Linocut tools and block printing materials • Low Road Press

Are you interested in learning what tools and supplies to use for making linocut prints? You came to the right place!

Read on for some information about what I use to prepare, carve, and print linoleum block prints.

Carving tools

For most prints I use a mix of Mikisyo Power Grip Japanese steel carving tools and Speedball interchangeable lino cutting heads with a vintage wooden speedball lino cutting handle.

To keep my carving tools sharp, I use a Flexcut Slipstrop before, during, and after carving.

For beginners, I'd recommend buying the Speedball Deluxe Block Printing set. This is an enhanced version of a beginner kit I purchased originally and includes a lino cutter set, rubber brayer, two different types of lino blocks, a good mix of water-based inks, and a bench hook for inking / carving, all for around $50. I bought a smaller set to start with and then ended up buying most of the other bits separately as I went, but this is a better deal.

Brayers

I currently use two Speedball brayers that work well for doing multiple colors on a single block, or for larger blocks where you'd like to try a fade. One brayer came with the kit I mentioned above and has a pop-in roller, this can also be purchased separately: Speedball Pop-in Soft Rubber Brayer.

I later added another "upgraded" Speedball Deluxe Soft Rubber 4" brayer that has a sturdier metal frame and is easier to clean while still assembled.

Ink

I use Speedball block inks. I started with the Speedball Water Based Relief Inks. These come with the beginner set mentioned above, or can be purchased separately in a wide variety of colors, sizes, and assorted sets. These inks are good to learn with, but in a low-humidity environment i found that they dried quickly on the inking plate and on the block, so I would have to occasionally clean the block and plate off while in the middle of printing. The water-based inks sometimes give more texture and a more distressed appearance.

Later, I purchased a set of the Speedball Oil-Based Water-Miscible Professional Relief Inks. These are slower to dry, and give a smoother appearance typical of oil inks, but are still fairly easy to clean up with soap and water.

Paper cutter

I usually buy larger books of paper and cut it down to size before printing.

I've bought a lot of art in the past that had to be trimmed after the fact or required a custom, odd sized frame. I'm fond of the 5"x7" paper format for printing because it can be easily framed with inexpensive standard sized frames.

I use a Swingline Guillotine Paper Cutter to crop my paper. It can handle paper up to 12"x12", and has clever markings with various measurements to simplify the process. I prefer the guillotine style over the rotary trimmers, the guillotine seems to work smoother for me and gives a nice satisfying sound when you swing it down. Off with their excess paper!