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!

When I started working on my newest girl, Cosmic Starlight, I wanted the colors to feel a little retro-futuristic – something between 80s space aesthetics and dreamy sci-fi illustrations.

For this print I experimented with metallic inks for the first time in a while. Instead of using silver on its own, I mixed a small amount of magenta into the metallic silver ink.

The result surprised me: the color turned into a soft lilac tone with a subtle shimmer that changes depending on the light. It’s not overly glittery, but it gives the print a slightly magical quality that fits the cosmic theme perfectly.

Traditional Relief Ink Silver pure

Silver mixed with Magenta becomes purple

Silver, Magenta and White becomes dull

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!

One of the most common causes of a patchy linocut print is applying too little ink. If you can still see the surface of the lino showing through, there isn’t enough ink on the block. The result:

• light areas across the printed surface
• uneven ink coverage in certain sections

What you can do:
Roll the ink out longer on a smooth surface until it is evenly distributed. The roller should make a slight tacky sound and be coated evenly – thin but opaque. Rolling the surface from multiple angles (not just up and down) also helps!

In my article “Too Much or Too Little Ink? How to Find the Right Balance in Linocut Printing” you’ll find more details on this topic.

Small lino crumbs, dust, jute fibers, or dried ink particles on your carved block can prevent clean ink transfer.

Typical signs after printing:

• small white specks in dark areas
• irregular interruptions
• tiny gaps in solid sections

Solution:
Inspect your block before every print. Blow off loose particles or jute fibers, or gently wipe the surface with a dry cloth or soft brush. Your roller should also be clean.

Especially when printing without a press, patchy results are often caused by uneven pressure. If you don’t apply consistent pressure across the entire surface, some areas will transfer more ink than others. Even when using a press, this can happen – in that case, a smaller felt blanket can help distribute pressure more precisely.

The result:

• lighter and darker zones
• uneven surfaces
• incomplete ink transfer

What helps:
Work in small circular motions across the entire surface. Pay special attention to edges and corners. Take your time – consistent pressure matters more than speed. You can carefully lift one corner of the paper occasionally to check the result underneath, then place it back gently. This helps you identify where more pressure is needed.

Also, avoid using your block like a stamp – read here what I mean by that.

Not every type of paper is suitable for linocut printing.

Very thick or heavily textured paper (such as watercolor paper) doesn’t absorb ink as easily – especially when printing by hand. The ink may not reach every part of the paper’s surface.

Typical result:
A slightly but evenly patchy print, even though ink application and pressure seem correct.

Solution:
Use smooth, untextured paper with moderate weight. For beginners, a reliable printmaking paper that works well for hand printing makes a big difference. I recommend paper around 160 gsm.

Printing thick paper is easier with a press, but even then there are specific requirements. Read here whether you really need a press for linocut printing.

Water-based linocut ink is popular – but I’m not its biggest fan, sorry! It has more than one major drawback: it dries relatively quickly.

If too much time passes between inking the block and printing, the ink may already begin to dry. This can lead to:

• uneven ink transfer
• a grainy surface
• patchy results

What you should keep in mind:
Work efficiently after rolling out the ink. Don’t apply it too thinly, and avoid long pauses between inking and printing. Or even better: switch to oil-based, water-washable inks! You’ll find all my recommendations in my tool list.

If your linocut print turns out patchy, it’s almost always due to one of these factors:

ink amount, cleanliness of the block, pressure distribution, paper choice, or how quickly the ink dries.

The key point is:
It’s a technical issue – not a talent issue.

Once you identify the cause, you can make targeted adjustments and your prints will become much more even. Sometimes several factors interact at once. Paper, pressure, and ink influence each other more than many people realize.

Many beginners understand the theory quickly but feel uncertain when applying it in practice. Details like ink consistency or pressure control become much easier with structured guidance.

With some practice – and the right materials – clean, even results are absolutely achievable. And once the technical foundations are solid, you can focus entirely on developing your own style.

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!

I recently saw a Reel where a beginner said she just didn’t understand why everyone loves linocut – she hated every single second of it. And honestly? I had to smile, because I knew exactly why.

Not because linocut is bad. But because she was making it way harder for herself than it needed to be.

And this happens all the time. When you’re just starting out, you don’t yet know what makes the process easier or more enjoyable – so you wrestle with plates that are too hard, dull knives, and prints that never come out the way you imagined.

I remember my own start. Even though I already had a creative background, I also did pretty much everything “wrong” at first. And still, there was this instant feeling that linocut was my thing. The path to getting there? A bit bumpy.

Linocut is actually a very meditative craft. You just don’t notice it until you understand a few key things.
Most beginners give up too early because they’re working with materials that are just no fun.
For example, if you grab a cheap, hard plate, you’ve already lost – you end up scraping more than cutting. The knife sticks, the linoleum cracks, your wrist aches, and you think, Why am I doing this to myself?
Same story with dull tools or designs that are way too detailed. Then there’s the ink, which spreads unevenly, and the paper sticking to the plate.
No wonder it feels like a struggle.

Once you know what really matters, everything changes.
A good, soft plate, sharp knives, a simple design, and a bit of patience – that’s all it takes.
Suddenly, the cutting flows, the inking is even, and the moment you lift your first successful print? Pure magic.
I think linocut is so much about calm, rhythm, and feeling. If you stop fighting the material and work with it, that’s when the flow everyone talks about happens.

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 small mistake during cleaning can have surprisingly big consequences and can be incredibly frustrating. If you rinse your linoleum block under running water, you risk warping it or even making it unusable.

Traditional grey or brown linoleum has a backing layer made of jute fibers.
If this backing becomes fully or heavily saturated with water, the fibers contract as they dry.

The result? The block starts to warp and curve upward – almost as if it dries crooked.

Unfortunately, this is very difficult to reverse. Printing with a warped linoleum block is frustrating and imprecise, and the only real fix would be mounting it onto a rigid surface. But it doesn’t have to come to that.

You don’t need running water to remove ink after printing.
A bowl of water, a sponge, and some dish soap are enough – assuming you’re working with water-based inks, of course! My recommendations for beginner-friendly inks are here.
Extra tip: An old towel or dishcloth is perfect for cleaning — but not as you might expect. Place your lino block on top of it to prevent moisture from soaking into the jute fibers!

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!

Let’s talk about another common mistake — this time it happens during the printing stage of linocut! This one mainly affects those who print with traditional linoleum — the gray or brown sheets with jute fabric on the back.

You press your linoleum block down onto the paper like a stamp. The order is wrong — the right way is to place the paper on top of the block. So: block on the bottom, paper on top! The difference is that you have much more control over your printing result. Linoleum plates are quite stiff compared to rubber stamps, so they don’t press down evenly. As a result, your print will likely have missing areas where the ink didn’t transfer properly — simply because you can’t see where more pressure is needed.

If you place your linoleum block flat on the table and lay the paper over it, you can carefully lift the paper in certain spots during printing to check how it’s going. Missing color? Then you probably need more pressure — or a little more ink! With a bit of practice, you can easily roll on extra ink. I show you exactly how to do this step by step in my online course. Perfect, even, and consistent prints are the goal — and we can achieve that together!

When you print without a press, every print takes time, effort, and energy. So it’s even more frustrating when one turns out badly. I’ll show you how to save your prints and avoid this mistake next time.
Interested? I’d love to have you join my course and print along with 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!

Getting the right amount of ink is one of the trickiest parts of linocut printing. Too much or too little ink — both can mess up your print. The good news: once you know what to look (and listen!) for, it’s easy to fix.

Using too much ink isn’t the end of the world, but it often leads to messy results. You’ll notice ink spreading beyond the carved areas or fine lines filling in and disappearing.
Another issue: oil-based inks take much longer to dry when applied too thickly. A normal, thin layer may dry in a few days, but if it’s too heavy, your print can stay tacky for weeks.

You can see it and hear it! If there’s too much ink on your roller, it will sound like you’re walking through mud — a wet, sticky noise while rolling.
The right amount of ink sounds smooth, quiet, and almost dry. In my online course, I even show you a short video lesson where you can hear and see the difference — and learn exactly how to find that sweet spot.

Having too little ink is far less of a problem. You can simply add a bit more or increase the pressure while printing.
The secret to beautiful linocut prints lies in the balance between ink, paper, and pressure. Once you get a feel for it, your prints will come out clean and vibrant.

If a print doesn’t turn out perfectly, don’t get discouraged. Often, small adjustments are all it takes to improve your results.
In my online course, I’ll guide you step by step through finding the perfect ink amount, achieving strong and even coverage — and rediscovering the joy of 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!

This mistake is particularly serious because it can quickly lead to real injuries. Carving demands full attention. Even if you’re careful, it has probably happened to almost everyone: the carving knife slips and suddenly a finger is cut. It’s awful — and very often preventable.

Cheap carving knife sets dull quickly. When a blade no longer cuts cleanly, the knife is more likely to slip. Many beginners also put their hands in the wrong place — that raises the risk even more. Combine dull blades with poor hand placement and you’ve got a recipe for accidents.

Dull blades force you to apply extra pressure. That reduces control and can cause sudden, jerky movements when the blade finally gives way — sometimes toward your hand. A sharp blade cuts with less effort and glides through the material. Sharpening isn’t optional — it’s safety work.

• Keep blades sharp: Sharpen regularly or replace disposable blades.
• Correct hand placement: Keep the non-cutting hand out of the blade’s path.
• Cut away from the body: Prefer cuts that move away from you, not toward you.
• Stable work surface: Use a steady table and a non-slip mat.
• Invest in quality tools: Better blades hold an edge longer and are safer.
• Take breaks: If you’re tired, put the knife down. Concentration protects.
• First aid ready: Have a small first-aid kit on hand and know where to get help.

This doesn’t have to happen. In my course I show you how to sharpen blades safely, how to position your hands, which knives are worth having and ergonomic techniques to reduce strain. Carving can be incredibly calming and meditative — when done safely. If you want, I’ll guide you step by step.

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!

One of the most common linocut beginner mistakes happens before you even start carving: you forget to mirror your drawing. That happens quickly — especially if you draw directly onto the linoleum block (and yes, I’ve done it too 😄).

This mistake becomes critical if your design includes text or lettering. Once printed, all letters appear backwards — and your print might be ruined before you notice.

Mistakes are great for learning — but some are better avoided right away.
In my online linocut course for beginners, I guide you step by step through how to plan and mirror your designs correctly.

You can work traditionally on paper or digitally on the iPad Pro — whichever helps you visualize your layout more clearly.
Drawing directly on the linoleum can work, but if you want to print multiple color layers, planning your design first is essential.

What works best for me is starting with a small sketch in my sketchbook. It helps define the composition and gives a clear idea of how the final print will look. I often find inspiration on Pinterest — but I’ve learned that spontaneous doodling rarely results in a harmonious, well-balanced print.

If you’d like some guidance to jump-start your linocut journey, my course walks you through the entire process — from the first sketch to your finished print.

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!

Once your interest in linocut is sparked, you probably want to stock up on all the necessary linocut materials, right? But where do you start? A quick Google search will show you countless beginner linocut kits – and at first, that looks super convenient.

However, many of these starter kits are filled with cheap, beginner-unfriendly products. Dull blades, old hard linoleum blocks, or ink that dries too quickly can quickly lead to frustration.

In the worst case, you grab one of these kits and lose interest before you even properly start printing.

I don’t want to generalize about every product—but most affordable beginner linocut kits on the market are unfortunately low-quality.

If you’re serious about this hobby, it’s worth putting together your own linocut starter kit with high-quality linocut materials that will support you as you start.

And if you’re not sure whether you’ll really enjoy linocut: good materials can always be resold later. But if you buy a bad kit and don’t enjoy it, that money is truly lost.

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!