MATERIALS:
- Linocut knife kit
- Golden Open acrylic paint
- 4 x 5.5-inch Speedy-cut rubber plate
- 4-inch hard rubber brayer
- Kraft paper
- Optional: 4 x 4-inch wooden panel, inking plate
How to make custom block printed gift wrap paper
Step 1: Draw a 4 x 4-inch pattern directly onto your Speedy-Cut block in pencil, or on a piece of paper and transfer it to your block. To create an effective repeat pattern, be sure to draw shapes that extend to the corners as this is where your pattern will connect.
Step 2: Begin cutting away at your design. Do not cut all the way through the rubber block but cut deeply enough that the area will not be printed. Various blades will cut away thicker or thinner lines. Remember that whatever is cut away will not be printed so to create thin lines be sure to carefully carve on either side of the drawn line. After your design is cut, the block can be glued to a wooden block to make it easier to use. Make a test print on a piece of cardboard and glue this to the top of the block to help you line up your prints and know what the positive image will look like.
Step 3: Apply Golden Open acrylic paint to a flat, non-porous surface such as a pane of glass, a plastic pallet or an inking plate. Roll the paint with the brayer to get an even coverage on the roller and roll the paint over your stamp. Working right to left, begin stamping your kraft paper, making sure that the edge of your stamp lines up with the stamped image. Let the paper dry completely before wrapping a gift in it.
