what is a linocut?
If you’ve ever seen one of my prints and wondered, wait… how did she make that? there’s a good chance it started with a piece of linoleum, a pencil, a sharp carving tool and lot of patience! So... what EXACTLY is a linocut? A linocut is a type of printmaking where an image is carved into a piece of linoleum, ink is rolled or dabbed over the surface, and the design is pressed onto paper. It is a type of relief printing, which basically means that the raised parts of the block hold the ink and create the image. It sounds pretty simple (and in a way, it can be) but there are quite a few handmade steps between having an idea and pulling the final print.
starting the process
Before I ever pick up a carving tool, I start with a pencil and paper. I draw out the design I want to turn into a print, working out the shapes, lines, composition, and little details. Sometimes the drawing comes together quickly, and sometimes I’ll redraw it several times before it feels right. Sometimes I'll throw it away and start over - who knows, it's a gamble! Once I have the final design, I trace it onto transfer paper (or parchment paper if you're in a pinch - or budget :)). The transfer paper allows me to transfer my drawing onto the surface of the linoleum, making sure the design is positioned correctly before I start carving. And because a linocut prints the reverse image of what’s carved, I have to make sure the design is transferred backwards... ESPECIALLY if there’s any text involved. Think of it like a rubber stamp: the image on the block and the image on the finished print are reversed.
The linoleum block essentially becomes the printing plate. It gives me a smooth but carveable surface where I can create all of the lines, shapes, and textures that will eventually make up the print. Once the design is transferred onto the linoleum, the block is ready to be carved.
carving the block
This is where the REAL work begins. I use small carving tools to remove the areas that I don’t want to print. Unlike painting, where I’m adding something to a surface, linocut is subtractive. I’m starting with a blank block and removing material until the image begins to appear. This is probably the most time consuming and stressful part of the process, because very line, curve, texture, and little detail is carved by hand and there is no undo button!! Once you carve something away, it’s gone. The important thing to remember is that the parts you leave behind are what pick up the ink. The carved away areas stay blank, which means I’m essentially creating a stamp in reverse. It can take a while to look like much of anything while I’m carving it, but slowly the image starts to appear.
adding the ink
Once the block is carved, it’s time to add ink. For most of my prints, I use a brayer, which is basically a small roller, to roll a thin layer of ink across the surface of the block. For some designs, especially ones with multiple colors or a more textured look, I’ll use a little foam dauber to dab ink onto specific areas. This has been my go to technique as of recently! The ink sits on the raised parts of the linoleum while the carved away areas stay blank. And then comes my favorite and sometimes scariest part: MAKING THE PRINT!
making the print
I carefully place a piece of paper over the inked block and press it down, making sure I’m getting good contact across the entire design. To press it down, I've been using body weight or a baren, but I'm hoping to get a legit press sometime soon. Then I peel the paper away and there it is. OR ISN'T! The drawing I started with has officially become a print, or a time to reflect on how I spent hours of work on a shitty design. And even when the block is great - sometimes the print is, sometimes it isn't! And honestly, I kind of love both - helps keep it spicy, and it helps keep a certain unique quality to each print. One of the coolest things about linocut is that I don't have to carve a brand new block for every print. The same hand carved block can be inked and printed over and over again, but each print will always be unique. Honestly, you can think of the block as the original handmade stamp and each print as an individual impression from that block. Some artists create limited editions, meaning they decide ahead of time how many prints they'll make from a particular block. Once that number is reached, the edition is finished. Other artists make open editions, which means they can continue printing from the same block as long as they want. Either way, every individual print is still made by hand.
why I fell in love with block printing
You might be wondering: why linocuts? Why not just paint or make something digitally? For me, it’s because block printing can bring together two things I’ve always loved: fashion and painting. I studied fashion, and I’ve always loved creating things visually: drawing, painting, playing with color, texture, and composition. Block printing feels like the place where those two worlds meet. I get to create an illustration the way I would with a painting, but then I can take that design and put it onto clothing, fabric, paper, and other objects. And that connection to fashion is a big part of why I love printing on clothing, too! Most of my block printed fashion pieces start with something that already existed. I love finding vintage or secondhand clothing and giving it a completely new life with a hand carved design. Upcycling is really important to me, and there’s something special about taking a piece that someone else might have overlooked and turning it into something completely different and one of a kind. Instead of starting with a brand new garment, I get to work with what already exists and make it feel new again... and hopefully helping the planet in the meantime.
In a world where so much is digital and mass produced slop, I am obsessed with having a process that forces me to slow down. And that’s really the whole point of why I started Westland Made. ♡
my go to products
Parchment Paper (transfer paper)
Bulk 4x6 Carving Blocks
Beginner Carving Tool
4 inch Brayer
2.5 inch Brayer
Baren
Daubers
Block Printing Ink (for paper)
Block Printing Ink (for fabric)
Ink Pads (for paper)
Print Making Paper (various sizes)
and a few linocut terms
Linocut: A printmaking technique where a design is carved into linoleum and printed using ink.
Relief printing: A printing method where the raised parts of a carved block hold the ink and create the image.
Linoleum block: The surface that the design is carved into. It becomes the printing plate.Brayer: A small roller used to spread a thin, even layer of ink across the block.
Baren: A smooth, flat hand-printing tool used to apply pressure to the back of the paper, helping transfer the ink from the block onto the paper.
Edition: The number of prints made from a particular block. An edition can be limited to a specific number or left open-ended.
Transfer paper: Paper used to transfer a finished drawing onto the linoleum before carving.
Negative space: The areas carved away from the block. These areas do not receive ink and become the unprinted parts of the final image.
Positive space: The raised areas of the block that remain after carving. These areas receive ink and create the printed image.
And that's linocut!
A little note: Some links in this post are Amazon affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them at no extra cost to you. I only link things I actually use or would recommend to another maker.
Thanks for supporting my little passion project! ♡
And thanks for making it to the end!
