What tools do you need for lino printing? A comprehensive beginner's guide to linocut printmaking materials

Alexandra Motiu
14 hours ago
7 min read

I have been a relief printmaker, working with linocut and wood engraving, for the past six years, initially part time and now full time. I have probably carved and engraved around 400 blocks, and printed thousands of prints. I show my work in galleries and always sell it on my website too, and I have gotten to try every linocut printmaking tool there is.

I have been writing blogs about my favourite and most recommended tools for beginners and intermediates for a while now, and so far I have written about which lino to choose, best brayers, best lino cutting tools, and my favourite papers.

I wanted to have a compendium of all the materials you need to start linocut printing, and the main ones I recommend for beginners. In my tool specific blogs I go more in depth into each tool, but here I wanted to have one place where you find everything you need to start (so you can perhaps avoid some of those pesky starter boxes, as most are not that great).

original linocut print by relief printmaker Alexandra Motiu, alongside carving and printing linocut tools, barens, brayers

I always like to start by giving you an idea of the work I make, more of which you can find here: https://www.moatzart.co.uk/shoporiginalprints. My work is very detailed and colourful, and I like clean and clear lines.

This image is lovely as it also shows you pretty much everything you need to make a print by hand:

the carving surface (linoleum) of choice
cutting tools
brayers and ink
printmaking paper
a printing baren (or a printing press if you have access to one)

Apart from this I will also talk about how to keep your tools sharp, and how to clean up after your session.

By Photographer Phoebe Wingrove

So what are the tools you need for lino printing?

1) linoleum

My favourite surface I work with pretty much exclusively now is Hessian Backed Grey Lino, find it here: https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=79140&awinaffid=1656247&ued=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jacksonsart.com%2Flino-block-3-2mm-grey.

I like it because I can stain the surface with a wash of acrylic paint and water, and then draw directly on top with a pencil before carving. This allows me to see what I carve while I'm carving. It holds detail so well, and printing presses don't crush it under the pressure. The only risk is if you buy in bulk and don't use it for a while, it can get crumbly, but can be revived with heat. I have reliably gotten 50 - 100 prints from a block before.

There is another option I really like which is Japanese Vinyl, find it here: https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=79140&awinaffid=1656247&ued=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jacksonsart.com%2Fjapanese-vinyl-3mm-double-sided-relief-printing-block.

This can be tougher to carve, but holds detail really well and is so so durable, and prints so clean. I recommend this if you are looking to print really large volume.

2) Cutting Tools

The best beginner's tool set I recommend which works well with the surfaces I mentioned is this Japanese Tool Set. I then recommend picking up two more tools, a micro Pfeil carving tool, or a micro Flexcut Tool if you can find them individually. This is the most inexpensive way to carve really high quality prints. You will have most often likely seen these esdee tools used by beginners often. While I think they work really well with softer lino like the Speedball Speedy Carve, I really don't recommend them at all for the surfaces I mentioned above.

3) Brayers and ink

My most favourite brayers to date are also the most inexpensive, and they are these abig rollers you can find here: https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=79140&awinaffid=1656247&ued=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jacksonsart.com%2Fabig-rubber-rollers-wire-handle. I like them because I can have 20 or 30 around my studio while printing, if I suddenly want to try another colour. I do by now have a wide range of specialist brayers, so I do recommend reading my blog if you are looking for a forever roller, or for bigger rollers in general. But these tiny silicone ones cannot be faulted for the price. In general, the softer the rubber the better, as ink will be more uniform quicker which will really help if you are a beginner.

My favourite ink of all time is Cranfield Relief Oil Based Safewash Ink. It is a luscious and deep oil based ink that gives such reliable results. If you buy the tubes, they will not dry, I have had mine for 6 years and they are still going. It dries reliably in three days. It is so easy to customise for multiblock prints using their safewash extender (making the ink thinner so layers can be stacked), and on top of that, they are washable with soap and water! What more could you want? I pretty much never use any other ink for my prints.

Make sure to roll out the ink into a thin layer before printing! It should only have very tiny uniform dots across the surface, and sound smooth!

original linocut print by relief printmaker Alexandra Motiu

4) Printmaking paper

There are two papers I think are essential for beginners and intermediate printmakers alike, before you start experimenting with the wide range of papers out there, which I discuss at length in my blog on papers. The rule of thumb is, if you are printing by hand, the thinner the paper, the clearer the print. For this I recommend Awagami Japanese Handmade Papers. You can get a sample pack first to see which suit your printmaking style the best. My favourites from them are the ones with a smoother side.

Saying that, many printmakers want thicker editioning paper for selling their prints in galleries, and my all time favourite is Somerset Satin by St Cuthbert's Mill. This is also the only thicker printmaking paper you can also print by hand with, because it is so buttery smooth and soft, if you buy the 250 gsm one. So if you don't yet have access to a press, and want some sturdier paper to edition your prints with, this is the one. I exclusively use this paper, it absorbs ink beautifully so all details show up really clear, and can be made damp as well for etchings, embossing, collagraphs, or planographic prints.

5) printing baren or printing press

The truth is, you can print with the back of a spoon or a glass by hand to start. And there is also a pretty useful inexpensive bamboo japanese baren you can buy, though they are not permanent and do come apart eventually.

I have an etching press from Ironbridge Printmakers. It allows me to print a variety of techniques and prints a little larger than A2. They are heritage printmakers and their etching presses are incredibly well built, and the most affordable I have found. There are no words for the difference this has made to my printmaking practice,. as I'm able to print any technique, on any surface, with accurate results each time. I have even printed 100 prints in one day before!

If you like printing by hand and want a more forever option, I love the barens from ritualis press. They do a glass baren and a wooden baren, and I am in love with using them often in my studio. They are also beautiful objects in themselves. I do partner with them as well so you can use code Alexandra10 for 10% off their barens and brayers, find them here: https://www.ritualispress.com/?srsltid=AfmBOooNjJrLJ936NKb1xvoqmADwp7sbV474Cg6EN4Nr40TZSQ95380a

carving and printing linocut tools, barens, brayers from printmaker Alexandra Motiu

How to keep your tools sharp

Another non negotiable for me, especially as a beginner, is a Flexcut slipstrop for keeping your tools polished. If you do this every 30 minutes of carving, you will rarely have to get them profesionally sharpened (I haven't sharpened mine yet in 6 years), especially if you only ever carve linoleum with them. If you ever transition to carving wood, you will need to sharpen them professionally first, as lino can dull knives. This makes sure you can carve the smallest details possible into your block every time.

How to clean up

Even though Cranfield Inks are washable with soap and water, it is still not ideal for them to go down the drain. For this reason, after I take away as much ink as possible with extra papers and extra runs through the press, I wipe everything off with non - toxic and non flammable cleaner called Zest it - though there are other orange based cleaner like this Jackson's one. It is so reliable and easy to use and preserves the blocks really well, and smells like orange! I then keep the rags in a box in my studio for a very long time before disposing of them!

conclusion

I hope this little guide has helped in getting your start materials, to recap what my absolute recommended starting kit will be made of, these are all the tools you need to start lino printing: