What is linocut printing
Linocut is a relief printing technique which is carried out in much the same way as a woodcut print. In both methods a block is carved by the artist and ink applied to the ‘raised’ surface. The inked image is then transferred to paper either by hand or by means of a press. Layers of colour can be added by printing on top of the initial print using additional blocks (multi block) or by cutting away the same block and printing with a different colour (reduction method).
Multi block method
After finalising my design on paper I trace the design using tracing paper and transfer to a lino block of the same size, I try to keep the design as simple as possible at this stage to allow room for development of pattern etc. through the cutting process.
I then use a selection of very sharp carving tools mainly U and V shaped gouges to remove any part of the design that isn’t to be printed in the darkest colour, as this will be the ‘Key’ block.
Once the key block has been carved I can then transfer the design to as many blocks as I need for the rest of the colours. I will have a basic idea how many blocks I need and what colours they will be from the initial design but again adjustments will be made during the process with slight changes to colour and sometimes extra blocks added.
I then carve each of these blocks-Considering not only the colour I plan to ink with but also the variations of colour that I can achieve through overprinting on top of the previous layers.
I will then prepare the ink for printing the first block; this is usually (but not always) the lightest colour. I mix the inks to the right colour and transparency and roll out a thin layer using an ink roller (brayer) until the roller is evenly covered. I often use two or more colours in one layer and blend together by moving the roller slightly from side to side when rolling out the ink.
I then ink up the block with the roller- transferring the ink to the raised surface. I then use a press to transfer the ink from the block to the paper and leave to dry before repeating these steps with the other blocks, usually finishing with the key block.
Reduction method
If I am printing using the reduction method I will only need to use one block and I will begin by cutting away the areas I want to be white, I will then print this block with the first colour (which is usually the lightest), I will then continue to work on the same block, carving away the areas which I would like to keep as the last colour printed until finally printing the darkest colour. With this method less lino is used but it is more of a risky process as there is no way of proofing all the colours together before printing the edition and by the end the process the block will have been destroyed.
Linocut is a relief printing technique which is carried out in much the same way as a woodcut print. In both methods a block is carved by the artist and ink applied to the ‘raised’ surface. The inked image is then transferred to paper either by hand or by means of a press. Layers of colour can be added by printing on top of the initial print using additional blocks (multi block) or by cutting away the same block and printing with a different colour (reduction method).
Multi block method
After finalising my design on paper I trace the design using tracing paper and transfer to a lino block of the same size, I try to keep the design as simple as possible at this stage to allow room for development of pattern etc. through the cutting process.
I then use a selection of very sharp carving tools mainly U and V shaped gouges to remove any part of the design that isn’t to be printed in the darkest colour, as this will be the ‘Key’ block.
Once the key block has been carved I can then transfer the design to as many blocks as I need for the rest of the colours. I will have a basic idea how many blocks I need and what colours they will be from the initial design but again adjustments will be made during the process with slight changes to colour and sometimes extra blocks added.
I then carve each of these blocks-Considering not only the colour I plan to ink with but also the variations of colour that I can achieve through overprinting on top of the previous layers.
I will then prepare the ink for printing the first block; this is usually (but not always) the lightest colour. I mix the inks to the right colour and transparency and roll out a thin layer using an ink roller (brayer) until the roller is evenly covered. I often use two or more colours in one layer and blend together by moving the roller slightly from side to side when rolling out the ink.
I then ink up the block with the roller- transferring the ink to the raised surface. I then use a press to transfer the ink from the block to the paper and leave to dry before repeating these steps with the other blocks, usually finishing with the key block.
Reduction method
If I am printing using the reduction method I will only need to use one block and I will begin by cutting away the areas I want to be white, I will then print this block with the first colour (which is usually the lightest), I will then continue to work on the same block, carving away the areas which I would like to keep as the last colour printed until finally printing the darkest colour. With this method less lino is used but it is more of a risky process as there is no way of proofing all the colours together before printing the edition and by the end the process the block will have been destroyed.