Printing and stamping are everlasting art forms. They’ve been around for ages, and they aren’t leaving anytime soon. Did you know that you can turn your artwork into a print?

There are various ways to create a print. Linoleum, wood block, and rubber-stamp carving are three different methods for creating a print of your drawings. The company Speedball offers a number of products to assist you in printmaking, depending on the method you wish to use.

two hand-carved winter-themed stamps

Carving stamps out of rubber is the easiest and simplest way to go, and it involves the least amount of brute strength. This method is great for beginners or children. Start with a simple kit. The carving tools are easy to use, making it fun to carve detailed artwork or simple custom designs that you can stamp over and over again with an ink pad.

The rubber carving sheets are soft enough to cut to a custom size using an X-ACTO blade (parents only!) and the metal carving tools can create precise details. Be sure to accompany children when using this tool. Gardening gloves offer a bit of safety for carving close to your hands.

a rubber-stamp design about to be carved out

Carving wood blocks is an advanced method, widely used by artists, which involves a bit more strength. The wood is carved with special tools, using various tips for specific types of cuts. Different types of wood can be used, including softer ones such as balsa and pine or harder ones like mahogany and birch. Any wood is fine as long as it’s been kiln-dried or well-seasoned and is flat on all sides.

The harder the wood, the more precise your cuts and details will be. A softer wood will not allow such fine details, but it will work great with a simpler design. This method is great to be used with many layers of printing. When each layer is completed, the artist will apply an oil-based or water-soluble ink with a roller and press it onto the paper, fabric, or other surface to be printed.

wood-pattern mushroom stamp

Linoleum carving is another advanced method. It involves some strength, much like wood-block carving. The surface is very hard and smooth. It offers the most precise carving because the surface has no grain to work against. Before carving, the surface needs can be heated to soften it. Carving linoleum is a way to create a series of prints that involve many layers and colors. As with wood-block carving, water-soluble or oil-based inks are also applied with a roller to create each printed layer of the artwork.

I suggest trying out at least one method if you have not already. You never know when this form of art will come in handy for future projects!