Choose a motif that appeals to you and use it to cut a linoleum stamp that you can use to print on a range of stationery or even on fabric. We show you how to do it.
Carve a lino motif
The lino carving tools that you will need: We used a V-tip, various sizes of half rounds and a fine blade. They all fit on the same wooden handle, so you can change them around as you work.
You will need
• motif of your choice
• rubber linoleum
• lino carving equipment
• carbon paper
• hard pencil or ballpoint pen
• masking tape
• scissors
1 Copy your motif to the size you want the stencil to be. Cut a piece of linoleum as well as a piece of carbon paper slightly bigger than the template.
2 Secure the carbon paper to the linoleum with masking tape and then place your motif on top of the linoleum. Trace over all the lines with a hard pencil or ballpoint pen to transfer the design to the lino.
3 Remove the template and carbon paper and go over the lines again with your ballpoint pen, to make them clearer.
4 Use your V-tip tool and carve away a groove around the design. Stay just outside the line and cut away from yourself, with your other hand behind the carving tool.
5 Complete the entire outline in this way. Work slowly and carefully rather than have your hand slip and make a mistake. Anything that is carved away will not be part of the printed motif.
6 Do the inner detail. Turn the linoleum around as necessary and remember, the harder you press, the deeper you carve away the lino. Continue to cut away from yourself.
7 Use a large half-round tip and carve away the background around the design. Carve away everything that must not be part of your printed motif.
8 Trim away any excess lino with a pair of scissors or a craft knife.
Make a lino stamp
You will need
• cut-out lino design
• sponge paper (slightly larger than cut-out lino)
• a piece of cork or a wooden block (slightly larger than the cut lino)
• craft knife and cutting mat
• strong glue
1 Turn over the cut-out lino design and smear glue just inside the edge. Stick it onto the sponge paper and leave to dry.
2 As soon as the glue is dry, you can cut away the sponge paper around the lino with your craft knife.
3 Smear glue on the back of the sponge paper and stick it onto the piece of cork or the wooden block. Leave to dry.
Print your own paper
You will need
• completed stamp
• ink stamp pad in the colour of your choice
• plain paper and envelopes
Good idea If you don’t have an ink stamp pad, you can apply ordinary craft paint to your stamp with a sponge. Test it first to make sure it prints nicely on your paper.
1 Get everything ready and test the colour of the ink on some scrap paper, if necessary. We bought A4 sheets of paper and cut it out to use for our cards.
2 Work relatively quickly and use your ink stamp pad to apply ink all over the stamp so that the entire motif is evenly coated in ink.
3 Turn the stamp over and press the motif onto your paper. Press lightly with your hands so the entire motif prints clearly.
4 Lift the stamp carefully and repeat with the rest of your paper.
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