I’m working on a couple multicolor linocuts of desert landscapes. This one highlights a lot of desert plant patterns and details.

The image below was drawn directly on the 16”x22” linoleum block.

Carving details in the linoleum block with a u-gouge

I came up with a geometric pattern for the sky and carved it with v-gouge tools.

Geometric linocut pattern used for the desert sky

Here are some Instagram videos of me inking up the desert plants and sky with printmaking ink for test prints.

I had one of those happy printmaking accidents in the studio this week that I thought I’d share in case someone else finds it useful. Recently, I was using Con-Tact paper and had been saving the backing paper that gets peeled and thrown away. If you don’t know what Con-Tact paper is, it’s that self-adhesive paper that comes in rolls and people use it to line the bottom of drawers and shelves.

Registering multiple linoleum blocks on the back of Con-Tact paper

I’m working on a series of lino prints that requires registering many different linoleum blocks at one time. It occurred to me that the backing paper had a nifty grid printed on it and it might be helpful for lining up my blocks. So, I took a big piece and taped it to my press bed using painters tape. The grid is broken down into 1/4 inch squares.

Linocut Registration Using Gridded Paper

In the example in these photos, I lined up my printmaking paper with the grid lines inside the green tape and lined up my inked lino blocks within the thinner, white masking tape. This ensured at least a one inch margin around my linocut print.

An extra benefit of the paper is that it has a somewhat glossy finish, which is nice when working with messy ink.

The gridded paper I was using is from an 18 inch x 9 foot roll of white Con-Tact paper. Specifically, it’s Con-Tact brand adhesive Creative Covering paper - the solid white version. I happen to have it in other patterns (not white) and the grid on those is slightly different, not quite as useful, and has larger squares.

If you have any questions, just let me know!

I recently finished a new linocut print featuring a tall Ocotillo. You can spot these spindly plants in Joshua Tree National Park, Palm Springs and Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, amongst other places.

This square lino print was made with Cranfield Caligo Safe Wash Relief Ink and Stonehenge paper. Original prints are available on Etsy.

Ocotillo Desert Plant - Linocut Print Artwork

The Carved Linoleum Block Used to Make the Ocotillo Lino Print

The lino printing process can be frustrating when things don’t go according to plan - it happens to all of us. I have a few easy tips to help you get that perfect print.

1. If you notice ink in some of your narrowly carved lines, and these details don’t print clearly, try inking with thinner layers of ink. Roll it on your linoleum block in several thin layers instead of one thick application of ink.

2. Before you peel your paper fully back from your printed block, carefully peek and check to see if there are areas that need more pressure. Go back and use a little more force on these specific areas, perhaps with the back of a spoon. If you notice a light spot, you might even be able to use a small brayer to roll a little bit of ink on the lino block where you don’t quite have enough. Then, you can reveal your whole print.

3. Are you trying to print on heavyweight paper with a baren or spoon? If so, try a lightweight paper, which will give you consistently better print results with less effort. I also have a separate blog post all about choosing a good paper when printing by hand.

Inking a Lino Block with a Brayer

Linocuts are carved and printed from blocks of linoleum. What exactly is printmaking linoleum made of anyway?

Frederick Walton invented linoleum in the mid 1800’s and artists have been using it as a relief printmaking material for over 100 years. It’s a versatile alternative to wood for printmakers. But, most people know linoleum for its use as flooring.

Printmaking linoleum is a relatively thin material, about 1/8” thick, and is available from art supply shops. For purposes of this post, I’m not talking about the soft plasticky blocks like Speedball Speedy-Carve and Speedy-Cut, but rather traditional linoleum. According to a major linoleum manufacturer, art linoleum is made out of the following ingredients:

• Linseed oil

• Natural rosin

• Wood flour

• Limestone

• Jute (the backing)

Battleship Gray Linoleum Blocks

Battleship gray linoleum is one of the main types of lino that artists carve and print and it’s the type that I’ve used for many years. It does come in other colors, though, like tan. In addition to thin sheets of linoleum, sometimes it comes glued flat (i.e. mounted) to a piece of wood such as MDF.

If you’re curious about the environmental friendliness of linoleum, this Scientific American article talks about some of the green benefits of linoleum flooring, which is essentially the same material as art linoleum, as far as I understand. And, here’s a video about how linoleum is made and a funny little video about its natural ingredients.

Finally, I’ve been inspired by online conversations I’ve had with folks around the world seeking information here on my website about the art of linocut printmaking during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thank you.

The original idea for this new cactus linocut print came from a planter of succulents and cactus that my wife made for me not that long ago. There’s one plant that always catches my eye - a thimble cactus with its pattern of spines.

Cactus Linoleum Block and Carving Tool

Cactus Linocut | “Spines” (2020)

I hand carved the geometric pattern in battleship gray linoleum with v-gouges. This radial pattern can be found elsewhere in nature, like on Petoskey stones that I see when visiting Michigan. The cactus I have is tiny so this lino block print, which is printed on 16” x 20” acid-free paper, is more than 10x its size. It’s currently available on Etsy.