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There is nothing new, gimmicky or earth-shattering about using block and roller printing - and yet there is. Like any well-worn technique, it can always be reinvented and rediscovered. New art materials, new styles and new ways of applying embroidery techniques can all combine to make original and exciting pieces of work, given the enthusiasm to experiment and explore the possibilities.
What do you need to get started?To get effective prints from your roller, you need to practise a little. It is like any new piece of equipment or technique - approach it with an open mind but don't expect to get exactly what you want first time. Have patience and look carefully at the detail of the results you are getting.
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MethodSqueeze a small amount, about a teaspoon, of acrylic colour onto your glass surface. Acrylic colour is a thick, slightly sticky medium and is therefore ideal for printing with a roller.
Taking the roller, gently spread the colour across the glass plate to give an even covering. If your roller does not rotate, you are pressing too hard. Take your roller backwards and forwards across the glass until it is well covered. The colour does not seem to cover the roller evenly but has a rippled surface. With care, these ripples can be printed onto your paper or fabric by very lightly rolling the colour from the roller across the paper or fabric. As the roller gets less acrylic on the surface, the printing will become fainter and less defined, giving a gradual fading of pattern.
Each print will be different because of the quantity of colour applied, the quality of the paper or fabric and the stickiness of the acrylic. Paper prints, especially on fine smooth papers, tend to give clearly defined lines whereas the comparatively fluffy nature of fabric can give slightly heavier prints but can still be very attractive.
Once you have tried one print, you have the option of printing again, in the same direction or at right-angles or in a different colour. It is possible to mix colours on the glass plate. A very attractive result can be achieved by applying two blobs of colour. These will gradually mix as you print, blending together.
Other effects with roller printingBy using different art materials on papers and fabrics, further printed and textured surfaces can be achieved. The acrylic colour can be thickened by adding heavy gel medium, which can give a raised, shiny finish.
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Liquitex Structural Paint (reviewed in the March 1998 issue of The World of Embroidery) is very adhesive and produces wonderful ripples in frond-like patterns from the roller and dries shiny and flexible. Once dry, it is water-repellent so that prints can be enhanced with a wash of transparent colour such as an ink or liquid Brusho.
Try using metallic effects such as bronze powders and metallic fabric medium. Bronze powders can even be mixed with heavy gel medium to give rich glistening and raised patterns. Remember, however, that it is essential to wear a mask when mixing bronze powders as they are a fine metal powder and should not be inhaled.
Rollers with printing blocksIf you enjoy block printing but feel that often the finished result is rather uniform and regular, try exploring the unexpected results achievable with a roller and a printing block. There are a number of ways to create a printing block but this method is very quick and effective.
Take a piece of firm card such as the back of a sketchbook. Using a dark pencil or pen, draw a simple design onto the right side of the board. If you are making a linear design, do not let the lines cross each other. Cover all of this surface with good-quality, double-sided Sellotape and remove the backing so that you can see your design. Stick firm string onto the sticky surface, following the design you have drawn. Cover as much of the surface as you wish. Try to avoid leaving large areas of the double-sided tape exposed. Once complete, you are ready to print. The first application of the acrylic colour will help to make the string even more permanent. Blocks can be made from all kinds of materials such as lino or wood. You can even buy some of the beautiful old wooden blocks from India.
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Printing with a roller and a blockThis technique can give the most unexpected developments to your designs and is to be recommended to anyone who cannot see how to develop, abstract or distort a design.
Apply the acrylic to the roller as before but, this time, roll the colour onto the block, pressing quite hard so that the pattern on the block makes an impression in the ink on the roller. Once the pattern has transferred onto the roller, carefully and lightly roll that pattern onto your paper or fabric and you will be rewarded with a reverse print of the design from your block. Obviously the roller has a limited circumference, so the pattern will repeat fairly quickly. However, each time the roller prints, the colour will become fainter, so the pattern will fade. Re-ink the roller and repeat the process, building up the print with a variety of colours or surfaces by the addition of acrylic gels or bronze powders.
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Remember to look at the results you achieve. Maybe only part of it will be as you want. The rest can be reprinted or the colour can be adjusted by a quick addition of ink or dye once the acrylic has dried. Do not forget that acrylic is permanent, once dry, on any fabric, so a natural fibre can be considerably altered by the addition of dye after you have printed. But that is another story.
Ruth Issett is a textile artist. She teaches 'Embroidery, Printing and Dyeing' and 'Design', both certificated and recreational courses. She is often seen demonstrating, enjoying herself, with Art Van Go. She is the author of Colour on Paper and Fabric, recently published by B T Batsford.
This article is from The World of Embroidery, Volume 49 No.2, © Ruth Issett 1998.
highlights from March 1998 issue