Linoleum block prints have long been a favorite of mine. I began by using them to make Christmas cards. Linoleum is easier to carve than wood, and can be printed by hand instead of requiring a press. The technique is simple: cut a design into the block with carving tools, use a brayer (a hard rubber roller) to spread a layer of ink across the cut block, place a piece of paper onto the inked block, press, then peel it off. A print is born! And, it is unique. Although, the design carved into the block can be reprinted, no two prints will press and lift in exactly the same way because they are created by hand. That one-of-a-kind aspect of this art form I find intriguing.

Every part of the process affects the outcome. Simplicity of design always results in a more successful final print because linoleum is soft and when being cut, is easily torn. The depth of the cuts allows for no negative-texture (in the sections cut away) when using a deeper carving stroke, or for some negative-texture when a shallower cut is made. The amount of ink spread onto the block gives a bold, flat print when heavily inked or a soft, snowy look when lightly spread. The type of paper used affects how the ink will lay down and penetrate or not. The hand pressure applied to the paper distributes the ink evenly along the block when rubbed in both directions, or can create a fade-out effect if rubbed from the center first, then more lightly pressed along the edges.

All the variables interact to produce a print that is special to a linoleum block. As I watch the final prints emerge, the choices I have made in design and printing technique become visible for the first time. This is both challenging and exciting . Working with linoleum blocks forces me into an intimate relationship between myself as artist and the way I choose to use the materials. With linoleum block prints the outcome is always a surprise.