Reduction Print
A reduction print is a print comprised of multiples layers of ink from a single matrix that has been carved away for each colour layer.
- Designing your print: planning with the end in mind is very important. Carefully decide which areas to carve at each stage in order to achieve the result you are aiming for. Remember to consider how to print lightest colour to darkest, as well as, large shapes to finer details. Create your design on paper using the following tones: white paper to represent white paper showing on your design, pencil grey for your midtone/lighter colour, and sharpie for your darkest colour. Give your design to me for photocopying.
- Transfer your design: using acetate (nail polish remover) you will transfer your design to your lino.
- Place toner image face down on the lino.
- Using a paintbrush, apply acetate to the paper backing in small areas at a time until your image shows through.
- Use a spoon to carefully burnish the back of the paper, over the image area, until the image starts to transfer off on to the lino.
- Carefully peel back paper to reveal the transferred image. Rinse and thoroughly wipe off any excess paper fibers from the plate.
- Voila! Your image is ready to carve!
- Carve away the white areas first. The first step is to carve away any areas that you wish to reveal the white paper. These areas will usually be backgrounds, or any highlights or white shapes/lines within your image.
- Build your jig for accurate registration.
- Measure a 10" long x 3" wide L-form out of foam core - ensure your inside "L" is perfectly square 90 degrees.
- Attach your registration pins (two thumbtacks, face up - careful not to poke yourself) secure to foam core with tape by punching the pins through (thumbs on either side).
- Prepare your paper for registration printing.
- Place your lino plate on the paper to determine your border size.
- Measure your border widths from the inside edges of the jig and mark lines with pencil or painter's tape on the foam core.
- Place your first sheet of paper along the border lines you just created.
- Attach the registration tabs (acetate pieces) to the pins by poking them through (thumbs on either side).
- Secure registration tabs to your aligned paper with painter's (blue) tape - allow enough border so tape doesn't interfere with print area (tape needs to sit on top of foam - not over the plate).
- Repeat the process of placing paper and attaching pin-registered tabs to all your paper for your entire edition.
- Use the printing jig for registration while printing.
- Align your plate face-up within the corner of the jig - be sure to note which way the plate faces (bottom or top to corner).
- Attach your first sheet's registration tabs to pins on the jig - check for accurate alignment.
- Pull out plate to prepare with ink - replace the same direction for each print through the whole process start to finish.
- For each print, replace the printing sheet by attaching its tabs to the pins and carefully laying down over the inked plate.
- You're ready to print your first colour!
- Ink up your plate with your lightest colour and print a minimum of 10 in your edition. * Remember that you are likely to lose a few prints due to misalignment or ink consistency issues. Print more than you need/want because you only have one shot at this after to start your second layer. You need to hand in 5 quality prints, but having extras isn't a bad thing. When finished, clean and dry your plate.
- Carve out your midtones (pencil grey) leaving only your darkest colour (sharpie black) on the plate.
- Next, carve out the areas that you wish to show your lightest colour (that you just printed).
- Ink up your plate with your darkest colour. This will print over-top of your other colour covering some areas but revealing the lighter colour where the plate is carved away. Use the registration pins to realign your paper for each print.
- If doing more than 2 colours, simply repeat step 7 with each layer working from light to dark, as well as, large shapes to fine details.