Printing linoleum cut relief blocks onto t-shirts and other fabric
So since about 2012 I have been experimenting with printing on t-shirts with relief blocks. Its been a lot of fun and usually its the only thing I can sell from my art shows. So its my art that people can support. I really do enjoy it and I am getting it down to a science.
The first step is to actually carve your block. I draw my image to the block and then trace with sharpie and carve it out. I plan my blocks out before I carve them. I tend to work in black and white. So my block is carved and I inked up my block with drive by black.
This is a detail shot of what the ink is supposed to look like. Its a bit more than what you are supposed to use for relief printing. Almost like an orange peel consistency.
So when you get your shirt lay it out on the press and put newsprint in between the front and back of the shirt.
I also tuck in the sleeves and fold them in half. Make sure they don’t go under where you will be printing or the ink won’t be as consistently printed.
You can also run it through the press to flatten it out. Make sure you keep the printing area flat so you won’t get wrinkles. That will ruin a printed shirt.
For larger sized shirts make sure you print 3 or 4 fingers down from the bottom of the collar and the top of the design for a front chest design. You don’t have to print front chest. You can print anywhere on the shirt you want.
Mist the shirt with a spray bottle with some water.
Put the block on your shirt carefully. Once you set it down don’t adjust it or move it. Leave it where it is or else it will smudge.
Crank it through the press! Don’t use too much pressure. A 1/4 turn more than your would for a normal lino print on paper.
A finished product! Here it is! It came out great and it is drying in the studio.
