4 free printmaking projects: block , monoprinting, & other printmaking techniques

presented by cloth scissors®

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structure and color variations on a theme: 1 ruth issett 3 printing floral frenzy: combining virginia a. spiegel 2 colors & monoprint techniques roll out the ruth issett 4 backgrounds linda calverley a great monoprinting technique using a brayer as a no-waste printing tool. In the next Workshop, Virginia Spiegel has 4 Free Printmaking you set up a printmaking session with Projects: Block Printing, hand-cut stamps and tissue paper that will have you singing in your studio. Monoprinting, & Other Finally, Linda Calverley will have you Printmaking Techniques searching through your recycle bins with presented by her workshop full of fantastic ideas for Cloth Paper Scissors® f you love mark making and surface rolling stamps. editor Jenn Mason design like we do here at Cloth Paper assistant editor Barbara Delaney Scissors®, you’ll love what we’ve Use these techniques alone or partner i creative services pulled together for your printmaking them with any one of the new division Art Director Larissa Davis techniques we bring to you in each, and pleasure. Whether you like to use Photographer Larry Stein every issue of Cloth Paper Scissors. printmaking as the focus of your art, or Projects and information are for inspiration and just as an integral layer, these workshops ­personal use only. Cloth paper Scissors® is not will offer you new techniques to try in ­responsible for any liability arising from errors, your next art session. ­omissions, or mistakes contained in this eBook, and readers should proceed cautiously, especially with First up are two workshops by Ruth Jenn Mason respect to technical information. Issett, that will walk you through the Editor Interweave Press LLC grants permission to photocopy process of printing with string, as well as any patterns published in this issue for personal use only.

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Block Printing, Monoprinting, & Other Printmaking Techniques presented by clothpaperscissors.com ©Interweave Press LLC 2 Adapted from Cloth Paper Scissors® Fall 2006

m at e r i a l s • A piece of foam core board cut to a reasonable size for ease in handling structure • Double-sided tape (Carpet tape will work.) • A dark marking pen and • Well-twisted string (It needs to color feel firm between your fingers. “Butcher” string works well.) • Brayer or print roller (not the soft sponge variety) any people who work with textiles, , and scissors find it quite • White acrylic paint (Liquitex®, difficult to draw with a pencil in their hand. However, if you ask them Golden®, or Rowney System 3 m brands work well.) to take a thread or piece of string and arrange it in the shape of an object, they • An assortment of smooth, white often manage to produce a very passable “drawing” or design. Somehow a papers: watercolor paper, white pencil or stick inhibits their fluency when creating a confident line to represent tissue, , and different an image. handmade Asian papers, such as Lokta or fine silk papers When developing a new series of work or even against a dramatic sunset. In • Stiff plastic sheet or protected sheet I often create a printing block or winter, the twigs are so noticeable when of glass for rolling out the paint stamp. Making a string block is very walking or driving. Gradually, as the • A large sheet of paper or plastic to satisfying: manipulating the string spring comes, they change color; new protect your work surface into position on a board, developing bark appears in bright reds, yellows, lime optional an elegant, powerful mark that gives greens, dark burgundy, and oranges. • Inks, diluted Procion® MX dyes, structure to the images printed. • or extended acrylic color To record these images, first you need The work included in this article to make your string block. Assemble the was stimulated by a study of winter materials listed and follow the directions Above left: Background paper inked and varnished then roller-printed with white trees—a bare hedgerow, just the below. acrylic, inked with Procion MX dye. Further branches, tightly packed and block printing in yellow and orange and then silhouetted against a cold gray sky, soft pencil detailing were added. by Ruth Issett

Block Printing, Monoprinting, & Other Printmaking Techniques presented by clothpaperscissors.com ©Interweave Press LLC 3 how to use printing to record these images making your string block 1. Completely cover one side of the board with the double-sided tape. It is very sticky and will hold the string in place when you are arranging your design.

2. Position your design, laying the string up and back down the same line, creating a double line. Initially, place the string lightly on the board to arrange the design, then press it into position once a pleasing arrangement is achieved. The string will twist in opposite directions preventing it from rolling off the block when pressed by a brayer or print roller. To create a strong, linear String print blocks design, let the string lay naturally in a strong fluid line. It is important to make sure that the string does not cross and avoid too many cut ends; try to have one continuous line, as much as possible.

3. Next take the brayer, firmly press the string onto the block, and then lightly coat the whole block (including the string and double- sided tape) with white acrylic paint. Take care not to over-saturate the string, as that will cause it to pull

Roller and block print in white on green Lokta paper, enhanced with dyes and acrylic colors.

Block Printing, Monoprinting, & Other Printmaking Techniques presented by clothpaperscissors.com ©Interweave Press LLC 4 Above: Images were roller- and block-printed in white and then printing inked with Procion MX dye. 1. Protect your printing table with a Left: Images were roller-printed large sheet of paper and gather your in shades of gray onto white paper and then block-printed supplies. in black. 2. Arrange your papers so that it is easy to select them once you start printing as ideas will come thick and fast!

3. Squeeze out a generous blob of white acrylic paint and roll the brayer in away from the double-sided tape. Use the acrylic, evenly coating the whole the brayer to work the paint into the surface. This may be a little difficult string to ensure the string absorbs at first, but do not press too hard. If the paint well. This helps to give the you press too hard, your brayer will block a strong absorbent surface. not turn smoothly, if at all. Let the block dry before printing as Become familiar with your brayer; do this allows the string to tighten and not rush, enjoy the feeling of gently ensures the string stays attached to coating it with acrylic. the board.

Block Printing, Monoprinting, & Other Printmaking Techniques presented by clothpaperscissors.com ©Interweave Press LLC 5 4. Carefully roll the brayer, coated with 5. Repeat steps 1–4 and then apply the so increase the pressure with each acrylic, across the surface of the block in another position to gradually rotation. block. Leave an even coating on the build up a repetitive image. note: No two brayer images will be the surface of the block; do not push same. The brayer can be rolled across the acrylic down between the string. printing from the block a number of times or in different Once the block is evenly coated, the brayer directions. Sometimes the image will even quickly place it onto your chosen Printing from the brayer will broaden become distorted. paper, press down hard, and then the range of images available. remove. 3. Allow the acrylic to dry and then 1. Evenly coat the brayer with acrylic paint over the image with inks, note: When working with white acrylic paint, making sure it is applied to the diluted Procion MX dyes, or extended it may be difficult to distinguish the printed whole surface. Press the brayer firmly acrylic color. Some of the white image on a white paper so try a tinted into the surface of the block and color instead. acrylic will absorb the inked color gently roll it across, watching the giving a tinted surface. negative image being revealed on the Finally, add additional drawing using surface of the brayer. colored pencils or pens to give extra tips 2. Carefully transfer the brayer print emphasis. onto your paper by slowly and gently • Further prints can be added using running it across, not pressing too other acrylic colors to build up the design ideas. hard, just firmly enough to allow the acrylic to transfer onto the paper • Try printing on colored papers, previously decorated papers with surface. But every rotation of the printed or painted surfaces, or brayer will remove a layer of acrylic, even onto collaged papers.

put more in your life fabric dXb\fm\ip. 28 texture FROM MISTAKE TO MASTERPIECE

Quilting Arts Magazine® explores ideas, textiles, and techniques for related to embellished and contemporary art quilting. Inside, tips QUILTentering SHOWS you’ll find design inspiration, directions, gorgeous step-by-step from photo photography,­ and for developing your personal style, to motivation ART QUILT p. 14 at all skill levels. Thread sketching made easy p. 46

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Block Printing, Monoprinting, & Other Printmaking Techniques presented by clothpaperscissors.com ©Interweave Press LLC 6 Adapted from Cloth Paper Scissors® Winter 2006

Stamps hand-carved out of lino offer great detail.

m at e r i a l s • A collection of simple, bold, paper shapes • A selection of papers for the background: tissue, watercolor paper, smooth drawing paper, Lokta, cotton rag, etc. • Lino and cutting tools, such as an X-Acto® knife, for making stamps • Acrylic paints • Glass with taped edges, or a laminate sheet, for spreading paint • Brayer or print roller floral frenzy • Water-based inks or dyes • Scissors combining color • Graphite and/or colored pencils note: Of course, it would be & monoprint techniques easier to use ready-made stamps to explore color combinations, ummertime offers so much inspiration for color. Gardens are full of but making your own print blocks offers the opportunity to study samazing combinations: suddenly blooms appear in unexpected hues in detail the shapes and lines of against lush foliage of citrus greens, olive greys, and deep red russets. flowers and foliage, adding to Somehow these riotous combinations should be recorded and stored for the your creative repertoire. dark and dreary days of winter. Building on the Structure and Color exquisite and versatile handmade lokta Workshop, let us examine how we papers on the planet. Lokta has four directions can use printing to record these color deckled edges and is a very strong fiber. 1. Begin by drawing or collaging simple combinations and develop ideas for This bush completely regenerates in flower and foliage shapes. Petals can design, drawing, and collage projects about four years after being cut to about be oval, angular, frilly, and trumpet- year-round. six inches from the ground. Therefore, shaped, with the leaves thin, fat, the cultivation of this “tree-free paper” Lokta paper, or Lama-Li, is cultivated curved, and serrated. If drawing is is an eco-friendly resource and a reliable from the Daphne bush that grows high difficult, try tearing or cutting the revenue stream for the village artisans of in the Himalayan mountain region of shapes from different colored papers, Nepal’s rural and urban areas. Nepal. Tibetan refugees create the most even dividing the leaves where

by Ruth Issett

Block Printing, Monoprinting, & Other Printmaking Techniques presented by clothpaperscissors.com ©Interweave Press LLC 7 rag paper

The symbol of quality is still a paper that is made from 100 percent cotton rags. At one time, rag meant cotton taken exclusively from cotton textile remnants. Now very few cotton papers are made from rags, either entirely or partially. The difference between true rag papers and cotton papers made from linters is that the rags have longer cotton fibers and the weaving seems to add strength. Today rag and cotton are terms that are virtually interchangeable.

a brush, paint the color onto your stamp, making sure that the whole area is evenly covered with acrylic.

5. Place your papers onto a pad of newspaper and press the coated the veins come. Make a collection 4. Gather a small selection of acrylic stamp (block) onto the paper surface. of these simple, bold shapes that colors such as lemon yellow, Remove the stamp and reveal the combine to build an interesting cadmium yellow, scarlet, magenta, reversed print. Print the stamp arrangement. cobalt and turquoise blue, and white. repeatedly, altering the color by Squeeze a good blob of color onto a 2. Take a piece of stamp-printing adding different paint colors to create flat, shiny surface such as the piece material such as lino and cut a secondary colors. of glass or the laminated sheet. Using simple stamp. Choose a piece about 4" × 6", so it is easy to hold in your hand and a good width to ink with a brayer (roller).

3. Select some of the flower and leaf shapes and trace them directly onto the surface of your stamp making sure that the lines are clear and strong, giving a fluid movement, and that both the positive and negative areas read well.

Above: Simple block and brayer printing on paper and on cotton muslin (calico), both printed first then over-inked or -dyed. Right: Various papers were glued together to create a varied surface, printed with shades of yellow and orange, inked with turquoise and magenta ink, and further enhanced with colored pencil.

Block Printing, Monoprinting, & Other Printmaking Techniques presented by clothpaperscissors.com ©Interweave Press LLC 8 6. Try printing the designs adjacent to 2. Wash these transparent colors over each other, overlaid and inverted, to your dry prints, making sure to color see what variety of images you can all of the background and making a create. It is interesting to try printing vibrant contrast to the printed color. on colored paper; try light blue paper Sometimes the ink will rest on the with different shades of yellows and acrylic color; if you don’t like this oranges mixed from the yellows, effect, wipe it away with a scarlet or magenta, and add a small while it’s still wet. quantity of white. By inking with a vibrant contrasting note: It is easy to produce a number of color, exciting compositions can be prints very quickly, so it is worth preparing created. Try painting dark color over your papers before you have begun light prints such as purple over yellow printing. Gather together a variety of and orange or turquoise over scarlet. different surfaces—tissue, colored paper, Areas that have been printed with as well as good, smooth drawing paper. Collage together a number of papers of additional white can become quite similar weight but different types: smooth luminous when inked with a contrasting cardstock, brown paper, and handmade color. Asian papers such as Lokta or cotton rag. Once the glue has dried, print the take it further papers with your stamp and be prepared for variation in the prints because of the Having printed and over-inked your differing paper surfaces. papers, the next challenge is to further embellish, enhance, and enjoy. 7. Finally, print onto papers that you This can be done in a number of ways. have already colored with other drawing media such as Shiva® 1. Select areas of the printed papers Paintstiks®, pre-inked papers, or and begin to cut into them using a commercially printed papers such as craft knife or scissors. Cut around magazine photographs. (If using the the printed shapes leaving areas of latter, you will have to obscure the the inked paper as a contrast. Make a image with your stamp in order to collection of cut images— leaves and avoid copyright infringement.) You flowers, even copying some shapes. may even find that when a print is Drawing on this cotton rag paper was done with 2. Spend time arranging the pieces Shiva Paintstiks, over-inked, and allowed to dry. very wet a quick contact print can be onto a different background, either Printing from a stamp and a brayer were added and, when dry, over-inked. made by lightly pressing a a contrasting color or a different onto the wet acrylic. printed surface. Sometimes floral Once your prints are dry, the real work prints look wonderful when displayed begins and everything comes alive. on a geometric patterned background tip or a patchwork of plain, colored over-ink it papers. Try using a brayer for a different application. Shade the colors 1. Get together some transparent 3. Cut larger areas of the prints and when rolling them, thus producing coloring media: Procion® MX dye place them with areas of other prints variegated bands of color. While 1 (mixed as an ink, roughly ⁄4 teaspoon that you have on hand. applying the color with a brayer, of dye powder to a cup of warm try creating a reverse print off water), Koh-I-Noor® (water-based 4. Arrange areas of complementary the brayer; this will often result in solid-color papers to frame the flower inks that come in little solid pans) or wonderful distorted prints, weirdly shapes, to give contrast, or to make shaped flowers and leaves, as well you can use commercial inks. connections. as negative linear patterns.

Block Printing, Monoprinting, & Other Printmaking Techniques presented by clothpaperscissors.com ©Interweave Press LLC 9 drawing selective to yield variety and tonal areas. Shade the colors, use difference. complementary colors, or add Once the printing and gluing is finished different tones to the colored paper. you may feel very happy with the pieces 3. Select some colored pencils that Use the pencils to create large slabs you have produced. are slightly darker or lighter than of color or fine detailed lines. the original print and start to draw However, it is still possible to further into the acrylic printing. Gently Embellishing and enriching the print enhance your work with gentle and rub the colored pencil across the and the inked surface can be very sometimes subtle additions. Amazingly, print surface, gradually building the absorbing and fun. it is quite possible to add additional color. You may even find that it is graphite or colored pencil to both the These paper ideas can be enjoyed for exciting to add a small amount of acrylic printing and/or the background, themselves or can be added to a design a contrasting color to your piece— inked paper. portfolio to build ideas for future hand- bright lime green to a deep orange or dyed and printed fabrics. 1. Select a soft pencil or graphite stick a soft salmon color to a bright yellow. and gently draw into the background As you apply the pencil coloring paper around the printed area, you will find that the actual print shading and emphasising the printed has different surface levels; a ridge pattern. Let the shading become along the edge of the print gives a darker in some areas, lighter in defined line. Draw up to this line to r e s o u r c e s others. emphasize the color contrasts. Specialty papers, inks, dyes, and 2. As you work, stand back and view 4. Finally, use the colored pencils to stamp-carving supplies your work, gradually adding greater enhance the dry, inked surfaces • artvango.co.uk emphasis in some areas. Take care around the print, carefully adding • dickblick.com not to cover the whole print. Be detailed color between the printed

Below: Printed with a PZ Kut block and a leaf block created from foam core board and Funky Foam. Prints were cut, rearranged, and enhanced with colored and graphite pencils.

Above: Printed, brayer-printed, and inked papers were cut, composed, and enhanced with additional papers and drawing.

Block Printing, Monoprinting, & Other Printmaking Techniques presented by clothpaperscissors.com ©Interweave Press LLC 10 Adapted from Cloth Paper Scissors® March/April 2007 variations on a theme

t is ubiquitous, inexpensive, and you’ve been using it for iart projects from the time you made “stained glass” in kindergarten. Yes, tissue paper is one art material we can all afford and find almost everywhere we shop. Visit the right stores and you might even get it for free. There are many easy ways to transform this humble material into art paper that can add layers of depth and translucency to your artwork. I find the best way to ensure an interesting and complex pattern on tissue paper is to spread it out on a plastic-covered floor or circle of tables and make marks on the individual sheets of tissue paper in a round-robin really quite easy to make fashion. Put on some music and think of your own. You can also printing a symphony. Move from sheet be sure your work will be to sheet while repeating motifs and mark unique if you take a few making among the sheets; you want minutes to make both repetition and variation. But keep your own stamps. in mind that it’s important to have some making printing plain areas as well as a place to rest your blocks eye in your collage. On the positive side, making a stamp by printing carving pre-made printing blocks with linoleum tissue paper carving tools really is easy. I carve the block making your freehand, but you can own stamps draw your design on Of course, you could use commercial the block with a pen stamps to print your tissue paper, but it’s before you begin. On the negative side, it is difficult to obtain by Virginia A. Spiegel a good print with the

4 Printmaking Workshops for Mixed-media Art presented by clothpaperscissors.com ©Interweave Press LLC 11 4" × 6" blocks I like to print. But since them right into a dishpan of water to m at e r i a l s I’m building up layers of marks on the soak as I finish using them. tissue paper, I actually prefer the less- • Tissue paper (I like Blick™ Art moldable foam stamps Tissue as it tends not to bleed, but than-perfect marks. I generally leave the If you’re not ready to carve your own I have used even the cheapest printing blocks unmounted so I can toss blocks, an easier method is to use brands with success.) moldable foam stamps. The basic • Acrylic paint, such as Createx™ Acrylic Colors technique is to heat the foam block with a heat gun until it is glossy and then • Foam brushes press the block onto 3-D objects such a • Palette (such as a 12"-square sheet of Plexiglas®) washers, match sticks, or nails. I have discovered that you can make different • Printing blocks stamps on both the front and back of the • Linoleum block cutting tools (I like the Speedball brand as it has many block. interchangeable blades.) stamping • Moldable foam stamps • 6–10 Thermofax® screens of words 1. Squeeze blobs of paint out on and images your palette. In order to have a • Markers (such as Sharpie® or coordinating set of papers to use, Zig®) choose no more than 5–7 colors of • Heat gun paint to use on one “set” of tissue paper. Lay out 2 or 3 colors of paint at a time on the palette, starting with keep printing with your stamp even the lightest colors. when only parts of it are covered in 2. Take a 2" foam brush and drag it paint and the layer of paint becomes Above: Patterning here was created using an through the edge of the lightest color E-Z-Cut printing block thinner. You will automatically of paint you want to use. You want Below: Stamps for this printing were created be creating variation within the with moldable foam and vintage letter stamps. the brush to be covered with paint repetition. but not have big globs, so stroke the Don’t worry about creating beautiful brush a few times on your palette (or compositions of color and pattern at this on a piece of paper or fabric) before stage; the printed tissue paper is only the you begin. raw material for your later collages. 3. Brush a very thin coat of paint on your carved block or moldable foam random stamp. The advantage of using a foam mark making brush is that you can walk among As you finish stamping with each color your papers and start a rhythm: of paint, clean your brush by walking swipe the brush on the block, print, around and randomly swiping the brush swipe, and print. Pick up more paint or twisting it around on your tissue and continue. Move to the next sheet papers. Make a variety of random marks. of tissue paper and repeat. Since You will be amazed at how much paint you will be layering your marks, remains in a foam brush.

Block Printing, Monoprinting, & Other Printmaking Techniques presented by clothpaperscissors.com ©Interweave Press LLC 12 Above left: Screenprinting on tissue with black and red. Above right: Handwriting can personalize a piece. Allow it to flow across the . In this sample black script is over-written in the opposite direction with red.

If you work from light to dark paints, much paint and doesn’t give me enough I add a layer of writing using markers. you won’t need to change brushes as you flexibility. I do this even if I have stamped or will be “cleaning” the brush as you make screenprinted words previously 1. Run the foam brush through a blob your random marks. Just pick up a new because, as in carving your own stamps, of paint on your palette and paint paint color and continue with the stamp handwriting adds a personal and unique once or twice on the palette (or scrap you were using previously or start with a look to your artwork. paper or fabric) to make sure the new stamp. layer of paint is thin and smooth. Start with a great big marker such as Before moving on to another technique, a Super Sharpie, since we are thinking 2. Take your screen, lay it on a piece of it’s time to check your tissue paper. Are big and swoopy in our actions here. I tissue paper, and, grasping the brush there still open spaces on your tissue like writing that can almost be read. very low on the handle, swipe it paper? Good! To achieve this, write quickly and over the screen. Two or 3 swipes will continuously, letting the marker flow usually print the entire screen, but I screen­printing over the paper. Forget about being prefer to print just bits and pieces of concise and neat and don’t worry about The easiest way to make screens for each screen on each piece of tissue the content. screenprinting is to use a Thermofax paper. machine or to purchase the screens Think about your topic and just start I don’t clean the screen or the brush from a Thermofax printing service. writing; emphasize the downward loops between colors, but try to work from the (Quilting Arts Magazine, Winter 2003, of the letters p and f, the upward loops of lightest colors of paint to the darkest. has an article by Maggie Weiss on the letters d and b, and keep the letters When you are done with a screen, lay it working with the Thermofax either very tight together or very far immediately in a small dishpan or sink machine.) As with the paint you apart. Again, there is no need to strive with a couple of inches of water in it. choose for your tissue paper, you for a beautiful composition here; you You can then continue painting without want a coordinated suite of 6–10 are creating raw materials to use in your having to stop and clean your screens. screens with images and words related collages. to a topic. markers I use a 3" foam brush for screenprinting Writing always adds a layer of on tissue paper. I find the normal information and mystery to a collage, screenprinting squeegee applies too so sometime in the process of painting

Block Printing, Monoprinting, & Other Printmaking Techniques presented by clothpaperscissors.com ©Interweave Press LLC 13 Virginia’s fabric postcard “Tree, Wood, Paper”. artist trading card or fiber art postcard directions your ATC or fabric postcard, coat the 5. Finish by using a paint or gold leaf front of the board completely marker to color the edges of the ATC 1. Cut a piece of mat board to or fabric postcard. 1⁄ 1⁄ with glue using the 1" brush. Adhere 2 2" × 3 2" for the ATC and 4" × 6" a large piece of your printed tissue for the fabric postcard. www.virginiaspiegel.com paper to cover the front of the mat 2. Put a glob of Sobo Glue on a piece board completely. of waxed paper. For an easy start to 3. Smooth down the tissue paper and then turn the mat board over r e s o u r c e s m at e r i a l s and, using the rotary cutter on the self‑healing mat, trim the edges of block printing tools and materials • Mat board the tissue paper even with the mat • speedballart.com • Sobo Glue® 800-898-7224 board. • 1" inexpensive, natural bristle • dickblick.com paintbrush 4. Add additional layers of tissue paper 800-828-4548 • Rotary cutter to the mat board by coating the back Thermofax machine and supplies • Self-sealing cutting mat of small pieces of tissue paper with • welshproducts.com • Paint or gold leaf marker glue and placing them on top of the 800-745-3255 • Prepared tissue papers previous layer. • ebay.com

Block Printing, Monoprinting, & Other Printmaking Techniques presented by clothpaperscissors.com ©Interweave Press LLC 14 m at e r i a l s • Recycled items to use as rollers: roll out the anything cylindrical (such as hard paper towel tubes or a plastic soda bottle) or wheel shaped (round with a flat edge) backgrounds • Found objects to use as pattern makers, such as heavy lace, string, or open-weave fabric make your own rolling • Fun foam (funky foam), available in sheets stamps for paper and fabric • Scissors—large and small (For have been making flat stamps for some time, but the rolling ones are fairly small fiddly bits, curvy nail scissors work well.) new to me. It started when I bought a cheap set of tiny rolling stamps for i • All-purpose adhesive such as children. I thought I might be able to alter them by fixing my own designs on UHU® (It must be a strong glue, them, but I admit I failed. However, it did get my creative juices “rolling,” and or the shapes will come off when washed.) I came up with ideas using recycled items, bits and pieces from my treasure • Craft knife drawers (junk), and fun foam. Be prepared to get your fingers dirty...and be • Pinking shears/decorative edge warned: it can become addictive. craft scissors • Revolving punch pliers for different note: Fun foam is very easy to cut. Strips size holes directions of fun foam can be cut with pinking shears, a craft knife, or fancy craft ­scissors, and • Roller paint—acrylic, poster, ink fun foam holes can be made with punch pliers. pads, etc. 1. Measure the amount of foam you • Background paints—acrylic wash, will need by wrapping it around 2. Draw your design directly onto the watercolor, Brusho (pigment powder), dye solution, fabric your selected roller and marking foam, or draw it on paper first and paints, etc. it. When measuring the width, be then copy it onto the foam. For a • Paintbrushes and/or paint rollers sure to leave a space at each end of “repeating” pattern the design will • Paper and/or fabric to print on the roller for your fingers. Measure need to match the circumference and at the same • Tape or pins cut. Double check to be place, top and • Plastic to protect work surface sure the foam fits the roller before doing by Linda Calverley anything else, and make adjustments as necessary.

Block Printing, Monoprinting, & Other Printmaking Techniques presented by clothpaperscissors.com ©Interweave Press LLC 15 bottom, where the ends meet. To side by side until the do this, fold over the 2 ends or hold sheet (fabric or the foam in place around the roller, paper) is filled. matching the edges together, and 9. Most rollers can mark the foam where the pattern be rinsed under needs to join. Place a join in the the tap after use. most suitable place. Some patterns If it is a cardboard don’t need to repeat, they look fine as roller, just wipe it blocks of pattern. with a damp cloth. 3. Glue the foam to the roller, matching where required. Allow to dry. textile

4. Cover your flat printing surface with patterns plastic, then tape your fabric or paper You can use lace, trims, to it. textured fabrics, cord, knitting samples, etc., 5. Using a brush, apply color to the or even embossed patterned area on the roller or just . to selected parts. (If your design is large, a paint roller will give you 1. Look at the lace (or more even coverage for applying other patterned material) to paint.) determine how big the repeat is and find a roller that it will fit. (If 6. Start rolling at one end of your not 1 repeat, try 2, 3, or 4 repeats.) fabric or paper and work toward the other end. Some of the rollers can 2. Wrap the lace around your selected be used like a rolling pin. Most need roller and mark where it should be to be guided with your fingers, quite cut. ideas for firmly: with each hand, use your 3. Cut it to size and recheck that it fits rollers index finger above, middle finger to before gluing it to the chosen roller. the side, and your thumb guiding & patterns 4. Use acrylic paint to make your first from the back. If there is no space on rollers: plastic bottles; denture print, and then let the roller dry with the edge for your fingers, you may tablet tubes; wine corks (rubbery have to place them on the painted the paint left on. Once dry, the paint ones); thick, strong cardboard from area. It is quite messy and sometimes will act as a coating on the textile and rolls of tape; cylindrical polystyrene; finger marks are left in the painted the roller can then be washed after containers from gravy granules and salt; empty thread spools; toy area, but these look like part of the the next use. This only works on a non-porous roller. rolling pins; sponge craft rollers pattern when a topcoat of color is with handles; spongy tube pipe applied. If the roller is hollow in the insulation; wooden dowels; tins; center, you can guide it by inserting empty aerosol cans your fingers there. patterns: lace and trim (the thicker type works best), zippers, 7. After rolling is completed, and the curtain heading tape, netting found paint or ink has dried, a colored on the back of small ceramic tiles, wash can be applied over the top. patterned textured fabric such as Alternatively you could start with a dish cloths, wallpaper, sinamay colorwash before you do any rolling mesh or other open-weave fabric, on of color. jute, cord, string, purchased foam shapes, knitting, doilies (crochet 8. For an all-over pattern, roll from end rather than paper) to end with the “stripes” of pattern

Block Printing, Monoprinting, & Other Printmaking Techniques presented by clothpaperscissors.com ©Interweave Press LLC 16 note: Knitting becomes soggy when washed and takes too long to dry, so it’s better to leave the paint to dry on the roller tips after each use. • Acrylic paints can be used with the • The paint will last longer on the stamps, but if you’re printing on bigger rollers as they cover a larger wine bottle corks fabric, use fabric paint, silk paints, area. The paint will become lighter or dyes for the background colors. the farther you roll, but there are Corks can be cut (carefully) with a craft Acrylics can leave the fabric quite some nice effects when the paint is knife. Simple marks can make a nice stiff. Thickened dyes are another quite light. Apply more paint to the pattern. A simple, long, thin triangle alternative. roller if it becomes too faint, even if from the edge is an example. • If some areas don’t print well, it’s halfway across the page. Rolling a pattern with a cork is time you can cut the best areas out for • Experiment on scrap paper to check collage, or disguise the bad bits the amount of paint required for consuming as the cork is small with more stamping on top. your chosen roller and effect. Add so you will have to roll it many times. water to the paint as required; it Also, corks cannot hold a lot of paint may need to be a little runnier for so you will probably have to apply fabric. paint for every “roll.” spongy tube • Build up layers of pattern by using one roller on top of another after If you want a bigger roller, glue funky pipe insulation allowing the first one to dry. foam onto the cork. Let the edges of the This is really easy to cut with a craft • If you really don’t want to get paint ends meet, but don’t overlap them. (I knife and it is easy to use. on your fingers, make all your used this system on an old craft sponge 1. Draw your design on the tube with a rollers using kids’ craft rollers with roller: I removed the sponge and glued marker. handles. Remove the sponge and fun foam in its place. I used 2 layers of replace it with fun foam, building foam plus a layer with a foam pattern— 2. Carefully carve out the pattern areas up the layers to make it fatter and 3 layers in with a craft knife. firmer, but don’t overlap the foam. Decorative paint rollers, wallpaper total.) 3. Apply paint and roll as above. These seam rollers, or lint rollers could tubes can be rinsed under tap water also be an option, although I after use. haven’t tried these—yet. Or, just wear gloves when you paint. linsart.co.uk • Some of the rollers leave a better impression than others. For instance, a pattern made in fun foam using punch pliers can create a pattern that looks more like lace than real lace. • Some rollers will last longer than others. Use them as long as possible and then discard. • If you want a section without patterning, mask the area with paper before rolling. • Roll some patterns with a deep paint color, allow them to dry, and then scan them into the computer. They make wonderful backgrounds for your digital work.

Block Printing, Monoprinting, & Other Printmaking Techniques presented by clothpaperscissors.com ©Interweave Press LLC 17