How to Lino Print: Carving, Inkingand Transferring Your Designs

How-To Guides

Lino printing is a versatile and rewarding printmaking technique that has been popular since the early 20th century. Originally embraced by artists as an affordable and accessible alternative to woodcuts, it allows you to create bold, textured designs with just a few simple tools.

Whether you’re a beginner or looking to refine your skills, this guide will walk you step by step through the process, from carving your design to transferring it onto paper, so you can bring your creative ideas to life!

Step by step - Let's Create

Draw out your design onto the lino using a soft pencil. Light pencil marks won’t transfer with your ink when printed. Plan the order in which your lino will be printed by determining the largest areas of print. Start printing with light colours first moving through to dark colours.

Carve away all areas of the design that will remain white. In this linocut, the bear’s eyes and fur highlights are being carved away first. Remember, lino cutters are sharp! Always cut away from you and keep your hands away from the direction of the blade. A safety guard or bench hook can aid in holding lino safely in place whilst cutting. If using traditional lino, this is easier to work with when it is more flexible, try warming it with a hairdryer before use.

Registration is the tricky art of placing the lino and paper in exactly the same position each time a new colour is added. To make this process easier, it is advisable to make a registration frame. This is a simple L-shaped piece of mount board that the corner of your lino correlates with, with marks that allow your printing paper to be located in the same position again and again.

Ink up your lino with your first printing colour, and print using the registration frame. Remember to produce several prints using this first colour, as once you progress to the next stage, there is no turning back!

After the first print run, clean and dry your lino. Next, cut out the areas of lino which are to remain as the first print colour. The lino is inked up in a second colour and printed over the top of the first colour, positioning the paper using the registration frame. After the second print, clean and dry your lino.

Finally, cut out the areas of lino which are to remain as the second print colour. The lino is inked up in a third colour and printed over the top of the previous prints, again positioning the paper using the registration frame. This completes your 4-colour lino print! You can even try printing onto fabrics! But ensure you iron fix in fabric inks.