WHAT IS
LINOCUT?​
THE PRINT TECHNIQUE WITH A WOW EFFECT
Whenever I’m at a print exhibition it’s always the linocut pieces that I’m most drawn to. From the fine detailed prints to the raw blocky textures, there’s something about a linocut that makes me go “Oooooooh”.
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RELIEF PRINTING TECHNIQUE
Linocut printing is known as a relief printing technique. I like to think of it in terms of a relief sculpture or plaque that you might find in a museum. It’s the relief parts of the lino that stand proud and take the ink that will print your image.
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This is achieved by carving a lino tile with a tool that has interchangeable blades. Carve away the parts that you don’t want and leave the parts that make up your image. Simple. The main thing to remember is that when transferring your image to the lino tile it must be a mirror image or the image in reverse.
PRINTING WITH LINO
To print you need a brayer roller, block ink and a sheet of glass/Perspex or something similar, as long as it is very flat and very smooth. After applying an olive sized amount of ink to the glass, work the brayer roller over the ink spreading it out slightly. The idea is to coat the brayer roller not the glass.
Gently use the roller to coat the lino tile and then place piece of paper on top of the lino tile and use another clean brayer roller to press firmly over the back of the paper. Carefully lift the paper to reveal your print.
For a demonstration please go to printmaking tutorials or book onto a linocut class.
