Creative Impressions: Relief Printmaking with Lino with Mark Rowden

The Friday class is impacted by the public holiday. The first three lessons are an hour longer. Check the timetable before proceeding with payment. 

Join printmaker Mark Rowden for an inspiring and hands-on lino printmaking course designed for creatives of all skill levels. Over the term, you'll explore a range of dynamic relief printing techniques, including black-and-white prints, two-block colour prints, jigsaw printing, mixed media prints, and reduction printing.

Working with both hand-printing and press techniques, you’ll learn how to carve, ink, register, and layer your work with confidence. Whether you’re a beginner or looking to refine your printmaking practice, each session offers expert guidance, experimentation, and a supportive studio environment. Oil based with no toxic cleanup.

What's covered in the class:

1. Black & White Printing
Learn the essentials of single-block printing. Focus on mark-making, image design, and achieving crisp, high-contrast prints using black ink.

2.Two-Block Colour Printing
Discover how to carve and register two separate lino blocks to create layered, multi-colour prints with bold contrasts and subtle colour relationships.

3.Jigsaw Printing
Cut a single lino block into puzzle-like pieces, ink each with a different colour, and reassemble to print a cohesive, multicolour image in one pass.

4.Mixed Media Printing
Explore combining lino with monoprinting and collage. Experiment with layering textured papers, brushwork, chine-collé, and inking techniques to create expressive, dynamic results.

5.Reduction Printing
Learn how to carve and print from the same block in multiple stages, building rich, layered colour works through a subtractive process. A technically demanding but rewarding method.

6.Carving Techniques & Tools
Gain hands-on experience using a range of lino tools including V-gouges, U-gouges, and fine blades. Learn how to safely and effectively carve lines, textures, and detail. Discussions include sharpening, tool selection, and maintenance.

7. Artists & Inspiration
Looking at contemporary artists offering inspiration and insight into how different approaches can inform your own work.

8. Paper Exploration
Experiment with a wide variety of papers

What’s Provided

• Oil-based relief inks (core range)
• 1x small lino block to get started
• A selection of printmaking papers for experimenting on
• Mountboard and textural materials for collagraph/mixed media
• Full access to shared studio tools: printing press, rollers, inking trays, cutting mats, rags, etc.

Materials List

• 2x Lino blocks (30x30cm, traditional grey/silk-cut lino recommended). You may need more depending on the size you want to do.
• Lino carving tools (e.g. Sakura set – sharp and reliable)
• Printmaking paper (Zerkall, rice paper)
• Pencil, eraser, ruler
• Notebook (A4, for planning/sketching)
• Apron or old shirt (printing can be messy!)
• Old wooden or bamboo spoon (for hand burnishing)
• Masking tape
• Thin and thick black liner or marker
• Tracing paper
• Carbon paper
• Sharpener, scalpel/blade

Paper Suggestions

• Rice paper roll (at least 30cm wide)
• Printmaking papers (Stonehenge, Fabriano – for final works)
• Bond paper (for proofing) small pad
• Coloured or textured papers (for layering/experimentation)

Inks & Colour

• A range of relief inks is supplied in the class (oil-based)
• If there’s a specific colour you want, feel free to bring old oil paint — we can mix it with printmaking medium to create your colour

Optional Extras

• Scrap collage papers (e.g. tissue, magazines, wrapping paper)
• Yamato Glue (rice glue)
• Brush
• Reference images or sketchbook
• Gloves (optional – some provided

Terms and Conditions

Please choose carefully as fees are non-refundable. Refunds of course fees will only be given if the course is cancelled or a place is not available in the course.

Payment of course fees implies that you have read and agree to the WAC Terms & Conditions.