Lino cut gift tags

I have long admired lino printing a great way of printing something  unique and individual. This year I decided I had to have a go. I haven't really mastered the cutting and gouging tools yet but felt ready to attempt some lettering. I made the job easier for myself by using the soft cut lino
Here are the "Smile" gift tags I made.

I wrote the word out onto paper then placed it with the written side onto piece of soft cut lino.

The reverse lettering was traced over with a pen creating a gentle indent into the soft cut lino. 

I build on the lettering shape to make them wider and thus easier to cut around.

The idea is to use the tools to cut into the lino to remove the areas around the word , leaving the word area raised so that it picks up the ink and the background doesn't. You have to work safely and away from yourself as the tools are sharp. Since the lino block was small I was able to work on a tea tray to collect the small bits that are cut out by the tool. For larger pieces it is advisable to hold the lino piece in a lino cutting safety guard that holds the corner secure as you cut.

As I done a little to much gouging out,  I made a hole where the top gap of S is so decided maybe I would cut around the word itself. I wasn't sure the scissors would cut it but it did so fairly easily. The only thing is the area was now smaller and not as easy to handle. Ideally I would have glued it onto a block of wood to make it easy to handle but as I was experimenting I decided to keep it as it was.

I used acrylic paint dabbed on with a sponge placed the stamp on a card tag and then pressed down then gently lifted it off.

Not bad for a first attempt.

I am going to add these tags to the next parcel I wrap. I think matching wrapping paper with different coloured wording would look great with it.

 

Learn more

To find out more about how to lino cut safely read
Nick Morley's blog LinocutBoy

I purchased my lino cutting tools from Nick.