Lino Printing Supplies & Equipment

Everything You Need to Know About Lino Printing Supplies

If you’re an artist looking for a new medium to explore, linocut might be just the thing. This relatively simple form of relief printing can create beautiful and intricate designs with minimal effort. To get started, all you need are some basic lino printing supplies like linoleum blocks, ink, and carving tools. Read on to learn more about the supplies you need to get started with lino printing.

Linoleum Blocks

The first item on your list should be a linoleum block—or blocks—depending on how many colours or layers you want in your design. The type of block you choose will depend on personal preference; both soft and hard linoleum blocks are available. Soft blocks are easier to cut but can be more prone to damage from water or humidity, while hard blocks require sharper tools but have a longer lifespan. Make sure to pick up a few extra blank blocks so that you have spares in case something goes wrong during the cutting process.

Lino Cutting Tools

Next, you’ll need some lino cutting tools if you want to do any cutting into your block. There are various options available depending on your budget and skill level; beginners may want to start with a small set of basic tools while experienced printers may opt for larger sets with multiple blades and sizes included. Keep in mind that whatever tool set you choose will likely come with its own handle as well; make sure the handle is comfortable enough that it won’t slip or cause fatigue when held for long periods of time.

Lino Printing Inks

Finally, don’t forget about block and lino printing inks! The type of lino printing inks you use will depend on your budget, oil-based inks are more expensive, but will give you a better print quality. They are also harder to clean up at the end and may require some solvents to clean up.

Water based block printing inks are usually fairly easy to clean up after use and come in an array of colours suitable for most projects. They also tend not to be very expensive compared to other types of inks so they make an excellent choice for those starting out with lino printing for the first time. You may find that water based inks are not of as high quality finish as oil based inks.

Brayers & Ink Rollers

This is a roller that you will use to apply ink to your lino block. You can get a variety of sizes and hardness of the rollers, check out our guide to lino printing rollers for more details.

Lino Printing Paper

This is what you will print your design onto. You can use any type of paper or fabric that you like. If you are hand printing lino it’s better to use light weight papers, anything less than 160gsm or should be okay to hand print.

Barens

Barens are special tools used for Japanese woodblock printing, but can also be used for lino printing. These unique tools are traditionally made from bamboo, paperboard and other materials which provide the necessary pressure for creating block prints. They allow artists to apply even pressure during the transfer process resulting in a sharp, crisp image on their printmaking paper. Barens come in all shapes and sizes, so any artist at any skill level would be able to find one that best suits their project!

Once you have all the necessary lino printing supplies, it’s time to start creating! Lino printing is a great way to express yourself through art while learning new skills along the way. With just a few basic materials like linoleum blocks, carving tools, ink, you can unleash your creativity onto paper (or fabric) and create beautiful pieces that last forever! So go ahead, get yourself some lino printing supplies today and see what amazing things you can create!