Common Block Printing Mistakes (And How to Fix Them)

No matter where you are in your block printing journey, mistakes are part of it. I've carved where I didn't mean to, over-inked, under-inked, and smudged plenty of prints. Here's what I've learned along the way.

 

But First.. Before You Pick Up the Carving Tool

The best way to deal with mistakes is to avoid them in the first place. These three tips have made a real difference for me:

Carve slowly and with intention. Rushing is how most carving mistakes happen. Take your time, especially around edges and fine details.

Test carve on a scrap piece of rubber first. Before committing to your actual block, practice the trickiest parts of your design on a spare piece. It sounds obvious but most beginners skip this step.

Step back and look at the whole design. It's easy to get hyperfocused on one area and lose sight of the bigger picture. Take a pause every few minutes to look at your block as a whole before carving - you'll catch potential mistakes before they happen. And if you're using a reference image, don't forget to look up and use said reference image. This will be a helpful reminder of what parts you intend to carve out. 

Carving Mistakes

You carved somewhere you didn't mean to... Oops.

It happens. Here's how to handle it depending on how bad it is.

Expand the negative space. If the mistake is minor, consider adjusting your design to cover a larger negative space (ie. the space that doesn't print). For example, did you accidentally carve outside a leaf edge? Make the leaf bigger. Incorporate that stray line as texture.

Re-carve a portion. If the mistake is big, consider re-carving that section of your design on a separate block and printing it into your overall composition. For example, let's say you carved that leaf entirely wrong. Well, carve that leaf on a separate block and use it to print in your final piece. For smaller slip-ups, print your design first and then go back and fill in the mistake with a small inked block afterward.

Embrace it. Honestly? Some of my favorite prints have happy accidents in them. The charm of block printing lives in its imperfections. If none of the above feels right though, there's also nothing wrong with starting over on a fresh block. That's always an option.

 

Printing Mistakes

Carving mistakes are one thing. Printing mistakes are another adventure. 

Here's what to look for and how to fix it.

Details aren't coming through. If your fine lines and carved details are filling in and disappearing, you probably have too much ink. When you're rolling out your ink, listen for it - if it sounds sloshy and you're seeing wavy lines in the ink, that's your sign. What you're aiming for is a slightly textured surface that sounds like bacon sizzling. Yes, really. That's the sweet spot.

Blotchy or uneven ink. Blotchy prints usually mean too little ink, or ink that isn't evenly distributed. Make sure you have enough on your brayer/roller to begin with. Then try inking your block in multiple directions and in layers - ink the block, wait about 30 seconds for it to tack up, then re-ink. Repeat two or three times before printing. This builds up even coverage and makes a noticeable difference.

Smudges and fingerprints. During the printing process, it's easy to accidentally get a little bit of ink on your fingers and next thing you know, your fingerprints are everywhere. My not so glamorous tip is to keep a paper towel next to you and wipe your fingers often, especially before touching your paper. It really does make the difference in smudge-free prints. Oh, and keep your printing area clean and organized - an inky table is a smudgy print waiting to happen.

Too much chatter. Chatter is those subtle lines that come through from your carved negative spaces - the areas you've already cut away. A little chatter is lovely and adds handmade character. But if it's too much, here's what to try: ink your block slowly and carefully to avoid getting ink into the negative spaces. Make sure those spaces are carved deep enough to begin with. And if a specific area is still an issue, consider cutting that section of the block away entirely. No block, no chatter.

 

The Bottom Line

Mistakes are part of the process. Some of them become your favorite prints, and some of them teach you something new. Either way, you're exploring, and that's kind of the whole point.

Have a mistake I didn't cover? Drop it in the comments and I'll do my best to help.

Want to learn block printing in person? Check out my upcoming workshops here.

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