A couple of weeks ago I nonchalantly introduced Bridgette the spacer to Facebook, quite rightly a couple of people suggested I give a bit more information about why these are so useful...so here goes.
When printing using a press, spacers help in a number of ways. They are super useful when aligning the print on the bed, they also help to avoid getting ink from the lino on your registration device.
Firstly tape a card registration frame to the printing bed large enough to take your lino block and spacers. This will be your overall guide.
In order to help with alignment there are a couple of extra pieces of card towards the roller end of the frame.
When you have inked up your block place it in your frame, use one spacer at the top and one (or more) spacer at the side to create consistent gap around the edge.
Once the lino is in place you can remove the spacers. You now have a perfectly aligned block that will not get ink on the frame.
Another, closer view!
If you are working with different sized blocks or prints, you might need a few different spacers, get creative with the names!! Or not :)
A finished print, this five layered beauty was made possible by Bridgette, Top and Bottom.
