What is lino printing?
Lino printing (also called linocut or linoprint) is a relief printmaking method. You carve a design into a sheet of linoleum, roll ink over the raised surface that is left, and press paper onto it. The carved-away parts stay the colour of the paper. The raised parts print. The print is a mirror image of the block.
Lino printing in short
| Type of print | Relief print: only the raised surface of the block takes ink |
| Other names | Linocut, linoprint, lino block printing |
| Block material | Linoleum (linseed oil, cork or wood flour, on a hessian back), or a softer vinyl carving block |
| Main tools | Lino cutters (V and U gouges), a roller (brayer), block printing ink, paper |
| Press needed? | No. You can print by hand with a wooden spoon or a baren |
| Cost to start (UK) | About £15–£40 for a beginner kit (approximate, October 2026) |
| Time for a first print | About 2–4 hours for a small one-colour design |
| Good first design | Bold shapes, one colour, a block of about 10 × 15 cm |
How lino printing works
Lino printing is a relief process, the same family as woodcut and rubber stamps. You remove material from the block. The surface that stays takes the ink.
Because the paper lies face down on the block, the print is reversed. Text must be carved backwards, and a portrait looks the other way on paper.
Tools and materials
The block
| Block | What it is like | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Traditional (grey or brown) lino | Firm, with a hessian back. Holds fine lines. Cuts more easily when warm. | Detail, long editions, a press |
| Soft-cut or easy-carve blocks | Soft vinyl or rubber. Cuts like butter, but crumbles on very fine lines. | Beginners, children, quick prints |
| Mounted lino | Lino glued to a wooden block, so it is type-high. | Printing presses |
Cutters
- V-gouge: for outlines and fine lines.
- U-gouge (small and large): for clearing larger areas.
- Bench hook: a board that holds the block still, so your other hand stays behind the blade.
Ink, roller and paper
- Water-based block ink cleans up with water and dries fast. Good for beginners.
- Oil-based or water-washable oil ink gives richer, more even colour and stays workable for longer.
- A rubber roller (brayer) and a flat inking plate, for example a sheet of glass or acrylic.
- Thin, smooth paper prints best by hand. Japanese papers and smooth cartridge paper are common choices.
Do not know what to buy? Make your design first. PULPO! suggests a kit that suits the size and the number of colours of your design.
How to make a lino print, step by step
- Plan the design. Start with bold shapes and strong contrast. Decide which parts are ink and which are paper.
- Put the design on the block, reversed. Draw it on with a pencil, or transfer a printed copy with carbon paper. PULPO! makes plates that are already flipped and sized to your block.
- Carve. Cut the outlines with a V-gouge, then clear the large areas with a U-gouge. Always push the blade away from you.
- Roll out the ink. Roll a thin layer on the plate until it looks like velvet and sounds like a soft hiss. Then ink the block in several directions.
- Print. Lay the paper on the block. Rub firmly in small circles with a wooden spoon or a baren. Hold the paper still.
- Pull the print. Lift the paper from one corner. Check the result, ink again, and print the next copy. Let the prints dry flat.
Tip Take a test print before the block is finished. A test print shows what the carving actually does, and you can still cut more away.
Printing in more than one colour
Each colour is one round of inking and printing. There are two ways to do it.
| Method | How it works | Good and bad |
|---|---|---|
| One block for each colour | Carve a separate block for each colour. Print the lightest colour first, then each darker colour on top. | You can print more copies later. It needs more lino and careful lining up. |
| Reduction (one block) | Print the first colour from the whole block. Carve more away, then print the next colour on top. Repeat. | Uses one block and the colours always line up. The block is gone at the end, so the edition is fixed. |
Lining up each colour is called registration. Most printers use a simple jig: a board with corner stops for the block and marks for the paper, so each sheet goes in the same place every time.
Lino vs woodcut vs screen print
| Compare | Lino print | Woodcut | Screen print |
|---|---|---|---|
| How the ink gets on | Rolled onto a raised surface | Rolled onto a raised surface | Pushed through a mesh stencil |
| Carving | Easy, no grain, any direction | Harder, follows the wood grain | No carving: a stencil on a screen |
| Look | Bold shapes, soft edges, visible cut marks | Grainy texture, angular cuts | Flat, even colour |
| Equipment at home | Minimal | Minimal | Screens, exposure unit, washout |
| Best for beginners? | Yes | After some practice | With a class or a studio |
A short history
- 1860s: Frederick Walton invents linoleum in Chiswick, west London, and patents it in 1863, as a floor covering.
- Early 1900s: Artists start to carve it as a cheaper, softer alternative to wood. German Expressionists such as Karl Schmidt-Rottluff use the medium. Vojtěch Preissig shows linoleum prints in New York in 1911.
- 1925–1930: At the Grosvenor School of Modern Art in Pimlico, London, Claude Flight teaches linocut. Students such as Sybil Andrews, Cyril Power and Lill Tschudi make the colourful, fast-moving prints that the school is now famous for.
- 1940s: Henri Matisse makes linocuts, for example the white-on-black illustrations for Pasiphaé (1944).
- Late 1950s: Pablo Picasso makes large colour linocuts from a single block with the reduction method.
- Today: Lino is the most common way to learn relief printing in schools, and many artists sell lino prints, cards and textiles.
Common beginner mistakes
- Text that comes out backwards. Reverse the design before you carve.
- Too much ink. Thick ink fills the fine cuts and makes blobs. Roll thin layers and add more if necessary.
- Lines that are too thin. Lines under about 1 mm break off or fill with ink, especially on soft blocks.
- Specks and ridges. Small bits that you did not clear print as dots. Some printers keep them as part of the look.
- Paper that moves. Hold one edge still while you rub, or the print doubles.
- Cuts towards your hand. Use a bench hook and keep your free hand behind the blade.
Turn a photo into a lino print
PULPO! splits any photo into lino plates, one for each colour, flipped and ready to carve. It is free. Or we print your design as an art print, a tee, a sweatshirt, a hoodie, a tote, a mug or cards.
Make a print, freeQuestions
What is the difference between lino printing and linocut?
There is no difference. Linocut, lino printing and linoprint are names for the same relief printing method. A linocut can also mean the finished print.
Is lino printing hard for beginners?
No. A one-colour print with bold shapes is a good first project, and many people finish one in an afternoon. Fine detail and several colours take more practice.
How much does it cost to start lino printing?
A beginner kit with a cutter, a block, a roller and ink costs about £15 to £40 in the UK. You can print by hand with a wooden spoon, so you do not need a press.
Why is my lino print reversed?
A relief print is a mirror image of the block. Carve text and designs reversed on the lino so that they read the correct way on paper.
How do you make a lino print with more than one colour?
Use one block for each colour and print the lightest colour first, or use the reduction method: print one colour, carve more away from the same block, then print the next colour on top.
Can you lino print on fabric?
Yes. Use a block printing ink made for fabric, print on washed cotton, and heat-set the ink with an iron as the ink maker tells you.
How many prints can one lino block make?
A traditional lino block can print many dozens of copies. Lino wears faster than wood under a press, and soft carving blocks wear faster than traditional lino.
Should I warm the lino before I carve it?
Traditional lino cuts much more easily when it is warm. Put it on a radiator or in the sun for a few minutes. Soft-cut blocks do not need it.