Lino Printing Manual

March 28, 2025

Dear Reader,

Congratulations on completing a lino workshop with me! :)

As a present you get this wonderful manual that includes much of what I said during the workshop, and many more tips and tricks. If you have any questions or queries, don't hesitate to reach out, I'm always happy to help fellow creatives.

So good luck, and have fun with your future printing journey!

Lino printing Materials

Lino Cutting Tools, (like Japanese Cutting Tools and Pfeil Tools)
A roller
Ink (like Schmincke, Speedball or Caligo) or Stamp
Pencil, permanent pencil/pen
Tracing paper, blue carbon paper, red carbon paper (optional)
Inking plate
Baren or spoon (optional)
Paper on which to print (you can start with just 80gsm copy paper). You can also use different colours and weights of paper

Step 1: Designing your Lino Print

First draw your design on paper with a pencil. Using a pencil means you can make changes and correct mistakes easily. Having your image on design paper, rather than directly on the linoblock, also means you don't have to ‘work in reverse’. This is especially helpful for text!

You can also use an ipad to draw your image, or use a printed image.

Step 2: transferring your design onto the Lino

Materials:

Carbon paper or tracing paper
Pencil 2B+
Spoon
Pen
Lino block

When you have a design that you’re happy with you then need to transfer the image onto the lino.

When using tracing paper, place it over your design and then use a pencil to trace your image. If you’re using an ipad you can freeze the screen while tracing by turning on ‘Guided Access’ (settings>accessibility). Once you have finished, flip the tracing paper over onto the lino, so the graphite and the block are touching. Hold the tracing paper still and press a spoon/pen on the drawn lines. This pressure will transfer the design from the tracing paper onto the block.

Once your design is visible, go over it with a pen. This will make it clearer, and avoid smudging during carving.

Tip: You can also put graphite on the back of your design, place the lino black underneath it and then outline the image. The graphite from the back of the photograph will transfer to the lino block.

You can also use carbon paper between your design and the lino block.

Step 3: Cutting the Lino

Now you’re ready to cut your lino!

Use the lino cutting tools to cut away the areas you want to be white.

Remember: the surface that you don’t carve will be higher, therefore it will get ink on it and so will be what is printed. Be aware of carving next to the lines you have drawn, or on them.

A good tip is to start with carving a ‘gutter’ around the edge of the image before going in with the larger tools to take away more surface area.

Tip: Start cutting on the inside of an area. This way you wont take away accidentally make your image smaller than intended.

Step 4 - Inking your Lino

Materials:

Ink (tube or stamp)
Flat plate/surface for ink
Roller

Only squeeze out a small blob of ink onto your glass/tray, as it might dry between printings. The Ink needs to be of a certain stickiness and consistency before you start printing. Using the roller to create a nice even layer of ink on the surface and the roller. Change directions to achieve this

Apply your inky roller to your carved lino block making sure the ink is evenly distributed, avoiding lines from the roller or oversaturation

Step 5 - Printing the Lino

Use some scrap printer paper to do a couple of practice prints on test paper to start with. This way you can see what your print will look like, and perhaps you will want to take more material away. Remember you can always take away, never add on again!

Place your inked lino block down first (ink side up!) and then the paper you want to print on. Apply even pressure using a clean ink roller, rubbing circular motions with a spoon or using a baren or a printing press, to transfer your design from the linocut onto the paper.

Tips for printing

Use lighter weight paper if your design is printing with the paper showing through, if printing by hand try paper 100gsm or less
Put a ‘register paper’ under your lino to measure your printing paper against.
Keep a finger on ur print while checking the edges, and try to avoid any movement that could result in smudging
Remove the paper from your linocut slowly and carefully to reveal your design
You can tape the edge of the paper to reduce movement
If you have white showing through the ink, apply more ink to the plate and some more pressure!
You can re-use your linocut by applying more ink. Cleaning between every print isn’t necessary.
If you’re using several colours, start with the lightest one.
Damp paper can help with printing your design