GRAPHIC ARTS


LINOLEUM BLOCK PRINTING

 Christmas cards, book illustrations, calendars, fabric designs,
 gift wrapping paper, bookbinding end sheets or covers, scarfs, cur-
 tains for the play house, place mats, and many other useful and attrac-
 tive problems may be met through the use of the block print.

 Although block prints were for many years made from wood, it
 has been found that they may be made from many materials in a
 simple manner by children at very little cost. One of the most satis-
 factory of these is the linoleum block print. Unmounted battleship
 linoleum is less expensive than the mounted blocks. Scraps may
 often be had free of charge from a friendly floor covering or linoleum
 store. However, if such generosity is not available, battleship lino-
 leum may be purchased for approximately sixty cents per square foot
 from any good craft supply house. This will make twelve three by
 four inch blocks which will average about five cents each. If it is
 desired to print these on a press, the linoleum may be mounted on
 wooden blocks of the needed thickness.
 i. Plan a simple design the same size as the linoleum block. The best
 results are obtained by beginners if the design is drawn with a
 small brush and white paint on dark colored paper.
 2. Any lettering should be simple, large, and transferred in reverse.
 3. The design may be reversed on the block by tracing over the de-
 sign placed on a piece of carbon which is face up. Trace the design
 which is on the back side of the paper onto the block. If the dark
 carbon does not show on the dark linoleum, paint the linoleum
 with a thin coat of white paint and then trace.
 4. Cut out, with a linoleum
 tool or single edge razor blade
 the lines made by the brush
 and white paint on the orig-
 inal sketch. Insist that all cut
 edges have firm foundations
 or the print will not be clear.
 Use care to avoid cut fingers.
 5. Squeeze a small amount of
 ink onto the metal, glass,
 or marble slab and spread
 evenly with a brayer or roll-
 er. Run the roller over the
 linoleum until it is covered
 with the ink. Print on any
 absorbent paper slightly
 larger than the linoleun
 block. Newsprint or tissue
 wrapping paper is excellent.