Essdee SoftCut Printmaking and Carving Blocks, PVC, Multi-Colour, 200x150mm

Great item to add to your beginner's kit for the next stage. Nice and smooth and soft, easy to draw your own designs on.

I hadn't done any lino cutting before, so I can't compare. However, this stuff was really easy to carve, almost too easy! I drew my design, a bird, on to the lino with a biro (not ideal but it doesn't matter as it gets cut away). Then used a v shaped tool to cut the lines. I have a selection of tools but used this same one for this design. I then rollered on some acrylic paint, pressed my thin cotton fabric on to the lino, and rubbed away. I used a small clean hard roller and my hands. When I lifted the cloth off, voila! I had a fabulous bird outlined in the faded blue background. You are really supposed to use ink but I didn't have any and was eager to try it. Plus the faded effect was just what I wanted. I couldn't believe how good it looks! This stuff is going to be a great boon to me. I may try and get some larger sheets.

Is inked up well and gave a good print. I do wonder if a slightly harder material would give crisper lines but this worked well for what I wanted it to do

Always buy this brand.Really easy to cut into.

I thought this medium would be much softer than lino. Will continue to practice as already brought.

Really great for linocut. It is super soft and easy to cut. I like the colour as I could see my traced pattern better than the dark coloured lino I used before. I used with Essdee water based ink and the two are compatible and my prints turned out perfectly. I will be buying again.

Wow, I wish I’d been able to use these when I first learned about Lino printing as a kid. Soft, but really effective, a stunning easy cut line and fast too. Some might feel it takes some of the print texture compared to the compound boards of old but I’m sold on these, especially for teaching.

I bought this to try in my printing practice to trial. I wouldn’t recommend them for professional use. Whilst they’re easy to cut, they’re very unforgiving, you can’t use carbon paper or pencil to mark on them and your design will quickly rub off so anything too detailed is pointless. Probably great for hobbyist.