Two attractive colour layers can make a disappointing print when they meet a few millimetres apart. Before adjusting the ink or carving another block, check registration: the repeatable relationship between the block, the sheet, and each successive impression.
In her guide to transferring images to lino, artist Lisa Takahashi discusses the importance of accurately aligned imagery for multiblock work. The transfer and the printing setup solve connected problems. A perfectly positioned sheet cannot correct two designs transferred at different scales.
Rehearse with paper you can sacrifice
Begin with a simple two-colour design on scrap paper. Mark one corner as the reference corner and keep that orientation throughout the trial. Draw light guides outside the printed area so you can see whether a shift comes from the sheet, the block, or the design itself.
A basic corner guide can help locate the sheet, provided it remains fixed and does not interfere with the printing method. Place and lift a test sheet several times without ink. If you cannot return it to the same position comfortably, improve the guide before using final paper.
Then print a small test of both layers. Inspect a deliberate meeting point, such as a coloured circle sitting inside an outline. A consistent offset suggests a different problem from random movement between impressions. Write the observed direction beside the test rather than relying on “a little off.”
Keep the successful test, guide position, and block orientation together. Do not trim the final sheets between colour passes unless the registration system was designed for that change. The purpose is repeatability: once the sheet and blocks have dependable reference points, you can judge colour and texture without also guessing where the next layer will land.