Traditional Printing Techniques

Block Printing
Block Printing is one of the oldest types of printmaking, and
has been around for thousands of years. There is evidence
that it existed as early as the fifth century BC, with actual
fragments found from as early as the fifteenth century. It has
been done around the world, with roots in India, China and
Japan.
Since there is such a long history of block printing, there are
many different techniques, but it is essentially using a carved
material covered in ink to transfer an image on to paper or
fabric. Block printing can be done with wood, linoleum,
rubber, or many other materials, but I use linoleum for my
work.
Images that are printed with this technique are a lot bolder
than other types of printmaking because the blocks are
carved by hand, which means there is sometimes less detail
and more texture to the prints. When using a very small knife,
you can sometimes carve blocks with a huge amount of detail.
Steps:
The first step is to sketch the design. You will have to reverse
the image if you are using text, or the printed image will be
the reverse of what is on the block. Once you have the image
ready, transfer the design on to the material to create an
outline of where to carve.
The next step is to carve the design. Carve away the parts
that you dont want to print, as the ink will be applied to the
raised surfaces to print the design.
Once the block is carved, trim the excess off with scissors to
give it a straight edge, and then it is ready for printing. There
are many different types of ink on the market, and its
important to test them out to find the best one. To print,
squeeze a small amount of ink onto a piece of glass or
plexiglass, and roll it out with a roller (also called a brayer).
Then roll the ink on to the block, making sure there is a thin
but even layer on the whole design. Then take the block and
press it down onto the paper or fabric. You can do this with
your hands, a printing barren (a specific tool to apply pressure
to a block), a rolling pin, by walking on it, or with a printing
press.
The ink then takes several days to dry, so unlike other printing
processes, there is a long wait time before the prints are ready
to use. The oil based inks can take from two days to a week
to fully dry, whereas water-based inks will dry slightly faster.

Stencil Printing
Stencil printing is a less expensive, cleaner, and a simpler
alternative to screen printing. It is an easy way for you to print
an image, or several images, repeatedly on a surface, like a
poster or a t-shirt. Unlike screen printing, stencil printing
doesn't require you to use any dangerous chemicals. All you
need are a few supplies and an image you want to transfer.

Steps:
First, take a piece of paper and a pencil to sketch out some
designs. If you plan on using a pre-made image, find a high
resolution copy of the image. High resolution images will
result in crisper, cleaner stencils.
Create your design on a computer with image editing
software, like Adobe Photoshop or MS Paint. You might import
an image from online or your personal image library and make
some modifications to it with your editing software. You can
also use your own original artwork, or make a stencil by hand.
You should print your image in black and white on a sturdy
piece of paper, like card stock or poster board.
Take your utility knife or scissors and cut around the perimeter
of the black areas of your image. Try to cut in an unbroken line
around the perimeter to limit the number of touch-ups you'll
need to make at the end.
Apply your stencil on a clean, sturdy, flat surface, like a table,
desk, or counter.
Paint the inside of the stencil trying not to go under the
stencil. Be careful not to rub or brush against your paint while
it is wet. This can cause it to smear and can even result in a
stain on the clothing you are wearing.
When your paint is fully dry, peel one edge of your stencil
carefully away from your substrate. Do not remove your
stencil completely at this point.
You can add artistic touches to your design if it is lacking in
colour or personality, use your paints and a brush to add
personal touches to the design.

Laser Jet Printing

The laser printing process entails six different stages.
Although it may seem complex, learning about exactly what
goes on in your laser printer between the moment when you
hit print on your computer and the paper comes out can be
fun and educational.

Steps:
The first stage of the laser printing process is the cleaning
phase, which prepares the photosensitive drum through a
physical and electrical process to remove the previous image
printed. A rubber-cleaning blade removes excess toner on the
drum and scrapes it off into a debris cavity. The heat roller is
lubricated to ensure that enough heat will be applied evenly to
transfer the next image printed. Electrostatic erase lamps
neutralize electrical charges that remain on the drum from the
previous printed image as well.
Once the drum has been cleaned and neutralized, the second
stage of the laser printing process can begin. Conditioning the
drum essentially applies a negative charge on the drum. A
negative charge is also applied to the paper when it passes
through the primary corona wire or transfer roller. This
prepares the paper for the transfer phase by allowing an
image to be electrostatically transferred.
The third stage in the printing process is known as the writing
or exposing phase. In this stage, a laser light or beam hits the
photosensitive drum. In the spots where the light hits the
drum, a negative charge is dissipated to the centre of the
drum which is grounded. Essentially, the negative charge in
certain areas is removed while it is higher in other areas.
The fourth stage, also known as the developing stage, allows
the electrostatic image to be transformed into a visible image
on the drum. Areas that have been exposed to the laser light
in the previous stage become covered in toner. Areas that
have a negative charge repel the toner.
In the transfer phase, which is the fifth stage of the laser
printing process, the toner image is transferred onto the paper
electrostatically. The positively charged toner is attracted to
the negatively charged paper, which allows the image to be
transferred to the paper and become a visible image.
The final step in the laser printing process is the fusing stage.
The paper and toner on the paper are heated by a fuser
assembly. The toner is melted onto the paper, which absorbs
the toner, to retain the image on the paper. This forms the
permanent image that comes out of the printer and also
explains why printed papers are warm when they exit the
printer. The process is restarted from the first stage once a
new printing document is sent to the printer.