Whether you’re new to the art of linocut and woodcut prints or have been doing it for years, it’s always great to get inspiration from other great artists.
Sure, you can always head to a museum and check out prestigious works from famous linocut artists of the past like Sybil Andrews, Valenti Angelo, and Pablo Picasso. But nowadays Instagram has made it easier than ever to find and follow great linocut and woodcut artists from around the globe.
Read also: Best lino cutting tools: Essential printmaking tools
Below I’ve made a short selection of some of my favorites (in no particular order). It includes both linocut artists (working primarily on linoleum) and woodcut artists (working in wood or MDF), although many are multidisciplinary.
I also encourage all of you to submit your favorite linocut artists in the comments at the end of the article. The more recommendations the merrier!
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Sofie van Schadewijk (sofie.tekent)
Instagram: @sofie.tekent
Website: www.sofietekent.nl/
If they aren’t already there, the beautifully flowing works of Dutch illustrator and linocut artist Sofie van Schadewijk deserve a full time spot in your Instagram feed. I love her method of giving texture to things like hair and leaves with simple, minimal lines.
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Recently Sofie has been working on wood engravings in addition to linocut and woodcut printmaking, which allow an even finer level of detail. She writes in English and is generally responsive to comments or questions on her posts, so don’t be shy!
Davide Schileo (Tabulae)
Instagram: @tabulae
Etsy shop: TABULAEprintmaker
Next we’ll take a dip into the macabre with the work of Davide Schileo. His woodcut prints look like they were ripped right out of an ancient manuscript from Medieval times.
Read the interview: Travel back in time with Davide’s medieval woodcut prints
Working primarily on MDF, his work is heavily influenced by German renaissance artists. It’s rare to see a modern woodcut artist draw so heavily from the past, but his detailed and expressive scenes really make it work.
Maria Doyle (maz.prints)
Instagram: @maz.prints
Etsy shop: MazPrintsShop
Maria Doyle is yet another British linocut artist, hailing from the beautiful city of Edinburgh. The gorgeous old buildings of Scotland’s capital served as an early inspiration for her work, which include some of the best prints of cityscapes you’ll find today.
Building on her Edinburgh work, she later traveled around Europe and made more prints of unique buildings in other countries. If her detailed building prints haven’t already won you over, her wonderful use of soothing blues is guaranteed to finish the job.
Viktoria Åström
Instagram: @viktoriaastrom
Etsy shop: viktoriaastrom
If you’re not already following Swedish artist Viktoria Åström, you’re missing out on one of the best modern linocut artists and illustrators on Instagram. And don’t just take it from me – take it from her nearly 200k followers.
Although she’s very much a multi-disciplinary artist, linocut prints still make up the majority of her feed. Her nature and animal prints are remarkably detailed, and her caricatures are unique and instantly recognizable.
Brie Thompson (lakeeffectpress)
Instagram: @lakeeffectpress/
Website: www.lakeeffectpnw.com
Inspired by the incredible nature of the Pacific Northwest, linocut artist Brie Thompson makes some of the most impressive landscape prints you’ll find on Instagram.
An avid hiker and skier, her love of the outdoors is very evident in her work. She’s been printmaking for more than 15 years, and also occasionally does screen printing work. Lately she’s also dabbled in rug tufting, and her work translates perfectly to a tufting gun.
Pablo Salvaje
Instagram: @pablosalvaje
Website: www.salvaje.me/
Keeping the nature theme going, next up is Barcelona-based Pablo Salvaje, who is one of my absolute favorite animal linocut artists. Many of his prints can be seen in his beautiful 2017 children’s book Animalkind, and of course, his Instagram account.
His work is mostly centered around animal and nature themes, and his Instagram provides an interesting glimpse into his life and where he draws inspiration. He frequently teaches workshops in Spain, and he has two online courses about printmaking on Domestika.
Brian Reedy
Instagram: @brianreedy
Website: brianreedy.bigcartel.com
Brian Reedy’s pop-culture infused prints are a fantastic mix of traditional and modern art that should not be missed. His work takes characters and visuals from film and TV series like Star Wars, Godzilla, Sailor Moon, and others, then reimagines them as traditional Japanese woodblock prints (with a healthy dose of his own unique style).
Read the interview: Pop culture printmaker Brian Reedy on making money with art
Brian has been remarkably prolific over his nearly 30 year career as a printmaker, and his fun and easily identifiable designs have been a hit with not just fans of great linocut artists, but also mainstream consumers after a collaboration with retail chain Hot Topic.
Sai Yun Sun (yunsillustfactory)
Instagram: @yunsillustfactory
Website: minne.com/@yuntya1224
If you’re someone who loves everything cute, you have to check out Japan-based artist and illustrator Sai Yun Sun. Her tiny caricature stamps are wonderfully expressive, and some have been turned into digital stamps for the popular Asian chat app LINE (think emojis, but cooler).
Unlike most of the linocut artists on the list, she works with rubber stamps instead of linoleum or wood, but her work is just too cute to leave off the list. She’s also extremely prolific, so following her is sure to lead to some inspiration (even if you don’t understand Japanese!).
Maarit Hänninen
Instagram: @maarit.hanninen
Website: maarithanninen.com/
This Finnish linocut artist is currently based in Amsterdam, but her work still calls back to her northern roots. Her designs are filled with imagery from dark evergreen forests and lush florals filled with small creatures.
Read the interview: Flowers, folk art, and old-school tattoos fill Maarit’s linocut prints
Her pieces have the look and feel of old-school tattoo art, but what really drew me in was her use of copper ink on black paper. The end result is always absolutely stunning.
Sergio Sánchez Santamaría (grabador1976)
Instagram: @grabador1976
Sergio only recently became more active on Instagram, but he’s quickly become one of the most prolific linocut artists on the platform. His works infuse traditional themes from his native Mexico with contemporary messages and political activism in a way that shouldn’t be missed.
Read the interview: Mexican artist Sergio Santamaría channels his cultural and artistic roots into contemporary prints
Even if you’re not familiar with Mexican culture, his account is worth following for the way he plays with light and darkness in his compositions. He also has a few stop motion videos of him completing his work which are a joy to watch.
Michelle Hughes
Instagram: @michellehughesdesign
Website: www.michellehughesdesign.com/
The next entry belongs to Michelle Hughes, a very talented and soothing linocut artist in the UK. Her gorgeous studio in York gets tons of sunlight and overlooks the British countryside and old Holgate Windmill.
Read the interview: Take in the British countryside with Michelle’s linocut prints
It should be no surprise then that her work primarily depicts charming British country roads and scenery. Her work is truly lovely, and she’s living proof that inspiration can always be found just around the corner!
Tomás Hijo
Instagram: @tomashijo
Website: www.tomashijo.com/
For fans of folklore, legendary figures, and the fantastic works of Tolkien and Lovecraft should check out the incredibly detailed work of Spanish illustrator and printmaker Tomás Hijo. As you might have noticed, I’m a sucker for pop-culture linocut artists, and his work fits the bill.
Read the interview: Tomás Hijo brings fantasy worlds to life with detailed linocut prints
An experienced illustrator (and author of a few books in Spanish), he often hand colors his prints with watercolors. He also teamed up with director Guillermo del Toro to create an incredible deck of tarot cards called Tarot del Toro. More recently he illustrated another set of Tarot card based on the movie Labyrinth.
Amy Louise Cundall
Instagram: @amylouisecundall
Website: www.amycundallart.com/
Amy is yet another British linocut artist to add to your list, and her work primarily focuses on nature themes. Personally, I love her nautical pieces, which range from shells to seahorses to deep sea divers.
Another distinctive aspect of her work is a bold use of color. Expect a lot of teal, indigo, ocre, and black used both as a background and foreground in her prints.
Kat Flint
Instagram: @flintkat
Website: www.katflint.com/
If there’s one linocut artist on this list whose work is instantly recognizable, it’s Kat Flint. Her quirky characters and designs are partially inspired by ancient Pictish stones and folklore from her native Scotland.
Now based in London, Kat has really put the gas on her printmaking and illustrative work. Her feed is constantly filled with new prints and works-in-progress, and she’s not afraid to add a heaping helping of her own unique personality to the mix, either.
Andrea Lauren (inkprintrepeat)
Instagram: @inkprintrepeat
Website: www.inkprintrepeat.com/
If you’re looking to infuse a bit of color into your work, check out British linocut artist Andrea Lauren. Her Instagram account unfortunately isn’t as active as it has been in the past, but hopefully she returns to activity soon.
Either way, there are hundreds of pictures of her work from the past few years on her account, and she has published a book called Block Print with instructions, projects, and tips for beginners. She also has two courses available online to learn some of her techniques in less than 20 minutes.
Kitty (HoneyThief Prints)
Instagram: @honey_thief_prints
Etsy: HoneyThiefPrints
Based in Germany, Kitty (the artist behind HoneyThief Prints) creates some of the most imaginative and storied prints you’ll find on Instagram. Each one is beautifully illustrated and carved, which is even more impressive considering she’s been at it for less than two years.
In addition to pictures of her gorgeous prints and work-in-progress, she also frequently posts videos. The final reveal of a fresh print is always a magical moment, especially when the work is so delicate and unique. Definitely give her a follow if you love watching linocut artists work!
Jennifer Zee (ginkgozee)
Instagram: @ginkgozee
Etsy: Ginkgozee
Next up is something a little different from San Francisco-based linocut artist Jennifer Zee, AKA ginkgozee (formerly ginkgomaker). A freelance photographer by day, she has some serious qualifications, with a MSc in Biology and MFA in Art & Design.
These two combine in a unique way in her artwork, which frequently features insects and marine life. I personally love her tessellated pieces, although I have no idea how she manages to print them so accurately.
Lucie Spartacus
Instagram: @luciespartacus
Etsy: LucieSpartacusStudio
The last of the linocut artists I’ll feature here goes by the pseudonym Lucie Spartacus, and her work is truly something to behold. Heavily inspired by 19th century artwork, her prints harken back to a bygone era of fanciful dress and understated demeanor.
One thing that truly makes her work stand out when compared to everyone else on the list is that it’s almost entirely portraits. Lifelike faces and expressions are notoriously difficult to pull off in any medium, let alone one as unforgiving as linocut.
That’s it for some of my favorite modern linocut artists to follow on Instagram. Do you have any more recommendations? Drop them in the comments and spread the word!
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