Linocut and woodcut are relief styles of printmaking in which you carve an image onto a surface. In linocut or linoleum printing, this surface is linoleum, whereas, in woodcut, the medium used is a block of wood. Woodcut has a long tradition, while linoleum first rose in popularity around the time pop art rose in popularity. While both media have their strengths and weaknesses, one is certainly much easier to carve than the other.
Is Linocut Easier To Do Than Woodcut? Well, yes, kind of. Linocut is easier to do than woodcut because the artist does not have to carve against any grain. Linoleum’s lack of grain enables ease of movement since the carving tool doesn’t have to fight against it as much. Linocut is especially easy to do when the material is heated.
While linocut is the more straightforward printmaking style
, certain aspects of the art limit the artist’s creativity compared to woodcut. So, let’s compare lino and woodcut!
Table of Contents
What Makes Linocut Easier Than Woodcut?
What makes linocut easier than woodcut lies in the materials used. Linoleum is easier to manipulate with a carving tool than wood. Linoleum is much easier to carve since it does not have the natural grain and texture that wood has.
It is, in fact, so easy to carve in linoleum that the art style has received some scathing, if not unfair, criticism.
Critics claim that minimal talent is required, and the ease with which linoleum printing can be achieved subtracts from its merit as true “art.” In addition, it’s easy to replicate linocut blocks, which seems to make it too commercial to be considered art in its true sense.
The criticisms seem to go unminded as linocut continues to be widely popular. Many contemporary printmakers prefer linoleum over wood, not only because it is easier to work with but because it allows for flexibility that lets the artist use more realistic detail.
Other Advantages of Linocut Over Woodcut
To its credit, linocut has more advantages over woodcut than simply being easier to do. It has other artistic and production benefits that make it a preferred printmaking style for many printmakers. Let’s take a look at some of the other advantages of linocut.
Also, if you’re curious about woodcuts, here’s some additional reading. Simply click the link for a good read on woodcut, the oldest form of printmaking.
The earliest specimen of woodblock printing on paper so far found, whereby individual sheets of paper were pressed into wooden blocks with the text and illustrations carved into them, was discovered in 1974 in an excavation of Xi’an (then called Chang’an, the capital of Tang China), Shaanxi, China, and it has been deduced that it was published under the Silla dynasty on 751 A.D. If you would like to know more about this, I recommend you the article below from The Unesco Courier: 200 years before Gutenberg: The master printers of Koryo
Linocut Prints Dry More Quickly
Linocut dries more quickly than a woodcut. This speed of printmaking enables the printmaker to replicate more prints in a shorter period. While the critics find this objectionable, it’s a plus for productivity. Many printmakers certainly welcome this advantage of linocut.
However, this has sparked debate in the art community. Some have raised the question of whether the multiple prints of a linocut are copies or originals. Some argue that they are copies or replicas. At the same time, some build a strong case for the prints being originals since they are not copied but are direct prints from the original relief art.
The Ink Used in Linocut Is Less Toxic
Inks used for linocut are either oil-based or water-based and are relatively less toxic than inks used in other printmaking styles such as woodcut. The less the toxicity, the safer it is for the printmaker to work on his art without incurring risks to his health. So, linocut is one of the safest ways to make prints.
Linocut Enables the Artist To Create More Realistic Prints
The linoleum’s softness offers the printmaker enough flexibility to create more fluid lines and expand the range of strokes, making the eventual print look more realistic. This fluidity and softness widen the variety of illustrations you can produce using linocut.
Linocut prints have a dynamic nature that is difficult to replicate in wood since the linoleum makes carving rounder, more textured, and curved lines easy.
Linocut Materials Are Environmentally-Friendly
Lino printing by hand utilizes natural materials, so it won’t make your carbon footprint much larger. This sustainability is excellent news for ethical artists who want to ensure that their art is eco-friendly.
Linocut Is a Great Way To Teach Art to Young Students
Pencil, paper, and crayons aside, linocut has become a great way to introduce art to young students, some of whom might be true artists someday. It is pretty simple yet has enough complexity for beginner levels to inspire creativity. So, with linocut, you can create prints as straightforward or as complicated as you want – few other printmaking media offer such versatility!
Linocut Is a Great Way To Express Creativity
Not all of us can be among the greats like Van Gogh, but that doesn’t have to stop us from expressing our creativity. Lino printing is a great way to make cards, gifts, and other keepsakes. With practice, you can quickly develop, improve, and perfect the art of linocut.
Disadvantages of Linocut
There are always two sides to a coin. While we’ve had a good time learning the advantages of linocut and becoming convinced that the critics are wrong, this is the part where we flip the coin and get to know the disadvantages of this printmaking style.
Linoleum Breaks Down More Quickly
When subjected to heat or pressure, linoleum breaks down more quickly, limiting its usability. Linoleum consists of organic materials like linseed oil, rosin, and jute or hemp, which is why it is so environmentally friendly.
However, this can also be a disadvantage since it will degrade over time, especially when you place it in conditions with high humidity or fluctuating temperatures. In addition, the more prints you make with a linocut, the faster it will degrade. So, linoleum is more limited than a woodcut.
Linocut Creations Are Limited in Size
Due to the fragility of the material, it is challenging to make larger linocut creations. Large linocuts usually rip and fall apart quickly since the weight of the flexible linoleum will pull on the deepest ridges of your cut, breaking them over time.
Linocuts often fall apart when made beyond a specific size, so you may have to section off large prints and put them together like a puzzle during the printing process.
Final Words
Linocut has been around since the early 20th century, and is only gaining more popularity. It is a favorite printmaking style by printmakers since it’s easy to create dimensional, elaborate details in linoleum, allowing for more flexibility and artistic detail.
Linocut’s simplicity should not be seen as a lack of artistic merit. It should be celebrated!
Sources
- Draw Cut Ink Press: Linocut vs. Woodcut
- Artsy: Woodcut & Linocut
- Creative Bloq: Lino Printing: An Introduction
