There are a number of ways to transfer images to lino, including using tracing paper and carbon paper, using heat, and using PVA glue. Transferring a prepared image to lino is a great way of ensuring you minimise the risk of making a mistake in the cutting stage of a linocut print. When making a multi-block print – one image with multiple colours, with a separate block being cut for each colour – the accuracy of where you place the image on the block is essential in achieving good registration between the colours. In this article I compare these three methods in order to determine which is the best.
Transfer Images to Lino
Method One: Toner Print-out and Baking Paper
This method requires a photocopy or print out of your design using a toner based or laserjet printer (inkjet won’t work). It involves placing the image face down on your lino, fixing it in place with masking tape, then placing baking paper on top before giving the image a gentle iron.
This method required more heat and patience than I expected, but the results were reasonably successful. The image was largely visible, although some of the lines transferred more effectively than others. However, the majority of the lines did transfer – so all in all, it was a quick way to transfer a drawing. If some of your lines do not transfer, you may need to fill them in with a pigment pen afterwards.
Things to be aware of:
- Do not let your lino get too hot. You may want to place a tea towel as well as baking paper over the print out to avoid this happening. If lino gets too hot the surface of it can start to form bubbles and the lino can dry out making it prone to cracking during the cutting stage.
- There’s no need to invert the image before you transfer it – as it will transfer back to front, meaning that it will then print the right way around once you have carved it.
Pros:
From the three methods presented here, it is the fastest.
It is fairly accurate, so long as your design doesn’t slip and move position.
Cons:
It doesn’t always work consistently across a whole design, which can lead to inaccuracies.
It is easy to overheat lino.
Transfer Images to Lino
Method Two: Tracing Paper and Carbon Paper
This method involves making a tracing of your design, and using carbon paper to transfer the image by hand to the lino.
Pros:
It’s easy to get the whole image successfully transferred to the lino.
You feel in control of the process.
Cons:
This method relies on the accuracy of your hand and eye when tracing the image and going over the lines, and there is room for inaccuracy or errors.
It is the most time consuming method, as you have to go over the image line by line.
Carbon can smudge a little once transferred to lino so you need to try and minimise handling of the surface of the lino once the image has been transferred.
This is probably the best way to transfer images if making a multi-block print, as you can choose which lines to transfer on your tracing. You can use the same tracing for each of your blocks, which will help to achieve accurate registration.
Transfer Images to Lino
Method Three: PVA Glue Transfer
There are a few variations of this method mentioned online – some say inkjet prints work, others say only use laserjet print outs. I tried both and for me, neither worked! However that’s not to say the method won’t work for you, as the process does work with certain printer inks.
In any case, the process involves brushing on a layer of acrylic medium or PVA glue to your lino, and another layer on the image-side of your print out. Then placing the image on to your lino and smoothing it out to remove air bubbles. I found a roller and a palette knife very useful for this.
Because of the natural curve that most lino has (caused by the huge rolls they are stored in prior to being cut into smaller sizes), you may find that if you flatten and smooth the paper down while the lino is on a flat surface, you inevitably flatten the lino as well, and wrinkles may form in your paper. To avoid this happening it’s a good idea to follow the curve of the lino where you can as you glue the paper in place.
After 15-20 minutes, when the acrylic medium or glue has started to harden, you can start to rub the paper away, using a damp finger or a barely wet cloth.
Admittedly I used too much water when removing the paper, and consequently ended up removing the image as well. However where some of the image did appear to stick on the surface of the lino, it was very easily wiped away with very little rubbing.
I would be interested to hear from anyone who has consistent success with this method to hear what tips you may have learned over time to guarantee results. I found it to be a temperamental method, and even if the image had successfully transferred, it would be done so within a layer of glue on the surface of the linoleum, which would be susceptible to cracking or flaking off as you get to the cutting stage.
While carbon and tracing paper image transfer can be time consuming, it is fairly failsafe, and you feel in full control. Using acrylic medium or ironing can have inconsistent and slightly unreliable results, but when they work, they can save a lot of time – also, the lines are transferred exactly as they appear on your print out – you do not have to reply on the accuracy of your hand and eye when tracing the design to tracing paper. These two methods are more reliable than the PVA glue method.
Further Reading
Linocut Carving Techniques for Beginners
Top Linocut Tips From Leading Printmakers
Linocut Printmaking for Beginners – What You Need to Get Started
Printmaking: Comparing Lino, Softcut, Speedy Carve and Japanese Vinyl
Shop Relief and Lino Printing at jacksonsart.com
I have had some success with the following
method for creating multiple blocks. Carve
the first block, print on low-absorbency
paper, then ‘print’ from the paper onto the
second block. Draw over the ghost print on
the second block using a permanent marker.
If I’m working with a single block, I like to
draw my design freehand onto the lino,
rather than using any transfer method.
Accuracy depends on how the drawing goes,
but I prefer the spontaneity that direct
drawing can give.
Hi Ian,
Thanks for your comments – of course, image transfer by printing on to paper then printing from the paper to the block is a good way to get the design exactly the same on multiple blocks. In my experience the design can smudge when you go to carve it, but perhaps using a fast drying waterbased ink would get around that issue.
Yes its true, drawing straight on to the block adds an element of spontaneity!
Best wishes
Lisa
I have used silicone mat instead of paper, so I dont have to work so
fast. Depending on the ink used, also gel plate does a fine job.
Acrylic sheet isnt the best, but Ive used even book covered with
contact paper (forgot to set everything up, yay me..) and it wasnt
that bad.
When I need an accurate mirror-image of something (stamp, lino
block, intaglio, etc) this method havent found a winner, it just
works.
Thanks for your thoughts Jane! Good ideas here.
Best wishes
Lisa
Hi Lisa,
im surprised you don’t mention the (with
grey lino) easiest way to transfer an image:
Tracing your image with a soft (4B is ideal)
pencil on tracing paper and then rubbing it
onto the lino with a bone folder. Works well
on light lino, and all rubber blocks – except
the very dark ones).
And for the glue/acrylic medium-method I
have heard that printing the image onto
stickerpaper (e.g. of labels) works best.
Kind regards,
Reg
Hi Regina,
Thank you for your comment – ah yes, rubbing with a bone folder is another good method! I have found the image hard to see on battleship grey lino but I agree, its a good method for lighter lino, such as softcut.
I haven’t heard that about the PVA method! Thank you – I will give it another try!
Best wishes
Lisa
That’s hilarious, I too would love to know
how to do PVA transfers successfully! I
enjoy using tracing paper and embrace any
slight variations informed by the medium as
part of the development of the image. I had
never thought of using carbon paper! I just
go over both sides and transfer pencil onto
the Lino.
Hi Malja,
Yes, it’s true you don’t actually need to use carbon paper if you go over the lines on both sides of your tracing paper, but I find the lines are darker and easier to see when using carbon paper. Yes I would love to find someone who swears by the PVA method!
Thanks
Lisa
This isn’t a tested theory, but I
wonder if going over the carbon that
is transferred with some heat similar
to the first method would help it stick
to the Lino.
Hi Emily,
Thanks for your comment, I have tried this and unfortunately it didn’t work for me! The iron can also move the carbon around on the surface of the lino and cause the lines to smudge.
Many thanks
Lisa
I use a slightly different tracing method.
Start with a photo of your image and then
reverse it before printing – any computer
print will do. Then place a sheet of Frisk
Tracedown paper over the Lino and then put
the printed image on top and trace.
Ah yes! That’s a great idea. Thanks Sally!
Hi!
We use plain graphite to transfer. If you
draw your image on one side of the paper,
you can then place it on top of the lino,
face down, and transfer the picture by just
putting pressure on the back — drawing
on, around and over the lines.
Remark: maybe this only works with the
old-school brown lino.
Hi
Yes, that works too for sure! Thanks for your comment.
Best wishes
Lisa
Hi Lisa,
I found this interesting. I’ve taken to doing
the original design onto drafting film,used
over a white backing sheet, with very soft
graphite pencil then just flipping it over and
tracing and/or rubbing it onto the block. ( I
stain my lightly sanded blocks with pink
acrylic ink first.) Yes, the lines have to be
reinforced against smudging- I like using a
pigmented brush pen for this – but it’s well
worth the time to restore line variety and not
get covered in carbon later when cutting the
block.
Sounds great! Thanks Limner. I like your idea of a coloured wash on the lino to make transferred images easier to see.
Many thanks
Lisa
I have used a different method to
transfer laserjet prints to surfaces,
although I haven’t tried it on lino yet.
Reverse your design and print on a
laserjet printer. Place the copy print side
down onto the lino surface, tape in place
then rub alcohol based hand
gel/sanitiser over the back of the paper.
The paper has to be wet enough to
loosen the ink from the paper surface,
but not too wet to make the image run.
Lift a corner to check it has transferred
and if it has, peel off the paper, leaving
your design on the lino and leave it to
dry.
Hello!
Yes, I have heard of this method too! I believe it to work on lino as well as wood although I have not tried it myself.
Many thanks for your suggestion.
Best wishes
Lisa
I had success with the glue method, I
think you start to remove the paper too
soon, I let it dry for a day before to
remove the paper and the result was a
clean design. I think it’s better have the
glue completely dry, the paper will be
more resistant to water, and you’ll not
risk to wipe it away. But is a method not
very “friendly” with tools, do the glue
layer, so I prefer to do not use it often!
Hi Laura,
Thanks for your comments. Rest assured the glue was fully dry so I don’t think that’s the reason why it didn’t work for me. I suspect too much water was the problem…but still, I have concerns that the image transfers to the layer of glue rather than the lino, even when the method is successful, which means the image can easily flake off. But I may be wrong!
Many thanks
Lisa
Please mention that to get your multi-plate
prints to register correctly the plates/lino
have to be exactly the same size – no, ‘Oh
that will do approach’. I have found this
accuracy to be the key and deceptively
difficult your Lino is old or hard. Of course
they then have to register repetitively in
correct justification with the
print surface – another seminar there, I think.
Thanks Peter! A very good point for multi-block linocut printmaking.
Many thanks
Lisa
I love the PVA transfer image. Works
great but one must be patient, slowly
massaging the paper until the fibres
breakdown and are then easy to roll
away revealing the laser print image.
Even a thin almost transparent fibre
layer is fine. Very restful.
Thanks for the tip, Gerry!
When I need to transfer a design I use a
modified version of the pva/glue technique.
Here was my thinking. A laser printer is
designed to embed the carbon print/image
into the fibres of the paper. If you stick this
down then you have to carefully remove the
paper but leave the carbon image behind. My
attempts with this have been inconsistent
and rather messy! I decided that what I need
was an alternative to the paper stock and
preferably one which would simply act as a
support for the carbon. I had to hand a box
of backing sheets from some Avery-type
labels which I had been printing. So I tried
these and found that for me they work
extremely well.
So my process now is to;
Use an A4 sheet of labels,
Strip the labels off leaving the backing
sheet,
Print directly on to this,
Coat the Lino/woodblock with a VERY thin
layer of white wood glue which has been
diluted with water,
Lay the label sheet printed side down onto
the block,
Smooth it out – the backing sheets are
stronger, more water-resistant and smooth
out much more easily than paper,
I sometimes use a roller to lightly press the
label own,
I then leave the block with a heavy book on
top,
After an hour or two I simply peel the
backing sheet away leaving the now
attached design behind.
It is a method that I have been using for
sometime and it appears to be – for me at
least – a simple, effective and less messy
process.
Hi Peter
Thanks so much for this – what a great idea! Is smudging the image on the waxy label backing ever an issue? A lot of good common sense has gone into this – thank you for sharing! I’m going to give it a go. Plus I like the fact you’re reusing a waste product (providing the labels are being used!!)
All the best
Lisa