There is nothing more special than gifting someone a handmade card you have made from scratch yourself, this could be a birthday, a thank you or a special occasion such as a Christmas or Valentines. As an artist and printmaker I love creating new greetings cards using a linocut block – these could be simple black and white designs or complex multi-layered prints. Either way, I love a good handmade greetings card (to send them and to receive them), so in this blog I wanted to share exactly why…
Pocket-Sized Pieces of Art
Over the years I have held on to plenty of handmade cards that friends and family have made me, they could be pencil drawing, water colour paintings or even linocuts but they are all incredibly special and carry very fond memories.
A two-colour greetings card created for my linocut masterclass.
I see greetings cards as pocket sized pieces of art that can be small and simple to create as well complex and detailed from more experienced printmakers. They are all completely unique and in a world where we don’t really send letters very much anymore and we buy a lot of things I would say are mass produced, a handmade card is really something truly special!
Great for Beginners And Experimentation
If you are starting out with linocut greetings cards can be a fantastic place to start and to begin your learning because they are small, quick to create and less daunting than creating a full scale piece of art. Cards can also be a fun way to experiment with little or no pressure – if it goes wrong you can just start again and create a new card.
Say something positive! My ‘You Are My Sunshine’ greetings card design.
Print Again and Again…
Using linocut for greetings cards in particular can have a number of benefits. Once you have cut the block you can use it again and again to create as many cards from the same block as you want or need. It may take a little time to cut the block but once it is there you can print from it as many times as you want and using all different colours to provide you with lots of variation. This is great for times like Christmas where we often need to send a number of cards out and want to make a design for that season. It would also be quicker than for example creating a unique water colour painting on every single card you send. With linocut we simply ink and print and your card is done in a matter of only a few moments. If you have a printing press you can even send a number of cards through the press at once increasing your efficiency.
A simple flower card printed in different colours…
Promote Yourself as an Artist
Linocut greetings cards are also a way for you to get your name out there as an artist and for people to be able to purchase a piece of affordable art. Many artists create their own cards to complement their main art practice. With linocut you can also create larger linocut works, scan them in or photograph them and then reproduce them as cards.
A blue floral design used as both a card and as a repeating motif.
Sell Your Cards?
You can also sell your work – linocut greetings cards can start to make a really nice profit if you sell them either in person or online and you get your costings right. Or even if it is just a fun hobby, selling your cards can provide you with the funds for more art materials, and if you are anything like me we always need more of these!
A heart design – perfect for Valentine’s Day
Want to Make Linocut Greetings Cards?
If you would like to find out more about linocut and get started on some greetings cards, my new masterclass, Handprinted Greetings Cards, will teach you everything you need to know about linocutting and making cards.
Linocut Greetings Cards Masterclass with Susan Yeates
About the Masterclass
This special masterclass teaches you everything that you need to know about creating your own greetings cards using linocut. It covers the whole process in detail from preparing designs, to cutting the lino, inking and of course printing your finished cards. Plus there are plenty of top tips, ways to find inspiration, advanced techniques (multiple colour prints), further projects and advice on tools and materials along the way. Suitable for beginners or anyone looking to make high-quality cards.
Find Out More
To find out more about this special online masterclass in linocut go to the info page here.
