino leum since other kinds do not lend themselves well to carving. 2. Sharp p e n k n i f e or stencil kn ife for cutting your pieces to size. 3. Linoleum cu tting tools. Some tools come in sets equipped with several gouges to one handle. If you buy these make sure you have enough sets or handles for several pupils to carve at one time. 4. Sharpening stones. You ’ll need a fine oil stone for Sharpening the outside edges of your gouges and a slip stone for the inside edges. Sharp tools are safer to work with than dull ones. And dull tools make fu zzy lines that show up in your print. 5. Pa lette for m ixing your inks. Ari old piece of plate glass about 9 ” x 4 2 ” w ill do. For safety bind the edges with masking tape. A granite slab or level cookie sheet w ill also
serve the purpose. If you plan to use more than one color in your class, it is best to have a palette for each separate color. 6. B rayer or roller. This will charge your block with ink. Because some brayers are sensitive to hot weather and become lopsided or soft, inquire about special summer brayers. It is wise to have one for each- palette. 7. Inks. Both water soluble and oil-based inks come in tubes ready for use. Water soluble inks are best for children because they are easily washed from the hands and clothes. Use oil-based inks fo r printing on fabrics. The best and most perma nent ink for fabrics is Cal-Ink which must be ordered directly from the California Ink Co., 2939 E. Pico St., Los Angeles, Calif. (Shipments are made by return mail.) 8. Paper which is absorbent. Construction paper or newsprint are good to start with. Rice paper is ideal. If heavy, less absorbent paper must be used (dampen it lightly with a sponge before printing). Tinted charcoal often is used for background paper with the rice
paper for special effects. Light col ored papers are better. Printing with dark ink on light background is easier. Dark paper will take light inks but this method requires more experience for success. 9. Fabric. It is important that your cloth be a finely woven, smooth piece. Indian head and linen are ideal. Muslin will take the print if it is well pressed first. Old pieces of sheeting make good prac tice pieces. 10. Designs. In all cases an orig inal design is better than a copied one. However, a design file is good to have for those pupils who do not yet have the freedom to create de signs of their own. Familiarity with the craft encourages originality, so encourage the “ untalented” pupil. Sources o f design are The National Geographic M agazine, design mag azines, nature magazines, children’s paint and color books from the ten- cent-store and of course your public library. For block printing you will use designs which show more mass than detail. 11. M iscellaneous materials will include tracing paper, pencils, ruler or T-square for truing up corners, soap, old rags, plenty o f old news papers, plastic wood (not plastic balsa), white poster paint, palette knife, small hand brush. For print ing on cloth be sure to include plenty of turpentine and hand lo tion. And wear old clothes! Perma nent ink is permanent! CONTINUED 25
by Dixie Neely
MA Y , 19 5 6
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