Linocut Printmaking - What paper should you use for linocut and wood prints? A beginner's comprehensive guide to the best relief printing paper

Alexandra Motiu
Dec 19, 2025
6 min read

Updated: Jan 4

In linocut and relief printmaking, all materials are equally as important as each other for getting the best results out of your carefully carved work. When I get asked by beginner printmakers what went wrong with their print, it is likely a number of causes, the biggest being the combination of materials they are using. You have to choose the right tools for your carving surface, and the right paper and ink for your chosen printing process. Hopefully, my series of blogs on materials can help guide you and demystify the process.

So far, I have talked about which lino to choose, which cutting tools to use and how to care for them, and which rollers/ brayers to use. This blog, where I talk about which printmaking paper to choose therefore almost completes the materials needed to make a linocut print. I will write two more blogs on printing devices next, one on how to print by hand using barens and one on printing presses, another blog talking about printing ink, and ultimately compile all this information into one guide comprising all materials needed for you to start printing.

linocut relief prints on a range of printmaking handmade papers

What is the best paper for lino printing?

If you are printing by hand, without a printing press, using a baren or the back of a spoon, then the best paper for your lino print will be thinner. The thinner the paper the better your results will be. Just make sure enough pressure is applied all over, and that the ink is rolled out for a while before inking the block, so that the layer is uniform. Since thinner papers are best for hand printing, in this blog I will go from thinnest to thickest papers. If you have a printing press, the thickness of the paper is not really that important, as the press can give you reliable results no matter what surface you are printing on (more on that later).

You could even test your prints quickly on cartridge paper by hand, but here I will only talk about paper which can be used in a professional setting and are mostly archival quality.

These are all papers I use consistently in my practice, that I swear by, and here I will be assuming you use oil based relief inks like I do (my favourite are Cranfield Colours, who have a safewash line where they are washable with soap and water).

I am not being paid to recommend any of these, but if you purchase paper through Jackson's Art Supplies links I will receive a small commission!

Best Paper for Lino Printing by Hand

1) Japanese Washi Papers

Find them here: Japanese Washi Paper Awagami Factory

Awagami Factory have a long tradition of paper making, and their papers are some of the most reliable papers for printing by hand or with a baren. They perform beautifully, are handmade, and look stunning. Every time I use them they elevate my work in a way I can't quite place, as good tools can do.

They have a wide range of papers, most of them thin, all of them bringing stunning results when printing by hand. Some of my personal favourites are the ones that are textured, but have a flatter edge, like Okawara Student or Kozo Natural.

They are all acid free which means your prints can be up to conservation standard. I recommend starting with one of their sample packs so you can find your favourite paper from them.

2) lokta paper and other handmade papers

Find some here: Handmade paper set

I love experimenting with other handmade papers that are thin and work really well for hand printing, and these are lokta papers and mulberry papers. The ones I used are acid free, but they may not be fully archival and I try to make this clear to my collectors, they will be more sensitive to light.

Thai mulberry paper might be the best archival option, and the handmade paper I linked above from Jackson's is a good enough option also, given that it is acid free and 100% cotton.

These make my work special, they definitely become part of the work, and I love the printing process, and while I do wish sometimes that I could find a more archival version of these, I still sometimes compromise this aspect for the work, and hopefully collectors are happy to place these works a little more away from the light, if they want the work to span centuries.

3) Somerset satin printmaking paper

Find some here: Somerset Satin Printmaking Paper, 250 gsm

This is my favourite printmaking paper I have ever used, made by St Cuthberts Mill. I would recommend this for beginners above any other type of paper, and it is the only editioning paper I now use. It is archival quality, prints show up on it beautifully with little effort, and you can use it to print by hand, with a baren, without a printing press. If you are a printmaker slowly transitioning into selling original prints, but you cannot find an editioning paper as they are all too thick or textured, and you still don't have access to a printing press, this is the one.

I often print one or two prints by hand quickly when I need to, and the results are no different than when I print with my press, I truly think this paper is magic. It can also be wet and used for etching, making it my all round printing paper of choice.

It also comes in 300 gsm, though if you are printing by hand you will prefer 250 gsm, so do pay attention when you order.

Best Paper for Lino Printing with a Printing Press

4) Khadi cotton rag paper

Find it here: Khadi cotton paper

I tested printing my linocut on this paper which I think is originally meant for watercolour and I like the results. While it is thick and textured, so you definitely need a printing press, I think it brings a nice sculptural element to relief prints. It is acid free and 100% cotton, but there isn't a mention that it would be quite archival.

5) Bhutanese Paper

These papers are layered resho made from the bark of lokta, a sustainable and renewable resource native to the Himalayan forests of Eastern Bhutan. I can't remember where I found them but they are some of my favourites. They have a layer of clay which brings such a lovely quality to the print. You would need a printing press for them, and again I couldn't be too sure of their archival quality, but I am so in love with how they look. I definitely need to find them again before my stash finishes.

6) Somerset velvet printmaking paper

Find some here: Somerset Velvet Printmaking paper

Some of my other favourite printmaking paper is the Somerset Velvet black. In my work I often use this one to print on with gold ink. It is a lovely textured paper, though still has that classic Somerset meatiness, where the ink sinks into it just right. This is definitely one of my favourite combinations in my work, and many people's favourite. It is also the same archival quality you can expect from Somerset paper. Though because this is more textured, you would struggle a bit more trying to print by hand with this one.

7) other surfaces you can print on, cardstock, textiles

If you have a printing press and the appropriate thickness runners, you can also print on many other surfaces. In the past I have printed on cardstock, printed my own tote bags and T shirts, even sketchbooks. While I am now working to have a wholesale range made for me, this really helped me at the beginning of my career when I couldn't order large quantities of stock, to test what works and what doesn't, and be able to attend printmaking fairs.

In my upcoming blog on ink, I will also talk about which ink I have found to be best for textile printing as well.

When it comes to hand printing, you could still handprint patches on fabric with the right combination of inks and tools, but printing on most other thicker textiles will be unlikely.

Conclusion

Don't forget the biggest rule of thumb when choosing your printmaking paper for any type of relief printing: if you are printing by hand, the thinner the paper, the better. Have fun printing, and let me know your questions in the comments!

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