Equipment & Storage

Why I organise my equipment

I’ve taken a couple of photos to show you what I use in my printmaking. I don’t use everything shown here in my printmaking, but I do use the vast majority at some point. I print at home, not in a studio. For my own peace of mind and to keep it clutter-free, I like everything to be in its place. I purchased a six-drawer cabinet and most of my equipment is housed in these drawers.

Drawer one; Primary Stationery & Preparation Tools

The first one is primary stationery. It holds my drawing equipment and other items such as masking tape, my palette knives and rulers etc. These are the items I tend to use in my preparation work and whilst printing.

Drawer two; Carving Tools & Inking Essentials

The second drawer contains equipment such as carving tools, sealed containers for holding ink, tabs for securing the paper for accurate registration etc. There are different ways you can store your equipment, I choose to keep my carving tools in a box, it’s easy for me to take out, set up my work station and put away when not in use. It helps me stay organised and visually I simply feel better to have a clean, uncluttered space.

Drawer three; Paper, Lino & Protective Boards

The third drawer homes my paper, lino and other associated grey boards/card.  As mentioned in my previous blog, you will probably become a paper aficionado and will accumulate paper as you go along in your printmaking journey.  Having one central place makes accessing my pre cut paper and lino a lot easier.  It’s also an ideal way to protect my paper.

Drawer 4; Relief Inks & Brayers

The fourth drawer holds my relief inks and brayers.  Once you get further into printmaking you will accumulate a lot of materials, and this include inks. In an ideal world I’d hang my brayers upon a wall, but since I can’t, I arrange them in this box.  It’s easier to move around and access.  Having a dedicated space for my inks is very useful.  It keeps everything together and I can visually see what I have and select when needed, but you do need to remember to seal the tops of inks securely, in order to not contaminate the storage area and other inks.

Beyond the Drawers

Other equipment I use that isn’t is in these drawers are the oversized sheets of paper. These tend to be fairly large so they lie flat protected on the floor.  I have my A3 glass mixing plate and bench on my table for carving and I have several registration boards depending on the size of lino I’m using.  This makes sure it stays exactly in place.

Registration Boards; DIY Methods & Lesson Learned

Creating my own registration boards has been trial and error, it has felt like a Blue Peter challenge at times. I often use mount board off cuts from my local framers. This is a great, alternative way to use a free resource which would otherwise have to be disposed of and recycled. This type of cardboard is sturdy and perfect for my use.

This is the method which works best for me. There are other registration methods. You will need to find a system which works for you, and have faith the paper will line up with the plate perfectly, and is structurally sound.

Finding Your Own System

This is how I choose to organise my equipment. In an ideal world I’d have a studio or a separate space, but this system works for me. It contains all I need in one space, and because it is a cabinet, it fits in with the rest of the furniture, and that’s important to me because this is my home.

If you do have a home studio, how do you manage your equipment and the logistics of working at home?