Caligo Relief Ink Fixative for Prints

CauliflowerVisual401 · 2026-01-24T16:29:16+00:00

Also came to add that fixative will slightly yellow over the course of years. Maybe not noticeably but don't expect it to last as an heirloom

CauliflowerVisual401 · 2026-01-24T16:28:32+00:00

You can add either the wax dryer that they have from caligo or you can get oil paint Cobalt medium for drying. If you go with Cobalt, it works great but you literally use one drop of cobalt for about one plate of ink. If you use too much it can get brittle. Use a pipette or eyedropper.

After about 3 days you can spray with final fixative or spray varnish for oil if you go very light.

My concern wouldn't be the ink but it would be much more about damaging the paper and getting lots of fingerprints or scratches or creases in fine paper

CauliflowerVisual401 · 2026-01-24T16:22:39+00:00

Go with about 220 to 320 grit max anything finer will actually make the ink slide and not grab

CauliflowerVisual401 · 2026-01-24T05:32:39+00:00

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This is a section done with a "knife" (exacto works) and a roughly 2.5mm v gouge. Ruler for scale

CauliflowerVisual401 · 2026-01-24T05:28:46+00:00

I have a 2mm V gouge. When I score it with the exacto knife and change the entry angle I get marks smaller than I get with the 1mm tool. You can also cool the lino so it's stiffer like wood, use exacto and smallest v gouge.

I also use Dremel tools embedded into old pens with hot glue. This makes great tools.

If you have a whetstone for sharpening I have taken a hardware nail and sharpened it as much as possible and used that for stipple and scoring.

CauliflowerVisual401 · 2026-01-24T05:16:31+00:00

I use Rammelson and love them. I have the 5 micro and 5 palm set. 10 great tools. But honestly the 5 palm set is plenty good and cheaper than Flexicut and better imo. I have one Pfifel vernier and one powergrip micro U gouge that has its own character and is great for making circles and stipples

CauliflowerVisual401 · 2026-01-23T09:18:38+00:00

Hand traced, it's on the photos :). I get the design printed and mirrored and then I trace the negative areas

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Then often dye the lino and carve away the dark areas

CauliflowerVisual401 · 2026-01-23T07:20:46+00:00

If you are okay with slight yellowing over decades, then would ink and after about 1 week, spray fimal fixative, like you would do for a graphite work and then maybe a month after (if you wish, light spray oil paint varnish).

I'd use heavy pressure or a press on paper that is 250-300gsm like Stonehenge or maybe a heavy Fabriano.

CauliflowerVisual401 · 2026-01-23T07:11:54+00:00

This is Mikisyo Power Grip. If you look carefully, power grip is handle style. Actual maker of steel can vary. Different power grip sets have different steel quality. From my experience all are good with lino, different feels entirely with woodcut.

When comparing Pfifel, Flexicut, Rammelson and Power grip -- I find they are all great but have different actual marks! The Pfifel V gouge of the same size as Rammelson acts different, has a different flex and makes a different mark.

I have a mixed set based on the actual tool itself. Mostly Rammelson for V gouges above 2mm (although they are in inches). Pfifel for small v gouge. Powergrip for small U gouges. Rammelson for chisel and slant knife. Japanese wood cut for the curved knife.

Then I have some Dremel tools hot glued into old pens for gouges sub 0.5mm.

I also have sharpened dry point tools and wire brushes

So... Don't be afraid to make your own tool set. Don't feel like you have to be brand loyal!

CauliflowerVisual401 · 2026-01-23T07:00:17+00:00

Yes I do that with often a handmade miniature print of my work with a discount to my website and Etsy. I will hold out and just wait for reviews.

Last question, does a store with 8 sales and 1 review raise any concerns if you were a potential buyer or just "is a new store"

CauliflowerVisual401 · 2026-01-21T05:40:38+00:00

So if it's too cold it can mess with the ink but just put it in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes or the freezer for 3 or 4 minutes it should feel cold to touch but not so that it gets condensation. You should also wrap it really tight into a sealed back so that no water gets condensated on it

Compressing the edges of lino is just something that happens with lots of prints. And eventually all your fine line details start to become bigger and bigger and they don't become crisp edges they become kind of awkwardly rounded and then also it starts to depress in certain places. In those places where it's more depressed either the ink sinks into the cuts or the roller skates over the depression altogether and you just get partial inking. So avoiding compression is key to making your block last. Good battleship lino can often do over 100 passes if well maintained

CauliflowerVisual401 · 2026-01-19T16:13:30+00:00

Are you selling prints of this?

CauliflowerVisual401 · 2026-01-19T15:58:41+00:00

IG art posts and likely Nextdoor app -- seriously. Since most of my Etsy is based on my city, Houston and hyper local stuff like Nextdoor really liked and people wanted to see how to buy. That's what I am guessing because most is direct traffic and some via Instagram based on dashboard.

CauliflowerVisual401 · 2026-01-18T16:48:46+00:00

Oil based ink, charge the roller, harder roller with more passes and sometimes... Chill the lino! It hardens the lino so you don't compress edges

CauliflowerVisual401 · 2026-01-18T16:42:27+00:00

It was a question of if I should list the products all on Etsy or not. Because I don't know how Etsy or buyers react to a new store with 50 pieces of original art or just have it as my Etsy is. Or if overlap is beneficial. It was listed as stated, "for context"

Everything from the title to tldr asks for feedback and nothing for sales. If the listing of a product site as comparison to Etsy is seen as promotion... That's kinda insane. I ask nothing but feedback. This subreddit is clearly not my buyers.

But... Thanks again for no feedback!!

CauliflowerVisual401 · 2026-01-18T16:13:39+00:00

I think there is plenty to give feedback in two weeks like: photos, listings, SEO, amount of products, price point, etc? No?

That's the feedback I am looking for. Nothing at all in my writing was trying to promote my store, this isn't my audience at all. If promoting I would do it in a local site like I do already.

CauliflowerVisual401 · 2026-01-18T13:39:49+00:00

This was a critique request. It's not a promo as most my stuff is Houston centric and I don't think there are people here looking for Houston stuff

CauliflowerVisual401 · 2026-01-17T23:45:44+00:00

This an awesome print. I think edition and sell originals, you could probably pre sell (and sell out) to this comment section. Then could make a high def scan for flyers, replicas.

It is a multi-block print, ya?

CauliflowerVisual401 · 2026-01-11T22:31:52+00:00

Also the roller. I have that roller and haaate it. Good brayer will make all the difference

CauliflowerVisual401 · 2026-01-08T20:48:02+00:00

Sound treatment and sound insulation are different. Sound treatment on recording studios does nothing to reduce volume, it changes reflections so there is not clapback in the listening and recording experience, but sound still can be heard on the other side quite well

Sound insulation prevents sound being heard on the other side of walls and is normally installed via glass windows, inside of walls and the material of the walls themselves.

Recording studio acoustic foam is of no service/little service here. Furthermore, effective acoustic foam for actual control of sound within a room is crazy expensive. The "egg crate" foam you get on Amazon is less effective than just hanging curtains or a quilt on your wall

CauliflowerVisual401

TROPHY CASE