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  • #989679
    Miffsey
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        Hey there Wet Canvas,

        When googling around to try and work out what was going wrong with my printing, troubleshooting in this forum kept coming up. Whilst none of it quite answered my questions, I thought you guys must be the best to ask!

        I literally cut my first lino board and made my first lino print yesterday. I didn’t have a glass sheet to roll my ink out onto (I used the back of a catalogue!), so wasn’t surprised when my first experiments turned out patchy. But that’s what experimenting’s about: just working out how the materials function. I’ve mostly been printing onto copier paper, but have made 2 prints onto Daler-Rowney 220gsm, and am noticing the same problem with this paper also.

        The problem is: no matter how much or little ink I use, and whether I apply it with a brayer or a paintbrush, the ink doesn’t seem to want to stay spread on the block. Like it’s being resisted, it kinda globs back together, creating oddly speckled prints. I am wondering if it is a problem with the ink. Although I can’t find any online criticisms of the one I’m using (Ocaldo Water Colour; Brilliant Blue), I wonder if it’s not thick enough. I can’t seem to layer the ink much more thickly on the block without taking it back off again. And I read on another thread that rolling the brayer in the ink should sound like ripping velcro apart – it was far too smooth for that until I tried a hair dryer on it!

        Has anyone had any experience with this particular ink?

        Obviously will link to pictures when I’m allowed.

        Oh, am in the UK in case that makes a difference re what’s available

        #1162352
        bridog
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            I think Ocaldo inks are a mix of a pigment held together using gum arabic binder. Sounds perhaps like the ink may have separation occuring? You could try emptying the container, giving it a good mix and putting it back into the same or another container somehow (maybe using a small funnel).
            If this doesn’t work let me know…perhaps something on the surface of your lino is causing resistance such as a build up of linseed oil in patches? As the Ocaldo is water based oil will resist it.

            [FONT="Book Antiqua"]The artist is nothing without the gift, but the gift is nothing without work. Emile Zola

            www.myprintmakingjourney.blogspot.com
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            #1162350
            Diane Cutter
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                I don’t have experience with Ocaldo, so can’t help there.

                For an inking area, when I’ve been traveling, I’ve used a cheap frame from the thrift store. Make sure the glass is large enough to be able to roll easily. These you can find for around 25 cents or so.

                Another great inking slab… check with your local glass company. Often they have very thick odd sizes of glass left over from other projects. I actually got my two free. Make sure they rub down the edges and then, when home, cover the edges with tape to avoid getting cut. At most you’ll have a great inking area you’ll use the rest of your life for around $10.

                Regarding the resist… you might want to rub some super fine sand paper over the surface. That might give the surface more ‘tact’.

                Once you have two posts you can upload the piece so we can have a better look at it. Welcome to the inky side of the art world…

                Diane

                #1162354
                Miffsey
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                    Ah yes, I spent so long writing that first post, I forgot to mention that I had luckily picked up a cheap frame as an inking surface this morning; results were better but not right yet (but thank you for the advice).

                    These are some interesting solutions. Do you ever find that you have to sand the lino surface yourselves? Will also try washing it with detergent.

                    #1162355
                    Miffsey
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                        Here are pictures of the prints: http://s152.photobucket.com/albums/s170/Miffsible/Printing%20experiments/

                        These are mostly different attempts, with ink applied in different amounts, and with brayer or brush.

                        #1162351
                        Diane Cutter
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                            Nice print and well planned with lots of inked areas to minimize problems. I can see what you are talking about… almost like the ink has clumped up and then skipped. The bright side is that at least it’s consistent through the print… but that’s not a solution.

                            I’m of the mind that the problem is more with the lino than the ink. Lino is kind of oily by nature and often printmakers will give the surface a quick rub with superfine sandpaper before cutting. I have to qualify that because I never have.

                            It looks as though there must be some kind of oily or greasy mix on the lino for the ink to clump and skip like that. Try cleaning off all the ink and then doing a rub down with rubbing alcohol (the cheap kind you get at the drugstore). Then try inking again. Let’s see if that takes care of it.

                            Once you have the inking situation worked out and are through printing for the day, pull a couple of quick ‘ghost’ prints (no ink, just rubbing) and then leave the bit of residue on the lino when you store it. That bit of dried left-over residue will give the lino some tack so that you’ll have an easier time of inking in your next session.

                            Diane

                            #1162349
                            JenZ
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                                I was wondering if something may have spilled on your linoleum too. Diane’s tips to clean the surface are great. Please keep us posted!

                                Jen

                                P.S.- I love your bat!!!

                                Jen (and Jack & Lela too!)
                                Our Blog -South Side Ramblings

                                #1162353
                                inugie
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                                    Get yourself a sanding block at B&Q – the sponge type with a smooth side. Drop a bit of water on the lino and sand it until you see a grey (if battleship grey lino) paste forming – wipe this off with a damp cloth and pat dry and try again. The reason for the sanding block is that it has a flat surface and you will be less likely to damage the cut areas by ’rounding’ the edges and creating fuzzy lines.

                                    The ink could be the problem too – it sounds much too watery. In Ireland and I’m sure in the UK too you get cheap block printing ink at school stationary shops called Color & Co and sometimes also Schminke Block printing ink. Both are water based, affordable and will give better results for a start. I prefer Schminke and did many prints with it before I started using more expensive inks. The ink has to be a bit tacky and your roller/brayer should not ‘slip’ in the ink on the glass at all but should pick the ink up with the velcro hissing sound. Let us know how you get on.

                                    #1162356
                                    Miffsey
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                                        Hey guys, sorry for not responding for so long. Your feedback was much appreciated, honest. Been busy with a flood of assignments.

                                        Round two was better (but not perfect). Should have been more scientific about testing the problem/solution, but was too impatient to work it out! So a combination of cleaning the lino and leaving a little ink on the block led to these results:http://s152.photobucket.com/albums/s170/Miffsible/Printing%20experiments%20mark%202/

                                        Slight rookie error – ink on the block meant I couldn’t see where I’d re-inked, thus missed the ear on one of them. As you can see from the close-up, resist issue is reduced but not gone. Next step is definitely sanding. Was also intending to get more ink as I currently only have blue, so may as well try a different brand whilst I’m at it.

                                        P.S. Thank you for the compliments on the design :)
                                        Think I will thin out some of the lines that make up the background pattern/vibrations, since they’re dominating the image a bit compared to the bat itself.

                                        #1162357
                                        melliemoe
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                                            I’ve never used that brand of ink, I’m a speedball girl, maybe that is one element to the problem as someone else suggested. After you’ve tried another brand you should see improvement if that is the case.
                                            I know when I first started doing prints my teacher told me that the process of rolling the ink on the brayer was really important. It had to be really smooth and evenly distributed on the the brayer. Could that be a part of the problem? Maybe you could also try watching some of the videos on youtube to see if you can identify anything through other printmakers.

                                            #1162358
                                            princesspea
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                                                i have had the same problem with the ink crawling on the lino as i am inking up. i think the solution will be in degreasing the surface using alcohol based cleaner.

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