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  • #471004

    Hi all,

    This is my first post. I use both mounted and unmounted linoleum, and water-based inks (Speedball) for relief prins. I’m having some trouble inking my carvings, and wanted advice. The unmounted carvings sometimes curl a bit, even if I press them. And the mounted carvings don’t seem to be flat – there are parts that are slightly lower than other parts, especially the edges vs. center (center is low). So when I use the brayer, certain parts are getting hit heavy with ink, and others are not at all. What ends up happening then is I have to use too much ink to get the whole thing inked up, and some of my details get lost and the edges are a bit heavy and bleeding. I also can’t run the brayer across evenly, and sometimes hit the edge of the brayer down on an area not meant to have ink while I am trying to ink up the middle or edges.

    I have used several different brayers (usually the softer ones, though I have tried a hard one too), and this has not made a difference. I have run the inked brayer onto paper to see if the brayer was the problem, but it gave a pretty nice even inking.

    Any advice is appreciated – including other inks that might be better. I am becoming more aware of how much of an issue this is to my success with each print.

    Also I am using printing press to pull prints.

    Thanks all!

    Jen

    jpodprints.com
    Instagram: jpodprints

    #803614

    Maybe…slightly warm or heat the matrix. Also I hold my brayer with the handle pointing upwards, my hand fisted with knuckles pointing forward , thumb up.around the handle. Better, more even pressure.

    #803612
    BeLing
    Default

        For inking, try using smaller rollers to fit into the lower areas.

        For printing, pack the low spots in the plate from behind with paper. Usually even a thin bit will make a difference, but you’ll have to experiment.

        #803613

        I was thinking about this earlier today, maybe running your lino through the press a few times before you take the tools to it might neutralize the undulations in the matrix.

        #803611

        Thank you for your suggestions. I will try holding my brayer differently. I think I may also need to see about using a different ink. If anyone has any suggestions on water soluble printing inks that would be appreciated (something that dries as I also do cards).

        Thanks!

        Jen

        jpodprints.com
        Instagram: jpodprints

        #803610
        lensman
        Default

            Late reply as I’m not here very often… You don’t have to use water based inks just because you are printing cards. There are many people who use oil-based for such. You just have to allow enough time for drying. I would suggest the “in-between” inks – water miscible but oil based, like Caligo’s Safewash or Speedball’s Professional Relief ink. I love the latter but never used Caligo.

            Art and Jewellery on Etsy
            "The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls." - Pablo Picasso

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