To make a linoleum block print, I take a piece of linoleum and draw an image on it. Then I cut away the portion of the image that should be white using a linocutter.
After the image has been cut, I cover the remaining uncut surface of the block with oil-based ink, using a brayer.
I then place a piece of paper on the inked block and rub the back of the paper with a spoon. It’s important to rub the entire surface thoroughly.
Then, I peel the paper away from the block. It has to dry for about 24 hours. If I want color, I hand-color the print when it is dry.
My paper of choice is Rives lightweight and I use oil-based ink. My hand-colored pieces are created with various combinations of oil pastel, colored pencil, and watercolor. Sometimes, I sgraffito the colored surface with optical laser alignment tools and utility knives.
