A flat-lay arrangement of printmaking tools on a gray wood surface, including a stack of white textured paper sheets, a red-handled brayer, carving tools, a pencil, a small palette knife, two ink jars, and a metal ruler.

Handmade, Layer by Layer

Reduction linoleum block printing is a traditional relief printmaking process where every color is carved and printed by hand from a single block.

Even though multiple originals are made, block prints are by no means mass-produced art; each original print is crafted with intention.
A black ink line drawing of trees and foliage on a light gray linoleum block.

Draw

The process begins with a reference images that captures a meaningful moment or place. I digitally reverse the design and transfer it to a linoleum block with just enough detail to guide the carving.
A close-up of a hand holding a wooden-handled carving tool with a silver metal tip, etching or carving a design onto a tan linoleum block.

Carve

For a single-color print, I remove the negative space to create a raised "relief" of the image. With multi-color pieces, I work with each color by layer, carving more and more material away to preserve the color most recently printed.
A top-down view of a black and white linocut print of Arch Rock on Mackinac Island set on a gray wood-grain surface, featuring several finished prints, a carved block, an inky brayer, and palette knife.

Print

I roll ink onto the block, place a sheet of paper on top and burnish the image into the paper by press or by hand. Once dry, I title, sign and number each original print in a limited edition.

See the Process in Action

Watch how "Arch Rock" was made, layer by layer.
Discover more block prints by Natalia