Amsterdam-based linocut artist Maarit Hänninen filmed how she carves and prints her illustration, titled Tomorrow, Tomorrow, with a printmaking technique called linocut. First, she transfers her original artwork to a tinted lino block, a linoleum surface, using a pencil. Then she carves around the to-be-printed areas with chisels, clarifying the illustration with black sharpie.
To test the piece, she rolls the ink into a thin layer with a brayer, transfers the ink to the carving and presses a paper to the ink. With some final tweaks, she prints the final linocut carving on prepared rag paper. Details between each step of the process reveal how much additional care a print requires.
Visit Hänninen’s shop and follow her on Instagram.
To create your own prints with a similar art form, block printing, check out BlockPrint, Making an Impression, Print, Pattern, Sew or Printing by Hand. Level up your printmaking techniques with Japanese Woodblock Print Workshop: A Modern Guide to the Ancient Art of Mokuhanga.
Looking for supplies? Here’s a great kit to start with.
Next: How to screen print, a video series by Eva Stalinski, Nick Wroblewski, Woodcut Printmaker, printing with a 2000lb cast-iron Kluge Letterpress machine, and more ink.Curated, kid-friendly, independently-published. Support this mission by becoming a sustaining member today.