Lino printing is a must for senior students learning about printmaking. There is a great satisfaction in carving out an intricate design.
Focusing on line and texture students use lino tools to carve into a tile to create a printing plate. Students can use a pencil to draw their design into the lino. It is important for students to understand the positive and negative space in a print (carved areas are negative, raised areas are positive). Students carve the areas which they have drawn out in pencil. It is important for students to not carve towards their hand or body and instead move the lino plate to get the correct angles. Students can also use bench hooks or gloves for safety.
Once the design is carved out students roll ink evenly over their plate. If a printing press is not available then paper can be placed over the plate and rubbed evenly to transfer the print.
Tip: Water soluble makers can also be used with lino printing as an ink alternative. There are also many different varieties of lino which you can use for your classes. Soft cut lino is great for students who do not have a lot of hand strength to carve and it is also great for small stamping projects. Velvet lino is great for older students as the surface can be tough to carve through but it also allows you to have more control in creating tiny details. MasterCut lino is a great all-rounder as it is easy to carve into and comes in a circular shape which can be used for interesting designs.
