A Hands-On Introduction to Lino Printing with Nick Morley

Recently, we hosted a lino printing workshop with printmaker and educator Nick Morley, bringing together teachers and creatives for an afternoon of carving, printing, and learning new techniques.

The session introduced participants to the fundamentals of lino printing while giving them the chance to experiment with tools and produce their own prints.

Nick kicked off the workshop with a quick overview of the tools and materials. Each participant had a set of six carving tools, including V-gouges for fine lines and detail, and U-gouges for carving wider marks and clearing larger areas of lino.

Before carving began, Nick emphasised the most important rule of lino cutting: always carve away from your hand.

The first part of the workshop focused on mark-making and getting comfortable with the carving tools. Participants experimented with different gouges, exploring how the tool's angle affects the line.

Holding the tool at a shallow angle creates a thin, delicate line, while increasing the angle cuts deeper and produces a wider mark. This simple adjustment opens up a wide range of expressive possibilities.

Nick also demonstrated how to avoid common beginner issues, such as the tool slipping across the lino or digging in too deeply. Small adjustments to wrist angle and pressure can make a huge difference in control.

Once everyone had mastered straight lines, the group moved on to curves and more expressive marks.

Nick demonstrated how gently rocking the tool can create flowing, wavy lines, while rotating the lino block itself allows for tighter curves and more controlled shapes.

Participants also experimented with varying line widths by raising and lowering the wrist during a cut. This creates a beautiful swelling line that shifts from thin to thick, a technique often used to add movement and rhythm to lino prints.

Of course, there was also the classic lino challenge: carving a perfect circle. According to Nick, he’ll retire the day he manages it.

After exploring mark-making techniques, participants used their new skills to begin designing and carving a second lino block.

This stage of the workshop focused on transferring designs onto the lino and thinking about how positive and negative space work in relief printing. As Nick explained, the areas carved away will print as white, while the surface left behind holds the ink.

Once the carving was complete, everyone inked their blocks and produced their first prints, bringing their designs to life on paper.

It didn’t take long for everyone to settle into the rhythm of carving, inking, and printing.

By the end of the afternoon, participants had gained practical skills, a deeper understanding of the tools, and their own handmade prints to take away.

It was a fantastic session and a brilliant introduction to lino printing. Huge thanks to Nick Morley for sharing his knowledge and guiding everyone through the process.