Turn a graffiti tag into a reusable stamp.
Graffiti, in the form of spray paint on walls and trains, is ephemeral. The artwork is subject to rain, hail, paint removal solvents or even another graffiti writer's own tag. To immortalize your graffiti tag, make a reusable stamp from it. The stamp can be used to sign drawings, paintings on canvas, or as a monogram on letters and notebooks. Used in this way, the tag will not only be indelible, it will also be legal.
Instructions
1. Draw the graffiti tag in pencil onto a sheet of white paper.
2. Lay the drawing face down onto the bed of an image scanner. Scan the drawing and transfer the digital image directly from the scanner or with a USB key to a computer.
3. Flip the page horizontally using the photo editing software. The image will now appear backwards. Print this backwards image onto printer paper.
4. Tape the corners of the printed image down to a cutting mat or piece of cardboard to keep the paper from shifting. Cut out the backward graffiti tag using a utility knife.
5. Tape the cutout, with the image facing out, onto a block of linoleum. The linoleum block should be at least 1/2-inch bigger on all sides than the image on paper.
6. Trace the outline of the cut out onto the linoleum with a pencil.
7. Carve out the linoleum around the pencil outline, the negative space of the graffiti tag, using linoleum cutters. Use a U-shaped cutting blade to whittle away big pieces of linoleum from the outside edges and use a narrow or wide V-shaped cutter for smaller details.
8. Test the stamp out as you get close to completion. Press the stamp into an ink pad and apply it to a piece of printer paper. Take note of lines that appear jagged or spots that need to be whittled further down. Wash the linoleum thoroughly and wipe it dry with paper towel before continuing to carve it.
