Have you ever tried linocut printmaking? If you’re new to it, coming up with linocut ideas might seem like the first hurdle.
Many people who visit my art fair booth share memories of making block prints in elementary school – maybe with rubber erasers or even potato stamps. But what does a grown-up version of linocut look like?
The fascinating thing is, regardless of age, everyone remembers their first print. A gecko, a spider, a dog – the stories of those early printmaking adventures are always told with a smile.
Using a wooden baren, with a foam core and masking tape registration jig to create a reduction linocut.
Simple Tools, Specific Steps
Printmaking doesn’t have to be complicated. With just a few basic tools and some guidance, you can create beautiful prints right at your kitchen table.
This guide is designed to spark your creativity and provide still-life subject ideas perfect for carving, whether you’re using traditional battleship gray linoleum sheets or user-friendly speedy carve blocks. Keep reading to discover your next print project…
A small block print of a cat drinking from a birdbath, printed in black and then painted with watercolors.
Brainstorming Linocut Print Ideas
If you’re searching for linocut Print Ideas, especially if you enjoy still life, I’ll share a method that can lead to a whole series of prints.
The linocut print of sliced apples and a rose, featured at the beginning of this article, originated from a quick kitchen treasure hunt for brightly colored items. You can easily do the same.
For that particular print, I gathered a striped dinner napkin, a green apple, a dessert plate, a wine glass, and a small bud vase.
I then added a rose from my garden, sliced the apple, poured water into the wine glass, and arranged everything on the napkin near a sunny window.
Using my cell phone, I took numerous photos of the arrangement from different angles, keeping close to the bright window light and with the flash turned off.
A tiny piece of linoleum carved into a portrait of a girl with a bird on her shoulder and a house in the distance, created by Belinda Del Pesco.
Still Life: A Goldmine of Linocut Print Ideas
What you don’t see in the photo of my still life setup for the linocut above is the surrounding clutter – in my case, dinner dishes.
The good news is, background mess is irrelevant for still life arrangements if you use clever cropping. Forget about cleaning; just set up your subjects and start capturing photos. Here’s how…
Use your smartphone camera to discover linocut ideas in everyday scenes.
Using Reference Photos for Linocut Prints
In the image above, my cell phone viewfinder frames the reference shot for a linocut.
If I were to snap that photo and use it as a guide to create a linocut design on a block, you’d never know about the untidiness around the original subject. So, don’t let clutter hold you back! 🙂
Linocuts drying on a rack, showcasing a practical drying solution.
Setting Up Your Still Life Photoshoot for Linocut Inspiration
Find a spot with soft sunlight streaming through a window. Arrange one or two still life objects on a patterned cloth napkin (or try using gift wrap underneath your arrangement). Then, start taking photos with your phone.
Consider these everyday household items as potential still life subjects:
- A plate, napkin, and silverware create an interesting geometric composition for a linocut.
- A collection of lipsticks, nail polish bottles, and a makeup compact with a blush brush offers vibrant color and form.
- A teacup beside a book, with eyeglasses casting shadows on the pages, adds depth and narrative.
- A tape dispenser, scissors, glue container, and a set of sharpened pencils present a study in textures and shapes.
- An ink bottle and quill pen next to an envelope, stamps, and paper evoke classic imagery.
You don’t need many items to create a captivating arrangement for a linocut in a well-lit area. Move your phone’s viewfinder to explore different perspectives – top-down, side views, and horizon-line angles.
If you are a beginner, keep your arrangements simple. You can gradually increase complexity as your experience grows.
You might already have excellent linocut composition ideas in your phone's photo library.
Printmaking brayers and ink ready for use on a studio table.
Discovering Linocut Print Ideas in Your Photos
In the image above, I searched for “Flower” in my Apple Photos app. All my phone photos are stored there, making it easy to search by subject, color, or even people. Have you tried searching your photo archives for specific themes or colors?
A search for “flower” reveals a series of still life photos. The red roses against a window were photographed from various angles, backlit by the sun, with different items added to the setup.
By viewing these pictures as thumbnails, you can focus on the compositions without getting lost in details. Concentrating on the shapes helps you identify which layouts would translate best into a compelling linocut.
A linocut with watercolor of a rose in a bud vase, a glass of white wine, and sliced green apples on a striped cloth.
A reduction woodcut still life featuring an avocado pit sprouting, a seashell, a cassette deck, and a group photograph, by Belinda Del Pesco.
Design Tips for Linocut Print Reference Photos
Once you’ve arranged your still life objects, grab your phone or camera. Begin photographing from various angles and distances.
Squinting helps simplify details into basic shapes. Look for compositions within your arrangement that suggest:
- Diagonal lines
- Circular groupings
- X-shapes
- Asymmetry
Use your camera’s viewfinder to assess compositions, or consider using an Artist’s Viewcatcher to help frame your subject.
Experiment with shadows.
Take plenty of photos.
Move objects out of the frame, and rearrange the remaining elements. Capture more photos.
Zoom in on just one or two items, taking artfully cropped shots.
Reintroduce items, remove others. Take photos from above, below, horizontally, and diagonally.
The beginning stages of a still life linocut, showing linoleum and markers used for initial sketching.
A clean rectangle of linoleum on a table with a black marker nearby, ready for drawing.
Experimenting with Images for Linocut Print Ideas
After selecting potential images for your linocut, consider using photo editing software to convert them to black and white.
Viewing your reference photos in monochrome will help you visualize them as single-color, black and white linocuts.
You can also crop photos to create more dynamic compositions or even combine elements from different photos to create a composite image. For example, you could add a window background to a still life that originally didn’t include one.
From a single set of household objects, you might generate as many as 25 linocut ideas, plus inspiration for sketches and paintings in other mediums.
A sketch showing various still life arrangements using the same four objects, demonstrating compositional variety.
Sorting Through Your Linocut Print Ideas
The photos taken for the initial linocut example have been repurposed across different mediums. For instance, see this watercolor, this pen and ink study, and this monotype. A single photo session with your phone can become a treasure trove of linocut and painting inspiration.
If the objects you choose for your still life arrangement have personal significance or follow a specific theme, the carving and printing process becomes even more engaging.
Consider monochromatic arrangements, like white eggs in a white bowl, or themed groupings like binoculars, a folded map, and sunglasses.
Or perhaps gardening shears and a seed packet paired with a glass of lemonade or a piece of fruit.
You could also arrange multiples of the same item – such as spools of thread – in an artful stack.
What about daisy heads scattered on paper in sunlight, their petals casting shadows?
Or leaves arranged in a heart shape?
For a video example, check out this creative linocut of cameras by printmaker Hannah Forward.
Whatever you choose, make sure to have fun with it!
A linocut of a craggy old pine tree silhouette against a dark blue background with a white crescent moon.
Gathering Your Linocut Print Supplies
To begin linocut printing, gather your reference materials: a drawing, a photo, a still life setup, or a clear view of a landscape or interior scene. Cut a piece of linoleum to your desired size, and collect a permanent marker, fine-grit sandpaper, and your carving tools.
Non-skid shelf liner to place under the linoleum is also useful. Consider acquiring a bench hook; this tool keeps your hands safely away from the blade’s path during carving.
Preparing Your Linoleum Block
Before you start carving, lightly sand the surface of your linoleum block using fine-grit sandpaper wrapped around a small block. Sanding removes any imperfections and the manufacturer’s sealant.
For information on different types of linoleum and their characteristics, check out this post by Dick Blick on Facebook.
Sketch your design with a permanent marker, or transfer it from a computer printout using acrylic varnish. (If you’re unsure how to do this transfer, let me know in the comments, and I’ll explain.)
Drawing Your Linocut Print Design
Use a permanent marker to draw your linocut design directly onto the linoleum sheet, keeping in mind black and white design principles.
Remember, you will carve away everything except your marked drawing. So, use your marker to outline the dark areas of your reference image.
Leave the lightest, white areas unmarked on the linoleum. These areas will be carved away, allowing the white paper to show through in your print.
Carving a linocut of a man and a stag on a couch, using a lap desk for comfortable carving.
Linocut Print Planning Tips
Study your reference photo in advance, deciding which parts to draw (and print) and which to carve away (leaving white paper). Increasing the contrast of your reference photo in photo editing software and printing it in black and white can be helpful.
If you’re adding text to your print, remember to write it backward, as the print will reverse the image.
If this is your first linocut print, choose a relatively simple design to get comfortable with both carving and printing. And allow yourself room for mistakes; learning anything new takes practice.
Linocut printmaking process showing ink being rolled onto the carved block.
Inking Your Linocut Block
The image above shows ink being rolled onto the block. For a detailed tutorial on creating a blended gradient ink effect, McClain’s Printmaking Supplies offers a helpful video on their website.
Their tip of using tape as a guide to keep the roller aligned with the block is excellent. If you have your own inking or block registration tips, please share them in the comments below!
Printing a black and white linocut using a press.
A finished black and white linocut of a still life next to the carved block used to create it.
Choosing the Right Printmaking Inks
If you plan to add other media to your dried print – particularly wet media like watercolors or acrylics – ensure you select a permanent, non-rewetting ink.
Many water-based inks from art supply stores can re-wet when painted over, leading to smudged colors and lost print details.
Research inks that are paint-compatible and use paper heavy enough to withstand wet media without buckling, warping, or bleed-through.
Speedball Water-Soluble Inks, highlighting the importance of reading labels for ink properties.
Ready to Create Your Linocut Print?
I hope this guide inspires you to explore the wonderful world of linocut printmaking. May your creative journey be both productive and enjoyable!
For more inspiration, check out this Pinterest board I’ve curated, dedicated to linocut and woodcut art, perfect for gathering even more linocut ideas.
If you have specific questions about the linocut print process, please leave a comment. Other readers may also offer helpful advice. We all improve together through shared learning in art. 🙂
Thank you for visiting, and I look forward to seeing you in my next post!
Belinda
Viognier and Apples framed linocut print, ready to be displayed.
P.S. Here’s an interesting article about Wayne Thiebaud’s self-curated exhibit at SFMOMA.
Step by Step Demonstration on a two-color Reduction Linocut Print
Art Quote
I look; morning to night I am never done with looking.
Looking I mean not just standing around, but standing around As though with your arms open.
Mary Oliver
