Prep for Lino.

Linocut is a printmaking technique, a variant of woodcut in which a sheet of linoleum (sometimes mounted on a wooden block) is used for the relief surface. A design is cut into the linoleum surface with a sharp knife, V-shaped chisel or gouge, with the raised (uncarved) areas representing a reversal (mirror image) of the parts to show printed. The cut areas can then be pulled from the backing. The linoleum sheet is inked with a roller (called a brayer), and then impressed onto paper or fabric. The actual printing can be done by hand or with a press. - Wikipedia.

I've done a few drawings/design ideas from textiles that I've seen and some bought. I hope to print one as a lino print. It will be hard to cut as It's quite intricate and the lines aren't very thick. It will be a good test of using lino for what my project is actually about, and whether it's suitable for wallpaper design. It may also show me whether woodcut would be better.

From Nick's talk and showing his work, it seems you can get a very straight edge and control the thickness of line very well with woodcut, where as I am unsure with lino? For this reason I may not do wood-cut as I've seen what can be achieved from using it.

This is the drawing that I've taken a bit from to apply to lino...

This is the composition I chose...

Stupidly I thought that if I traced my image with biro then tried to scribble it onto the lino it would transfer! But if I'd had taken the time to actually think about it, i would have already known that it was a no no. Anyway, spoken to Neil and he suggested just using transfer paper that they have, but the image you put onto the transfer paper, must be a photocopied version as the transfer paper picks up the photocopy toner better than a printer. 

HOWEVER...tried it and it didn't work. To transfer the image to the lino, I sprayed a very strong smelling spray to the image in the fume cupboard, then to put it through the rollers to imprint the image onto the lino. I had to try i three times!... even with lots and lots of packing it wouldn't work, Neil helped me try different ways, but it didnt come out properly so i had to try and make out the image drawing it over the top. (Just drew it free hand really).

Also i was thinking as I was drawing over the top of the faint lines I had, that I would select a bit of the image to repeat as a pattern. So i chose the main bit of the rose, which i shall repeat print... then to put into photoshop and put a wallpaper together... then to possibly screen print?

I dont think that lino printing a wallpaper would be a very neat way of doing it, although this is how they did it years ago.

If you look closely, near the middle of this photo, you can see the faint outline which was not very apparent.