Relief & Lino Printing
Relief printing is a method where ink is applied to the surface of a plate or block, and a print is taken either by press or by hand. Woodblock and lino printing are some of the simplest and most rewarding types of printmaking.
At Jackson’s, we offer a wide range of relief and lino printing supplies, including wood and lino cutting tools, rollers and brayers, as well as richly pigmented printing inks. Whether you're creating your first lino print or refining your woodcut process, you’ll find everything you need to get started or develop your skills further.
We carry a large range of the world's most popular woodcut and lino cutting tools, from entry level to the finest quality, and at prices to suit every budget.
A range of vinyl plates and linos including a selection of softer alternatives for easier cutting. High quality wood blocks can also be found in this section.
In this section, you will find high quality water-washable oil based inks that can be cleaned up with soap and water, alongside traditional oil based inks.
A selection of rollers and brayers selected for their natural or tough synthetic rubber that are suitable for use with both oil and water-based printing inks.
These sturdy, high quality presses can be used for etching, lino, lithography, and woodblock. Accessories for presses are also found here.
Sets are a great way to try a new medium or brand, or to expand your collection. Sets can cover all the bases and make excellent gifts too.
A wide range of paper designed for relief printmaking techniques. Available in a broad range of sizes and formats.
A timeless and traditional method of printmaking that can be adapted to suit a range of abilities and allows for a wide range of creative possibilities.
Wood engraving is a form of relief printmaking. The image is usually small in scale, with the potential for exquisite detail due to the density of the wood.
A highly direct, versatile, and spontaneous method for making one-off images which you can print by hand or by press.
We have over 600 book titles and over 200 DVDs to help inspire and motivate your artistic practice.
Maintaining woodcut and linocut tools takes the strain out of the carving process and allows for control and precision.
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An Introduction to Relief Printmaking
The principle of relief printing is that ink is applied to the surface of a plate or block and a print is taken either by press or by hand.
You can set yourself up relatively inexpensively and get creative with classic lino printing, making cards and stamps, or explore the more specialist techniques of wood engraving and Japanese woodblock printing. Monoprinting is a direct and spontaneous method of printing one-offs from the surface of a plate.
More on Relief & Lino Printing
Both the earliest and the most accessible form of printmaking, it is possible to get started with very little initial outlay. Prints can be taken from relatively inexpensive blocks of lino, vinyl or wood and with a few tools and a little ink you can get started.
The print is made from ink applied to the surface of the block, the areas cut away remain unprinted. Thus it is a negative or reductive process which can be likened to 'drawing with light'.
Always remember that your printed image will be the reverse of that which appears on the block, so 'watch your p's and q's'!
Lino and vinyl can give a flat, crisp image. Woodcuts, where the image is cut into the side grain of the plank, have the potential to show the wood grain or texture and can be very expressive. Wood engraving differs in that the image is cut into the highly polished end grain of the wood using specialist tools. They are usually small-scale with the potential for exquisite detail due to the density of the wood.
Prints can be taken without a press by rubbing the back of the paper with a wooden spoon, for example. In the case of Japanese woodblock, prints are taken with a special printing tool called a 'baren'. If you have an etching press, you can often raise the top roller to allow for the plate or block to fit through a higher pressure print or use a specially designed relief press.