If you’ve never come across linocut before, you might be wondering what it actually means. As a printmaker, it’s a process I love deeply: hands‑on, satisfying, sometimes messy, and often full of surprises. In this post, I want to share what linocut is, how it’s made, and why each print is truly one of a kind.
So… what exactly is linocut?
Linocut is a traditional printmaking technique that’s been used for over a century. At its heart, it’s a simple idea: carve a design into a sheet of linoleum, roll ink over the raised areas, and press it onto paper.
But while the method sounds straightforward, it’s filled with craftsmanship, patience and lots decision‑making.
Linocut is what’s known as a relief printing technique — meaning anything you carve away won’t print, and anything you leave raised will take ink and print. Think of it a little like creating an intricate stamp.
How I make a linocut print (from inspiration to finished artwork)
Everyone’s process is a little different, but here’s how it works for me:
1. Inspiration from nature
Most of my ideas come from walking my dog (little french bulldog!) in the Hampshire countryside — wildflowers, interesting leaves, little shapes and patterns that draw my attention. These quiet moments become sketches, which later become prints. I always have my phone handy, ready to photograph anything that captures my eye.
Inspiration - bright green acorns still on the oak tree, photographed whilst out walking
2. Sketching the design
Sometimes I sketch on paper, but more often I draw on my iPad. This can happen quite quickly or take a while. For me, it's a mixture of capturing details but also creating an interesting composition.
Drawing the acorns, using the image as a reference but creating my own composition
3. Transferring the design onto the lino block
Once I have an outline or sketch I’m happy with, I transfer it onto a block of linoleum, either by rubbing a pencil sketch or a print out from my ipad, directly onto the lino block. This is the blueprint for the carving stage.
Three stages of transferring the drawing/print out onto the lino block
4. Tracing the design with ink and staining the block
Once the image is transferred, I trace back over it using a permanent marker, as the printer ink smudges and rubs off easily. Then I stain the block with either a dark coloured ink or acrylic paint wash to make the surface of the block contrast to the inside, once I start carving, so it is easier to see my marks.
Tracing the design and staining the block, ready for carving
5. Carving the block
Using small, sharp tools, I carve away the parts of the design that won’t hold ink. What remains raised is what will eventually appear on the print. It’s a slow, deliberate process, one wrong cut can change everything, but that’s part of the process and a great teacher in patience and restraint.
Various stages of carving, and the final block ready for inking
6. Inking the block
I roll out a thin layer of ink onto a glass surface using a rubber roller (brayer) and apply it evenly to the raised surface of the lino bock. Too much ink, too little ink, wrong angle, it all changes the outcome. And this is exactly why each print is wonderfully unique.
The ink mixed using a palette knife and rolled out to the right consistency
The lino block covered in ink, ready to print
7. Printing by hand
Once inked, the block is pressed onto paper. I often use a hand press and finish the print with a baren, (usually a spoon!), rubbing over the print onto the paper. This requires careful, even pressure. Peeling back the paper to reveal the print is by far the most exciting and satisfying part of the process for me and no matter how many times I do this, it never gets old.
The lino block in a small wooden hand press
Revealing the print
Why linocut prints are never identical (and that’s a good thing)
Every print in my shop is hand‑pulled, which means printed one at a time, no machines or digital shortcuts. Because of this, you’ll see tiny variations in texture, ink coverage and impression.
These differences are the fingerprints of the process.
They show that your print has been made slowly, thoughtfully, and entirely by hand. It’s what makes linocut one of the most characterful forms of printmaking: each impression has a life of its own.
A batch of prints – notice the slight variations...
Why I love working with this technique
Linocut is wonderfully tactile and grounded. Carving the block, rolling the ink, feeling the paper lift from the surface, every stage reminds me that art doesn’t need to be perfect or polished to be beautiful. This is something that really helps me with my perfectionist personality! Accepting beauty in imperfection.
Printmaking is a craft with history, tradition, texture and personality. And for me, it also feels like an ongoing conversation with nature, capturing small moments from the countryside and bringing them into the home in a new form.
What this means when you buy a linocut print from me
When you choose one of my prints, you’re bringing home a piece of artwork that is:
- hand‑drawn, hand‑carved and hand‑printed
- not a digital reproduction
- full of its own character and subtle differences
- created with care, attention and genuine craftsmanship
Each print is the result of time, thought and a love for both nature and traditional printmaking.
Take a look at the finished oak and acorn linocut print here.
