Registration advice for printing repeating pattern

rebstone · #1 09-13-2012, 04:45 PM

I carved several 12" x 12" unmounted linoleum blocks with repeating pattern designs, but I've been having problems with registration and wondered if anyone might have some advice. I ended up with four blocks that can repeat with themselves and with each other.

I was most successful with registration when I cut out cardboard handles that I taped to the back of the block when placing my block on paper/fabric to line up the block with what had been printed before, but the registration still isn't as accurate as I would like (see the pattern_on_fabric.jpg image). I also tried placing the blocks by hand without the handles, but that was even less accurate.

I don't seem to have a steady enough hand or something when it comes to lining things up, so if anyone has any suggestions, it would be greatly appreciated.

I have attached a few images. The first is of one of the linoleum blocks, the second is of the cardboard handles (I know it's a little crazy), and the third is the patterns printed on fabric using the cardboard handles.

35mm · #2 09-15-2012, 08:02 PM

At some places it looks like the pattern widths are different where they are suppose to lineup. It is especially prevalent in your third picture, far right top, on the left and bottom sides of that block. At some places it's perfect and it looks great, but in others it looks wrong; The line widths don't meet up. Did you carve the blocks next to each other? Is there a margin on the blocks? Did you pull a paper proof right side up? You might consider carving on a wide roll next time to get around the block placement problem.
If you have carved to the edge of the blocks it should (ha) be easier to line things up. If you've left a standard margin around the blocks, what about using a placement frame? Place the guide frame, and using two sides as bumpers place your stamps. Use wood cut to width for the block margins if any. Nice pattern tho. Love to see it in a brighter color.

35mm · #3 09-16-2012, 01:26 PM

I've thought a little more about your predicament overnight. Using a registration frame such as clear plexiglass cut into an "L" should solve your problem. If you are carving a block with margins you'll need to either mark the plexi with graduations like a ruler to accurately offset the frame for correct block placement or insert small pieces of plexi to make up for the margins. Since a registration frame can be bumped out of registration, cut a big enough piece of plexi to lay a paper covered brick or sandbag on for weight to prevent movement. Sandbags would be best and can be made easily.

I'm glad you bought up this question. I have been thinking about printing on fabric for awhile now, especially on t-shirts. What ink are you using? Of what purpose is the print; clothing wear, wallpaper, screen, covering etc?

rebstone · #4 09-17-2012, 12:54 AM

I'm not sure what you mean about carving the blocks next to each other. I started by carving the block pictured in the attachment to my original post. I then drew my second pattern on a second block and made sure everything lined up by using a t-square and ruler before carving the second block and so on. I also checked the blocks against each other afterward. There is no margin on the blocks. I suspect the reason the lines look like they don't line up in places is because my registration is off. Also, my professor made me paranoid about not leaving any gaps, so there's a little bit of an overlap that throws off the lines matching up.

I realize I forgot to mention that I printed using a press so that I could place the blocks upside down onto the fabric in an attempt to get the registration correct.

I haven't used a registration frame before, definitely something to think about.

I'm taking a printmaking class, so I use whatever ink the professor buys. I'll have to check the brand, but I know the ink is an oil ink. I also added a small amount of burnt plate oil to the ink. Right now, I use the print as a wall hanging. I would love to make an item of clothing, like a skirt, but I'm limited in what I can do because I don't have access to a sewing machine. I printed on cotton fabric, so it would probably be similar to printing on a t-shirt. I lightly misted the fabric with water before placing the blocks down to print.

35mm · #5 09-17-2012, 05:27 PM

Just to know, what size are those blocks and what kind of press are you using?

rebstone · #6 09-20-2012, 09:36 PM

I am using 12" x 12" unmounted linoleum blocks. The press I have been using is made by Takach Press, model #3460, with about a 33" x 60" press bed.

joepalumbo · #7 09-23-2012, 11:39 PM

Have you solved your problem yet? I am going to try some freehand fabric block print patterns (no press) sometime in the future so knowing more now would be great.

So when you run it through the press does the fabric stretch at all? Even a little bit? Maybe measure the 12x12 on the printed fabric and see if it is still truly 12x12 and all perfect 90° angles. If not, that could be the problem. Just speculation since it is rather odd that they do not line up yet there are no gaps between each print.

Regarding the overlap you mentioned...it seems that you said you are using multiple blocks. If that's the case, you will never get them to line up if you print, say, 4 blocks lined up in a square. How would they overlap if they were next to one another? I would imagine you'd have to print each block one at a time to line up the overlap perfectly. If you were working with x number of blocks and you have cut them to the edge with no margin and they line up when arranged on a table it seems like there should be no reason anything should be off. I don't know maybe mount all your blocks to a piece of masonite so you can see the alignment, then flip it onto our material before running it? Or redo it on a wide roll like 35mm suggested. I think I'm just confused about the overlap and how you attempted to achieve it.

Sorry if I misunderstood anything. All the information is in different posts and I tried to put it all together the best I could.

rebstone · #8 09-27-2012, 05:52 PM

Hi joepalumbo,

I haven't had a chance to print yet. Unfortunately, I've been sick lately and was working on some other projects too. The fabric probably does stretch some, I used a very light-weight cotton to print on.

I printed each block one at a time. I did not build in an overlap into the blocks, so I know that would effect things from lining up perfectly. I did, however, try to make the overlap very slight, so I feel like there should be a way for it not to look as bad as it does, but it may be a lost cause. I'm thinking that using a registration frame would allow me to minimize the overlap. I think there should be a little bit of overlap, at least so there isn't a blank line of cloth showing. I may just need to redesign the patterns to have an overlap built in.

The problem with printing on a wide roll is that I want to print on 1-2 yards of fabric, both of which are bigger than the press bed, so I have to fold the fabric. To do the repeat, I would still need to print the bigger block more than once. You might have better luck using a wide roll if the printing isn't done on a press. That way, the block can be as big as you want. One problem I can see with using a bigger block is that the bigger the block is, the harder it is to place properly, at least for me anyway. I had a hard time with placement just using 12" x 12" blocks.

Do you know what you're going to do with your finished print? I haven't tried printing on fabric without a press. Are you planning to place the blocks upside down on the fabric? If so, what do you do to get a nice print? I've seen some youtube videos where people use their body weight by stepping on the blocks. Have you tried that method?

Let me know if you have any other questions.

joepalumbo · #9 10-02-2012, 12:55 AM

yea, I see your problem. Well, I hope you figure out a good system. Would like to hear if you find something that you become comfortable with.
I hear you on the difficulty of placement with larger blocks + the looseness of fabric.

As for me, I will eventually make a pink print (image and text) onto a piece of dark blue polyester (?) or poly/cotton. There will only be one block on this one so it will be good practice just for the inking/printing part. As for HOW I plan on doing it will be the following:

1) build a canvas stretcher to stretch fabric over. The depth of the stretcher bars will be about 1" and I think the block would be about 7/8" - 15/16")

2) stretch fabric over the stretcher bars so that the side to be printed on will be on the inside of the bars and not the outside like a painters canvas.

3) lay block (12ish x 18ish) faceup on table/floor and ink-up

4) cover block with stretched fabric frame so that the whole canvas covers the block--like a box covering a smaller box. Depending on the height of my block and the depth of my stretcher bars (I will try to get this just right) there should be a fraction of an inch gap --about 1/16"--between the fabric and the block.

5) at this point I should be able to burnish the fabric as I would if I were using paper.

6) after it dries I'll unmount the fabric from the stretcher and flip it around and mount it so the image is on the outside. Alignment will happen at this step and will not totally necessary in the beginning.

I see how this would not work for your situation. But maybe you can devise something similar to suit the scale of your prints.

OR, something crazy like mount the cut linoleum onto a cement tube (these are very large and strong) and then fill it with some quick dry cement for weight, then rooooll out your design onto the fabric. I don't really recommend this but it would be fun to try.

Anyway. I was also going to just try to print simple patterns on fabric and the girlfriend was going to sew them up into whatever she wanted. Patterns wouldn't be as full as yours but I'll probably have trim elements; something simpler. I guess this is mostly why I was interested in your post/problem.

rebstone · #10 10-24-2012, 08:49 PM

I have a system that I have tried once and seems to work pretty well. I experimented with a 9" x 12" unmounted linoleum block on a small piece of fabric that was 18" x 22." I had some trouble printing because I was using water based ink for the first time (I bought water based fabric ink that is set by ironing), but the registration definitely improved.

I ended up buying a carpenter square, which is basically a ruler shaped into a right angle. I figured it would be a lot more accurate than something I made myself. The outer edge of the carpenter square was 24" x 16" and the inner edge was I think about 21" x 15." I marked where to place my block for the repeat using masking tape on the carpenter square. If you look at the bottom of the fabric and the right side, the registration looks pretty good. The top left and top middle don't look as good because I mistakenly decided I could place one of the blocks without using the carpenter square as my guide.

I taped the outer edge of the carpenter square to a piece of newsprint and taped the back of the cloth down on the newsprint as well. I discovered the ink I bought (Permaset Aqua Fabric ink), is really tacky and the newsprint and fabric sticks to it like crazy, so next time, I'm planning to tape the fabric to acetate instead.

To print my block, I lined up my linoleum against the edge of the carpenter square. Using a carpenter square also allowed me to make the overlap between the repeats minimal. The carpenter square was also low enough that I could run it through the press along with the block.

I have attached an image of the finished piece and a cropped image showing how one block looks, so you can see how the block repeats.

joepalumbo:

Good luck on your project.

**bridog** · #11 10-27-2012, 11:07 AM

another suggestion...instead of taping the fabric why not apply a thin layer of tack spray adhesive to the back of some heavier paper such as bristol board. Set your fabric over top and gently press it onto the sticky board. This will help keep it from moving during printing. I screen printed stencil images onto cotton tshirts once upon a time and found the tack spray applied to the shirt insert kept the fabric stationary and nice & flat for printing on. I found that when I removed the fabric there was very little residue from the tack spray on the surface. Any would also probably wash out post printing and heatset or air curing of your ink. I am sure the same would apply for block printing a pattern onto lightweight fabric such as the one you have been using. Good luck.

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