Rosanna Morris is an artist and printmaker who's work is greatly inspired by sustainability, food sovereignty and the growing of food. Many of her prints explore themes of agriculture, horticulture and the natural world. Using print as a medium of communication and connection, building and uplifting communities. She also teaches printmaking and drawing at various art schools, including the Bristol Drawing school at the Royal West of England academy and at Spike Print.
Having first got excited about relief printing aged 18 during her foundation diploma at the Bristol School of Art, she took a trip to Paris where she encountered huge relief wheat pastes around the city. Once home she wanted to make her drawings big and began carving huge life size woodcuts of British farming and pasted them on abandoned walls around the city. Her style blends the traditional feel of British wood engravings, with a clear feeling of contemporary illustration.
Rosanna's book 'Botanical Block Printing' is a beautifully comprehensive guide to relief printing, tools and techniques, with beautiful imagery explaining processes and introducing the reader to a world of possible creative experimentation.
We asked Rosanna to share a little crafting guide with us, and here she shares a step by step on how to print your own Lino patch.
A Simple, Beautiful Project for Slow Weekends…
Small Lino-printed patches are one of my favourite things to create at home on the kitchen table. They’re quick, low-pressure, endlessly adaptable, and make thoughtful little gifts. You can sew them onto clothing to repair and strengthen worn spots, tuck them into cards, or turn them into small linen ornaments for decoration.
For this project I’m carving a simple Dove motif from grey hessian-backed Lino and printing it onto beautiful Merchant & Mills linen. It’s a satisfying process that you can do at home with no need for fancy equipment; just a few tools, a wooden spoon and your own two hands.
- A small piece of grey hessian-backed Lino
- Pencil & simple drawing of any symbol you love.
(Or you can download and print Rosanna's templates HERE).
- Lino carving tools
- Printing ink (speedball or caligo safe-wash inks)
- A small roller
- Linen or any natural-fibre scrap (small/tight weaves are best for print definition)
- Wooden spoon for hand printing, or simply the palm of your hand.
- Scissors
Step-by-Step: How to Make Your Dove Patch
Cut a small rectangle of Lino - I’ve used half of an A6 block for these examples. A small block like this is easy to handle, quick to carve, and low commitment, which makes it ideal for anyone new to printmaking. In my book I encourage beginners to keep things simple and focus on the joy of the process first rather than perfection.
Sketch your Dove directly onto the surface or transfer your drawing using tracing paper.
Once your design is on the Lino, go over your lines with a permanent marker. This helps you keep track of what stays and what gets carved away, so then you can relax into the carving rather than second-guessing yourself.
Take your time here. Carving is meditative and even a small block can be a grounding little ritual. Use V-gouges for fine lines and a U-gouge to clear the spaces around your Dove.
Remember: in relief printmaking, you carve away the areas you want to remain light, and leave raised the parts that will pick up the ink. It can help to repeat the mantra I teach in classes: less is more, you can always carve away more, but you can’t put anything back.
Choose a natural-fibre fabric, linen or cotton works beautifully because the ink grips to the fibres without sliding.
*Top tip*: Iron the fabric flat. Creases can interrupt the print, so a smooth surface gives you the best result.
Squeeze a small amount of ink onto your inking surface and roll it into a thin, even layer. Roll the ink onto your Lino until it has a smooth, slightly tacky sheen.
You don’t need much ink for a piece this size - a pea-sized amount goes surprisingly far.
Lay your block on the table and lay the fabric down on top. Use your hand, or a wooden spoon to press down in small firm circles, try not to move the fabric, as this will blur your image. A firm gentle pressure will press the fibres of the fabric into the ink and give you a clean, even impression. Be consistent and mindful of pressing on all the edges.
Lift the fabric slowly - the reveal is the best bit!
Hang up on a makeshift washing line to dry. Prints take a minimum of 24 hours to dry fully, but a couple of weeks before they can be washed, you can also heat press them with an iron once you're finished to help the ink last longer.
Rosanna wears our Siskin Scottish knitwear throughout.
You can find Rosanna's Template here.
Find more beautiful ideas and wonderful guides in Rosanna’s book, ‘Botanical Block Printing’, follow her on Instagram or support her on Patreon.
We also sell a small selection of Rosanna's greeting cards and handprinted Linocuts.
