Lino Printing
Carve, ink, press, peel — that reveal moment never gets old
Linocut printing is the art of carving a design into a linoleum block, rolling ink over it, and pressing it onto paper or fabric. It's like stamp carving's bigger, bolder sibling. The carving is meditative, and peeling back the paper to reveal your print is one of the most satisfying moments in any craft.
How to start
- 1Get a lino cutting set with a soft-cut lino block, carving tools, ink, and a brayer roller
- 2Draw your design on paper first, then transfer it to the lino block with carbon paper
- 3Start carving from the center outward — cut away everything you want to stay white
- 4Roll an even layer of ink on the block with the brayer, place paper on top, and press firmly
What you'll need
- Soft-cut lino blocksEssential~$8
- Lino cutting tools (set of 5-6 blades)Essential~$12
- Block printing inkEssential~$8
- Brayer rollerEssential~$7
- Printmaking paperNice to have~$10
- Baren or wooden spoon for hand pressingNice to have~$5
Where to learn more
Plot twists
Ways to spice this up when the basics get boring.
- Print a series of holiday cards for everyone you know
- Do a reduction print — carve more away and print a second color on top
- Print on fabric to make custom tea towels or tote bags
- Create a set of botanical prints for your walls
- Carve a self-portrait in bold graphic style
The carving phase is deeply absorbing fidget work, and pulling each print gives you that instant-gratification dopamine hit. You can edition prints without re-carving.
The German Expressionists of the early 1900s loved linocuts because linoleum was cheaper than wood and easier to carve — Picasso was also a huge fan and created over 100 linocuts.
Similar vibes
If this one didn't land, try one of these.