Tutorial: Printmaking Using Carved Rubber Erasers | Create Your Own Rubber Stamps

Printmaking - Create your own prints using rubber or polyvinyl erasers.

 

Materials needed:

• Rubber or polyvinyl eraser
• linoleum block cutter (http://www.dickblick.com/products/speedball-linoleum-cutters/)
• Ink pad
• paper
• pencil with dulled point (to make a wider line than a sharpened pencil would make)

"Turtle" by Sam (age 7)

Transform a pencil eraser into a rubber stamp.

1. Draw your image directly onto the back of a rubber/polyvinyl eraser using a pencil.
2. Since the eraser is a relatively small working area, I recommend using the smaller V cutting blade tip (#1. Shown in photo). Gently remove all material with your cutter that is not drawn. Better to carve shallow and go back to remove more if needed then go press to hard and remove more material than intended.  I recommend carving away from the line drawing rather then toward it.  Be mindful of where your fingers are when carving - easy for blade to slip and accidently nick your hand.
3. Brush or rinse eraser to remove excess rubber shavings.
4. Gently press your stamp on the ink pad and then apply light even pressure to make an ink impression on your paper.

You can also use a brayer and printmaking inks (http://www.dickblick.com/products/speedball-fabric-and-paper-block-printing-ink-set/) with these stamps to apply to t-shirts and other wearable items.