Step 2 of the process
Transfer the design
Everything on the block prints as a mirror image, so the design goes on reversed. Carbon paper, a rubbed-down pencil tracing and toner transfer are the common methods. A clean, lightly sanded surface helps both the transfer and the ink.
- The rule
- the print is a mirror image of the block
- Check before carving
- read the block in a mirror
The print is a mirror image of the block. Lettering, numbers and anything with a left and a right must sit on the block backwards. The safe habit is to flip the drawing before transferring it, then hold the block up to a mirror: what you see there is what will print.
There are several ways to get the lines down. Carbon or graphite transfer paper traces a flipped printout. A soft pencil tracing laid face down and rubbed reverses itself for free. A laser print or photocopy can be ironed on, which works on traditional lino but warps soft blocks. Five transfer methods compared shows which suits which block.
Preparation comes first. A new block can carry oils that make ink bead, so many printers wipe it clean or give it a light sanding with fine paper. Toning the surface with a thin wash of color makes the cuts show up as you carve. Whether sanding is needed at all is answered in do you need to sand a lino block.
Ready to move on when: The whole design is on the block in firm lines, reversed, and it reads correctly in a mirror.
Common mistakes at this stage
- Transferring text the right way round, so it prints backwards.
- Ironing a toner transfer onto a soft rubber or vinyl block.
- Carving from faint pencil lines that rub off under the hand.