Testing Softcut and Vinyl Lino for Printmaking

Goal

Compare both materials under the same design, tools, ink, paper, pressure, and cleanup.

Materials You will Need

• 1 Softcut sheet + 1 Japanese vinyl sheet (same thickness if possible)
• 1 sharp V-gouge (e.g., 1 mm) + 1 small U-gouge (e.g., 2–3 mm) + knife
• Ink you normally use (water-based or oil-based—use one, not both)
• Same paper for all prints (cut into identical pieces)
• Brayer + glass/plate for rolling out ink
• Baren/spoon OR press (choose one method and stick to it)
• Pencil + ruler, masking tape
• Optional: kitchen scale + phone camera

The Test Block Design

Make a single 10 cm × 10 cm test grid and transfer it to both blocks. Include these elements (they stress different failure modes):

1. Fine parallel lines: 20 lines, 0.5–1 mm spacing (V-gouge). The purpose is to test chatter, drag, and whether valleys fill with ink
2. Crosshatch patch: 2 cm square, in two directions. The purpose is to test ridge stability + printing clarity
3. Hairline text: “REFLECTED GROUND” in tiny caps, ~4–5 mm high. The purpose is to show compression and edge clarity
4. Curves + tight turns: One spiral + one S-curve (knife or V-gouge). The purpose is to test cornering, tearing, and tool control
5. Solid fill + small “islands”: A 2 cm square of solid black with 6 tiny white dots left standing. The purpose is to test ink squeeze and dot survival
6. A gradient texture strip: A 1 cm × 8 cm strip of shallow U-gouge marks, increasing density. The purpose is to test how both sheets hold texture and wipe clean.

Tip: Keep the design identical by drawing once on paper and carbon transferring to both blocks.

Part A — The Cutting Test

Carve the exact design on both materials.

Measure and record: the time to carve each section (use your phone stopwatch); your hand fatigue (rate 1–5), tool behavior notes (glide vs grab, chatter, skid, rebound) and chip quality (powdery, thick curls, clean ribbons).

Optional but useful: Weigh each block before and after carving to estimate material removed (not essential, but interesting).

Part B — Print Test (same ink, same pressure, 6 prints each)

Print each block in this order:

Print set for each material:

1. Print 1–2 (standard): Normal inking and normal pressure
2. Print 3 (light ink): Roll out a thinner ink film, keep pressure the same
3. Print 4 (heavy ink): Slightly heavier ink film, keep pressure the same
4. Print 5 (light pressure): Same ink as Print 1, but deliberately lighter burnish/press
5. Print 6 (heavy pressure): Same ink as Print 1, but deliberately heavier

This isolates what’s causing issues: ink film vs pressure vs material compression.

Part C — Durability / Wear (quick mini “edition”)

Do 10 fast impressions in a row on scrap (same ink, same pressure).
Then do one “final” print (call it Print 17).

Compare Print 1 vs Print 17 for the loss of crispness in fine lines; widening of lines (compression); damage to tiny islands/dots and any surface scuffing or texture flattening.

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Scoring Sheet

Score each category 1–5 (5 = best).

Cutting: Ease of cutting, control in curves/corners, chatter/drag (reverse score: 5 = none), cleanliness of cut (no tearing).

Printing: Fine line clarity, crosshatch readability, solid area evenness, ink squeeze/fill-in resistance.

Durability: Change from Print 1 to Print 17 and survival of tiny islands/dots.

Cleanup: How easily it cleans and whether the surface feels altered after cleaning.

Take one photo per step:

• the two carved blocks side-by-side
• Print 1 vs Print 6 vs Print 17 for each material
• close-up of the fine-line patch and crosshatch patch

Then you can create a short “Field Notes” section: what changed under ink, what changed after 10 extra pulls, and what technique tweaks helped each material.

Related Posts

Softcut vs Japanese Lino: A Carving Comparison – reflected ground

Ink Choices and their Effects on Print Quality – reflected ground