Block Printing at Home - Sue's E-Book Guide to Block Printing
Hey there,
Can hardly believe we are nearly in the middle of July! Wow! I'm jumping in today to give you a gift that will hopefully bring you a little joy and entertainment. You'll find that at the bottom of this post. Here at the top I wanted to give you a little insight to what motivates me to do what I do. I get questions on this a lot so if you've been wondering the "why" behind Tulusa, here's a little insight just for you!
I am often asked about how I print my patterns and after the person asking finds out the "how", they inevitably ask why I do it that way. After all, designing and carving blocks that will then be printed with hand mixed colors is definitely labor intensive and there has got to
be a
faster,
better,
cheaper way….right?
Well, yes, like most things there is a faster, better, cheaper way but the result would be very different than what we like to deliver to our clients.
Block carving and block printing have been around for centuries. It’s a beautiful method that takes skill and time to get right. I love the entire process from carving the block to testing it, layering ink on it, and finding the exact right pressure and placement for each block we carve. I often tell my studio assistants that each block has its own personality, where it likes to be pushed, or how the look of the ink can change with each print, or how you need to peel one block up versus another block. Sometimes it's like they have their own minds and personalities and you have to be thoughtful to get the process down right.
We mix our colors with that same thoughtfulness when we think about what feeling or emotion we are trying to evoke. We change our colors 2'xs a year and we love to see how adding just a little more mango to our Lemon Fizz takes it from a bright and beautiful Summer Yellow to a deeper, warmer Golden Rod when Fall rolls around.
While there is a lot to know when you get in the thick of block printing, the principles can be used by anyone. It’s really a matter of what you’d like to create with the knowledge you have. For me that knowledge spurred on a business that has given me a great amount of joy. While we started by block printing on fabric we now include services like creating custom upholstery or block printing on our clients walls for a beautiful bespoke look.
For someone new to block printing the joy can be found in creating holiday card, or simply having a fun afternoon with their kids.
Speaking of that, since block printing is a process that I love to do and love to teach I put together a little e-book so you can learn about the basics of block printing for yourself.
Have fun exploring the world of block printing!
XO,
Sue
PS - When you start to explore block printing I'd love it if you could shoot me a DM or tag me HERE on instagram. I can't wait to see what you carve from a potato or what crazy contraption or texture you find around your home to print with. If you have any questions, please feel free to send them along. I will do my best to answer them ASAP.