ART II Two-Tone Butterfly Relief Prints

Art II students work with linocut block relief printmaking techniques and principles to create prints that focus on: a detailed, but simplistic two-toned design; the careful carving away of material; proper carving and linocut handling / working; and an effective use of linework to translate implied detail.

This project emphasizes the planning that’s necessary in the reduction of material to create an efficient and structured relief printmaking design that reads easily. Students will also develop control over lino and block cutting tools and techniques, as well as gain a technical approach to relief printing and printmaking. 

*any subject matter can be adapted for this project. I’ve done Illuminated Letters when discussing the Renaissance; Small Critters such as beetles, snails, and bees; I’ve even done some basic flowers that have turned out really well. We have an upcoming show opportunity with Hungry Mother State Park and their Monarch Release Program, so butterflies it is. 

Materials: Blick Readycut Printing Blocks (or your preferred Lino Block), Acrylic Paint / Ink. Assorted Linocut Tools for Carving, A Block Printing Press (or a transfer tool to assist with pressure, such as a Spoon or Baren), Inking Plate, Brayer, Assorted Printmaking Inks, Printmaking Paper

STEPS:

STEP 1 - Sketch & Layout - the foundation of your project. There are TWO parts to sketch here. The first sketch is actually the second layer of the print, which is the design itself; and the second sketch is the first layer of the print, or the color block – so for me the first layer, the color block, is the orange of the wings; the second layer is the black lined butterfly design. You can use two blocks of the same size or the front and back of one. Either way, accuracy and set up is the most important thing. Make sure that the Registration (or lining up) between the first layer and the second layer is how you want it – some misalignment provides interest and variation in the final print – which I actually like, but that’s up to you. I’ve found that cutting a little stencil of the block outline and position of the design in layer two, gives me a plan where the color block needs to go on the first layer. It’s also important to remember that when creating the design, EVERYTHING IS FLIPPED AND MIRRORED WHEN PRINTED.

(ABOVE: IN PROGRESS - Sketch & Color Block Design for Monarch Two-Toned Lino Block Print, 2026 )

*Note: I traced the outline of the block and butterfly sketch from the second layer, left, to help register and line up my color block on the first layer, right

OPTIONAL IN-BETWEEN STEP - Toning the Block / Prepping for Carving - depending on which block you are using, at this point you can add a little watered down acrylic paint / ink to tone the block in order to make the carving step a little easier. This will provide a contrast between what is carved versus what is not carved and give you a little insight into how the final print will look. Some blocks even come standard with a contrast layer built in. 

STEP 2 - Carving the Block - using the block cutting tools, begin to carve out the negative space in both of the designed layers. The smallest change or mark on the surface of the block will reflect in the final print, so some touch and care is necessary. I find it helpful to do a test print periodically to check in on progress. Depending on what type of block you are working with, it may cut easily or require a little more work.

(ABOVE: IN PROGRESS - Carving the Lino Block for the Monarch Two-Toned Lino Block Print, 2026)

STEP 3 - Inking and Pre-Print Set-Up - two official layers with adequate drying time between the first and final prints. Start with the color block of the design, or the first layer – for the butterfly, this is the Orange layer. Place a small amount of ink on the inking plate and begin to roll it out using the brayer. A thin, even layer of ink is ideal with the tack of the ink making a light crackling sound. Once the ink is evenly distributed begin inking your block, again a thin, even layer is ideal. Any excess ink on the block will result in unexpected bleeding in final prints - this tends to look very novice and messy. 

STEP 4 - Printing the First Layer - time to print. Carefully align and place a sheet of printmaking paper on the inked block. If you are using a press, follow the printing instructions. If you are hand printing, using the baren or the back of a spoon, carefully and evenly rub the back of the paper to transfer the design. Once you feel good about the transfer, pull the print. This might take several attempts to get the desired amount of ink and transfer. In the printing step, you might encounter something called chatter (or noise). Chatter refers to accidental ink marks that gather on the carved away areas of your lino block. Some artists, like myself, embrace some of the chatter in their final editions. However, if you are getting too much chatter in the final print, you might need to carve away more material. Once you are happy with your print, you can begin to edition print. Re-ink the block after each edition, and set aside to dry - I usually make my classes do editions of five. 

(ABOVE: IN PROGRESS - Printing the Color Block First Layer for the Monarch Two-Toned Lino Block Print, 2026)

STEP 5 - Printing the Second Layer - begin printing the second layer ONLY once the first layer is completely dry. Follow the exact same instructions for printing as in the previous steps, you might even experiment with different color combinations to get a specific desired effect. However, you should be heavily focused on Registration at this point. USE CAREFUL CARE TO ENSURE LAYER TWO LINES UP WITH THE COLOR BLOCK LAYER. If you planned appropriately in the first step, this will be a little easier. Some printing presses even have a registration system built in to make this easier to achieve, but if you are printing by hand you’ll have to be extra careful. Again, some misalignment can provide visual interest, but registration can make or break the project at this point. I like to use some masking tape and a few test prints to create a guide to line my paper up for the final editions.

(ABOVE: IN PROGRESS - Printing the Outline Second Layer for the Monarch Two-Toned Lino Block Print, 2026)

(ABOVE: Monarch Two-Toned Lino Block Print, 2026)

You just made art. Maybe it’s amazing, maybe it’s not. But hey, you created something. Every mark you made taught you something and that’s all part of the process. That’s how you get better – keep making, keep learning.