Month: June 2023

This beginner’s mistake might not hurt physically, but it can be just as painful! Cleaning your tools is an essential part of the printing process—no question about it. But there’s one critical mistake that could ruin your lino block entirely: rinsing it under running water.

Traditional gray and brown linoleum has a hessian (jute fiber) backing. When this material gets wet—especially if soaked unevenly—it contracts. As a result, your lino block will warp, curling into a convex shape. And unfortunately, once this happens, there’s no way to fix it. Printing with a warped block is frustrating and inconsistent, and your only real option is to glue it to a rigid surface. Best to avoid this problem from the start!

In my online course, I dedicate an entire module to cleaning and storing your printmaking supplies. Through three video lessons, I’ll walk you through:
✔ A simple, space-saving cleaning setup
✔ Quick and effective ways to clean your tools properly
✔ Smart storage techniques to keep your supplies in top shape for years to come

I’d love to see you in my course and help you navigate the colorful world of lino printing!

Still unsure which tools and products you need for your lino printing starter kit? Just download my guide with product recommendations for linocut beginners – on 6 pages I list all the materials and tools I need to make my colorful prints – and you can do it too!

A new day, a new beginner’s mistake! This time from the printing section! This mistake mainly affects those who print with traditional lino, those gray blocks with the jute fiber on the back.

The mistake: You press the lino block onto the paper like a stamp. The order is wrong – the correct order is to put the paper on the block. So block on the bottom, paper on the top! The difference is that you have much more control over your print result. Lino blocks are comparatively inflexible to a stamp made of a rubber material.

As a result of this mistake, your print will probably be missing ink in many places, because you can’t see where more pressure needs to be built up.

If you lay the lino block flat on the table and place the paper on top of it, you can lift the paper in some places during the printing process and see how it is doing. Is there still ink missing? Then either more pressure is needed or more ink! With a little practice, you can easily re-roll the ink. I show you all this in detail in my course. Excellent, opaque and even prints are the goal and we can achieve that together!

Especially when you print without a press, it is even more annoying when a print fails because you have put so much more effort and time into it. Let me show you how we can save prints. Do you want to? Then I would be happy if you join me!

Still unsure which tools and products you need for your lino printing starter kit? Just download my guide with product recommendations for linocut beginners – on 6 pages I list all the materials and tools I need to make my colorful prints – and you can do it too!

This mistake is not too bad – but it can still lead to messy and unclean results in the print. You use too much ink.

This can be seen when the ink splatters over the edges or when fine lines are filled with ink and you can no longer recognize them. Another disadvantage is that oil-based ink dries poorly when you use too much of it! Usually a coat of ink dries within a few days. If you use too much ink, it can take weeks.

You can also tell by the sound it makes. Too much ink sounds like you’re walking through mud when you roll it out. While the right amount of ink sounds quieter and more consistent. There’s a video lesson on this in my online course, you can even do the audio test there!

Using too little ink is less of a problem, we can compensate for that quite easily! The secret behind even prints is a combination of ink, paper and pressure. If a print doesn’t turn out quite right, I’m sure we can salvage it together – I’ve picked up a few tricks over the years to get consistent results. In my online course, I’ll be happy to teach you everything you need to know to achieve outstanding print results.

Are you up for it? Then I would be happy if you join!

Still unsure which tools and products you need for your lino printing starter kit? Just download my guide with product recommendations for linocut beginners – on 6 pages I list all the materials and tools I need to make my colorful prints – and you can do it too!

This mistake is particularly dangerous, as it can quickly lead to serious injuries! Carving requires full attention, and even if you’re being cautious, it’s almost inevitable that at some point, the carving tool will slip, and you’ll end up cutting your finger.

This often happens with cheap carving sets, which dull quickly. When the blades lose their sharpness, they don’t grip the material as well, and that’s when accidents happen – you slip. But that’s not even the worst part. Many beginners place their hands incorrectly, which increases the risk of injury. Ouch!

But hey, at least the blades were dull, right? Think again! The extra force you need to apply with dull blades makes things even riskier. You end up exerting more pressure, and you could end up jamming that tool right into your hand. Scary, right? Hopefully, you’re not having nightmares now!

But don’t worry – this doesn’t have to happen! It’s actually easier than you think to handle a tool safely. I’ll show you how to do it right. A sharp tool glides through the material much more smoothly and significantly reduces the risk of injury. There are plenty more useful tips I can share with you in my course. So, come join, and focus on the fun part! Carving can be incredibly relaxing and meditative – when you do it the right way. 😊

Still unsure which tools and products you need for your lino printing starter kit? Just download my guide with product recommendations for linocut beginners – on 6 pages I list all the materials and tools I need to make my colorful prints – and you can do it too!