A method of performing alignment for printing with a printhead includes bidirectionally printing a plurality of rows of alignment blocks, wherein a bidirectional offset of a plurality of bidirectional offsets is different for each row of the alignment blocks; optically measuring each row to obtain measurement data; determining a statistical data value for each row based on the measurement data; and applying a respective bidirectional offset of the plurality of bidirectional offsets corresponding to a row having the lowest statistical data value of the plurality of rows to align the printhead for printing with the printhead.