We have now finished our lino printing unit and the results are beautiful!

First, we practised sketching leaves and used these to develop our lino print design. Then, we transferred our designs onto the lino – some of us used tracing paper for a more accurate copy. Once transferred, we could begin to use the lino cutting tools to carve out our design; it was important to follow the safety instructions when carving.

With our carvings complete, we created a background to print on. For this, we used mixed media paper and created a border using masking tape (to create a neat edge when painting) and used watercolour paints to create a wash background. Autumnal colours like orange, yellow and hints of green were the most effective.

The final step was to ink up our carved lino blocks using printing ink and a roller. We then carefully placed this onto our watercolour background, making sure to firmly smooth out the surface, and then peeled off the lino to reveal the final print.

Until the final print was made, we could not be sure how it would turn out… but they all look superb! We loved seeing our final pieces being revealed.