Linocut Printing on Cotton Fabric

[Former_Member]

Has anyone tried linocut printing on cotton fabric without a press? How well has it worked?

Also, how small of detail have you done in a linocut print before?

[Former_Member]

Never mind, I tried it and it worked fine for the most part. It just looked a bit faded, but I like it.

[Former_Member]

Hi Casey, are you using screen print ink on cotton? I find that if I work the ink long enough (or let it "rest" for a bit), it thickens up and makes a better print. i have images of some shirts i've done on my blog:
http://zachmedler.blogspot.com/2012/02/mission-accomplished.html

[Former_Member]

Hi Casey, we do it all the time, that's how we make our bow ties. We use fabric screen printing ink and we do the same as Zach above, we let it sit for a bit, or do some test prints first. The tackier it gets the better it will transfer. Then we just use our fingers for pressure. It works really well!

[JKSPrintworks]

I just had a friend want me to make some baby bibs and onesies so I will have to try this using linoleum block and fabric screen printing ink. Thanks for the advice. Love the bow ties and t-shirts at RDesignsLA and ZmedCeramics. Really cool!

[Former_Member]

@Jenny Thank you! You'll find it's really pretty easy. Just make sure not to overink because you'll end up with a lot of creep that way.

[PrintZoo]

Sorry this is a bit late!
I've been printing my own t-shirts for years now, standard oil-based printer's ink does the trick for me - eight years and counting with no significant fade for my first black-ink print. I actually find it easier to get a good impression on cotton instead of paper when I'm not using a press - cotton has a lot more grip. The downside is that, to avoid that faded look, you need a little bit more ink than usual. This means that your lino will need to be cut slightly deeper than you'd get away with on paper, or details will fill in quickly. Just remember to use a nice, heavy book for pressing and you should get a good clear print.
Second question: if I use litho ink (recommended by my local printworks) and a really smooth paper then the only limit on printing is how fine I can cut. I'm currently finding out how steady my hand is with this piece:
http://rsthomason.tumblr.com/post/43898415743/acanthostega-lino-print-this-is-probably-the it's a bit nerve-wracking ;)

[yuliangCN]

I haven't done it, but it should be very difficult.