Oliver Bennett
Why linocut suits homemade cards
A linocut block is small, inexpensive and endlessly repeatable. Cut one 90 × 60mm design and you can print forty cards in an afternoon, each with the small variations that make hand-printing so appealing. The block is a permanent master, so next Christmas you can print it in a different colour, or on cream card instead of white, without carving anything new.
Cards also suit the process. They are small, so you need no press and no drying rack — a sheet of greaseproof paper and a windowsill will do. A pack of A6 card blanks, a 75mm roller and a single gouge will get you started for roughly the price of a few shop-bought cards.
Tools and lino for card-sized blocks
You need four things: a cutting tool with interchangeable gouges, a block, a roller and something to burnish with.
- Cutting tool: a handle with a V-shaped gouge for lines and a U-shaped gouge for clearing wider areas. A 1mm V-gouge is the workhorse for card designs.
- Lino: traditional grey lino, about 3mm thick, gives crisp edges and takes ink beautifully. Softer vinyl blocks are easier to cut and kinder to beginners, though they wear faster.
- Roller: a 50–75mm hard rubber roller is ample for a card-sized block. Soft rollers are for covering flat areas, not fine detail.
- Burnishing: a baren if you have one, otherwise the back of a dessertspoon.
- Bench hook or non-slip mat: non-negotiable, because it stops the block sliding while you cut.
Buy your card with the print in mind. Smooth 250–300gsm card holds ink well; the heavily textured kind with a visible tooth will break up fine lines.
Safe cutting angles and a steady grip
Most cuts happen because the lino moves, or because the blade is pointed at the hand holding the block. Fix both and you will almost never injure yourself.
Always work on a bench hook, pushing the tool away from your body with your holding hand behind the blade, never in front of it. Rotate the block to meet the tool rather than twisting your wrist, and take short strokes.
Angle matters as much as direction. A V-gouge works best at a shallow 20–30 degrees to the surface, shaving a narrow channel. Dig in more steeply and you will get a ragged edge or a tool that skids out of the line. A U-gouge sits at around 30–45 degrees and clears background quickly.
Warm lino cuts more sweetly than cold. Grey lino left in a chilly garage crumbles at the edges, so hold the block in your hands for a minute before you begin.
Transferring the design and carving in order
Keep the drawing simple: solid shapes, a few lines and plenty of uncarved surface. Anything finer than about 1mm becomes difficult to ink consistently.
Draw directly onto the block in soft pencil, or trace the design and rub the back with a spoon to transfer the graphite. Go over the lines in marker so they stay visible as you cut.
Carve in a sensible order:
- Outline the shapes with the V-gouge first, keeping the line clean and continuous.
- Clear the background with the U-gouge, working from the edge of each shape outwards.
- Check the surface under a raking light — anything you want to print white must be cut away.
- Print a proof before you get carried away, because inking reveals mistakes that are invisible on the block.
Inking for crisp, consistent prints
Squeeze a small amount of ink onto a glass slab or plastic mat, then roll it out until the roller makes a quiet hiss and feels tacky rather than wet. If it looks glossy, or the roller slips, there is too much.
Roll across the block in both directions, four to six passes, until the raised surface is evenly coated. Ink should sit on the surface and never sink into the cut lines. If your lines are filling in, you are using too much ink or the cut is not deep enough.
Lay the card down along a registration mark — a right-angle corner drawn on a waste sheet works perfectly — hold it still, and burnish with circular strokes from the centre outwards. Peel the print back from one corner rather than yanking it off.
Water-based inks dry in minutes, which suits a card-making session. Oil-based inks give a denser black but need a day or two to dry, which is fine if you print a batch and write them next week.
Printing, drying and finishing
Print more than you need. The first pulls from a freshly inked block are often the best, and having spares lets you choose the cleanest impressions for the cards you actually send.
Dry prints flat, in a single layer, on a rack or newspaper, away from damp. Stack them too early and they will offset onto each other. Once dry, fold your card blanks over a bone folder or the edge of a ruler for a crisp crease, then add a pencil signature or a small mark on the back if you like the idea of a limited run.
Wash the block and roller in warm soapy water straight after printing. Water-based ink lifts easily, and clean tools are the difference between a hobby that lasts and a drawer full of ruined rollers. Dry the lino thoroughly before storing it, and your block will be ready for next year's cards.
