What is a linocut and how is it made?

A linocut is a relief print made by carving a design into a sheet of linoleum, rolling ink across the raised surface that remains, and pressing it onto paper. Whatever the artist cuts away prints as the colour of the paper; whatever is left standing takes the ink. That single, simple reversal is the whole logic of the medium, and once you see it, every linocut in a gallery becomes easier to read.

How is a linocut actually made?

The process begins with a drawing transferred onto the lino, usually in reverse, because the printed image comes out mirrored. The artist then carves with V-shaped and U-shaped gouges, removing everything that should stay white and leaving the lines and shapes that will carry ink. This is the slow, decisive part: a cut cannot be undone, so the carving is the real act of composition rather than a tidying-up afterwards.

Once the block is cut, the artist rolls a thin, even film of ink over it with a rubber roller called a brayer. Too much ink fills the fine lines and the print turns muddy; too little and it prints patchy. Paper is laid over the inked block, and pressure is applied either through a press or, very commonly, by hand with a smooth tool called a baren, rubbing the back of the sheet until the image transfers. Peeling the paper away to see the result is the moment most printmakers will tell you they are still in it for.

Why is each print called an original?

Each linocut is an original because the artist makes the printing surface by hand and pulls each impression individually, rather than photographing or scanning an existing picture. The block is the matrix, and the prints taken from it are the finished works in their own right. This is the key difference between an original print and a reproduction: a reproduction copies an artwork that exists elsewhere, while a linocut has no other original behind it. The block is simply the means, and the prints are the art.

Whatever the artist cuts away prints as the colour of the paper; whatever is left takes the ink.

What do the numbers on a linocut mean?

The pencil numbers along the bottom edge tell you about the edition. A mark like 8/40 means the eighth print pulled from a planned run of forty, after which the artist conventionally cancels or sets aside the block so no more are made. You may also see the letters AP, for artist’s proof, which are impressions kept back from the numbered edition, traditionally for the artist’s own use. The signature, usually in pencil too, confirms the artist approved that particular sheet. None of this makes one print better than its neighbours; it simply records honesty about how many exist.

How are colour linocuts made?

Colour linocuts are made in one of two ways, and knowing which you are looking at tells you a great deal about the work. The first is the multi-block method, where the artist cuts a separate block for each colour and prints them one over another, lining up the paper carefully each time so the colours register correctly. The second, often called the reduction method, uses a single block: the artist prints the lightest colour first across the whole edition, then carves away more of the same block, prints the next colour, and repeats. Because the block is progressively destroyed, the edition can never be reprinted once finished. A reduction linocut is, in a real sense, made and unmade in the same act.

How can you tell a linocut from other prints?

You can usually recognise a linocut by its character: bold, confident shapes, clean edges, and a slight texture where the ink sits on the surface of the paper rather than sinking into it. Hold a print to the light and you may see a faint sheen of ink and the gentle impression of the block, signs that something physical was pressed onto the sheet. Lino has no grain, so the cuts look smooth and deliberate, unlike the grainy drag of a woodcut. With a little practice these clues become second nature.

The best way to learn the difference is to stand in front of the real thing. Dedicated print spaces such as Edinburgh Printmakers and Bankside Gallery in London show relief prints regularly and often welcome questions, and you can browse more galleries near you through our Edinburgh location guide. Seeing the ink, the paper, and the marks of the gouge in person teaches you more in ten minutes than any description can.