There are a lot of graduations & birthdays in May, and I generally expect to give friends & family something artsy and personalized (same problem at Christmas) along with their gift. So, how do I make my presents LOOK personalized without having to hand drawn 15 cartoons or make a dozen scrapbooks? I get crafty about my crafts.

Linoleum prints are easy (but don’t seem easy), are really fun, and can be completed while watching Netflix movies. Although you need a “linoleum” block, these blocks are not actually made of kitchen-tile linoleum (as some imagine), and are not actually that expensive. Supplies can be purchased at stores like AC Moore, or online at places like Blick. A simple starter set (that’s what I have) is less than $25 and can be easily supplemented with linoleum blocks that cost from $1-$10 online, depending on the size.

How do you create a cool linoleum print? Well, this is how I do it:

  1. If you don’t want to draw your own image, select a simple picture you like with high contrast.
  2. If it will help you, open the image in photoshop (I believe Picasa can do this as well) and make the contrast high enough so that your image is pretty close to only two colors. (You might also want to resize the image so it will fit your block.)
  3. Print out your image. Color in one color, thoroughly, with a pencil. (Because of the next step you can actually write words forwards.)
  4. To transfer the pencil from the front side of the image onto your block, place your tracing upside down over your linoleum block. Draw over the back of your image with the side of a pencil (as if you are shading the back of the entire sheet). Be sure to keep the paper in place and press hard enough. You can lift up the corner of your paper to see how you’re doing. If you’re afraid you’ll move the paper, you can either cut the paper out to fit exactly over your block and temporarily tape it there, or keep the paper large and fold it around the block so it stays in place.
  5. Fill-in or amend any lines or tracings directly on the block. Now, use your tools to cut out either the pencil or the blank part of your drawing. If you’d like to try shading, experiment with hacking out only small bits of the linoleum. Remove all bits and pieces of cuttings before you ink your block (blow on it!).
  6. Roll out ink in a tray until it is smooth on the roller, and then roll ink on block until it is smooth on the block (a kind of smacking sound happens between your roller and the block/tray when the paint is even).
  7. Put the paper on top of the inked block. Press a book or another woodblock on top of that paper and squish it down. You want all that ink on your paper. Remove the book and check out your print.
  8. Make necessary adjustments to your cuttings (after you’ve rinsed off your ink) and then re-cut and try again as needed.

Once you’ve perfected your block, as I have obviously done with my Margot Tenenbaum-esque Girl Bookworm print, you can roll that ink and print the sucker anywhere. If you’re impatient or don’t have a lot of drying room, you can (carefully) blow dry your images dry. You can make cards, or even stamp directly on solid-colored wrapping paper for a personalized effect.

Linoleum Print Wrapping Paper

[tags] linoleum, print, ink, paper, instructions, how to, DIY, roll, craft, project, presents, wrapping, tutorial, step by step, cheap, inexpensive [/tags]

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