Thank you Netgalley for letting me read this book in return for an honest review.

This book on Block Printing just makes me want to buy all of the supplies and make as many blocks as I can. This has really helped inspire me and the photos that are used to guide are nice as it made it all easier for me to follow.

Rating: 5⭐
Would I Read It Again? Yes
Would I Recommend it? Yes

Block Print for Beginners is a tutorial and instruction guide for block printing written and presented by Elise Young. Due out 16th March 2021 from Quarto on their Walter Foster imprint, it's 144 pages and will be available in paperback format.

It's nice to see arts/crafts tutorial instruction books aimed at other things than drawing and painting. This one is well written and accessible and perfectly suited for beginners with no previous experience. The introductory sections cover a bit of background and a very thorough tutorial on tools and supplies including selection, maintenance, technique, and safety. The book is beautifully photographed throughout in color.

The following chapters contain tutorials which build up progressively from simple to more advanced techniques and projects. The last chapter contains some project tutorials: bookplate, card, wrapping paper, tea towel, and wallpaper. All of the designs are beautiful and inspiring (and can obviously be changed around to suit the artist). Each tutorial includes tools and supplies in a bullet list along with both written and photographic tutorial instructions. Templates are linked from the instructions, not included in the physical book. Important alternatives and creative ideas are provided in highlighted text boxes in the tutorials.

The author and publishers have also included some useful appendices including a glossary and bibliography/resource links lists which are refreshingly international in scope. This is a well made book which would make a superlative choice for group artists' studio, makers' groups, school or public library acquisition, activity groups, and the artist's home studio.

Five stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes

Nice intro to Lino cutting! I liked the project ideas and the instructions were super clear.
Would recommend

This book is great for anyone looking to get into lino printing. Lots of different techniques, clearly explained instructions with photographs illustrating every step of the way. This book packs a lot into it and the variety of projects will allow anyone to master the art of the lino-print but also provide inspiration for anyone who has previously dabbled with this medium. Great book. Would highly recommend!

This is a really lovely book and would make a great gift to someone interested in block printing. Elise's work is very pretty, the explanations are very clear and accessible to a beginner. It has given me confidence that I can do my own block printing.
The only thing I'd have liked more of is tips on the types of pictures that do well on block print etc.

This book is really well written. I am familiar with block printing from a few workshops I have participated in. This introduced me to new techniques and more complex ways to create designs.

I was disappointed with the designs used in the examples. They are attractive but not my style. I was hoping to find design inspiration alongside the instruction.

I first leant about lino printing many years ago while still at school. Since then I have used it for making cards but only very simple designs. This book has been great for not only refreshing my memory but for also expanding my limited knowledge.

The book is laid out very well and in a logical way. I was able to work through the principles and basic and then gradually move on to slightly more detailed patterns and designs. I found the test and images to be beneficial and they complimented each other well.

This is a book that is aimed at a beginner or someone, like me who has a very basic knowledge of lino printing. It is a very good starting point as it gives a lot of useful and practical information as well as ideas for designs and small projects.

An excellent well laid out book and one I would definitely recommend.

Brilliant book, I used to do block printing a long time ago and this has got me interested in it again. So many tips and ways to do it safely – which I had forgotten. I can’t wait to have a go again – this book has inspired me for idea’s too.

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

#InspiredArtistBlockPrintforBeginners #NetGalley

During the pandemic, I find myself with too much time on my hands and not enough motivation at times, but I'm trying to learn other craft skills and came across this book. As soon as I opened it, something clicked. Within the first few chapters I was looking up block printing starter kits. The book is so simply laid out, with just the right level of information to not scare off a beginner. I'm not a compulsive buyer, but something about block printing is just super exciting to me -- maybe because it involves carving tools. Or learning something new. Or just a great book. Whatever the reason, I'm excited for my order to come in and get started with help from Elise Young.

Arc provided via Netgalley for review.~ I really enjoyed reading this! It is nicely arranged and there are some beautiful projects. I will have to try printing with registration again— it was never fun for me in printmaking class and I always avoided it when possible. This method looks doable...

This book would be a handy book for a beginner printmaker. I would also recommend if you’ve never done linoleum printing before that you hunt down a video tutorial so you can see and hear what the right amount of ink sounds like on a brayer. :-)

Also, the author didn’t really go into cleaning tools, so be sure to look up info about that as well, especially safety if using traditional oil based printmaking ink. I believe it is just as important to know how to clean up a project as it is to start one!

Oh: and always store your brayer so that the roller is not laying on the table.~ if the roller is in contact with the table for a long time it may warp the soft material!

Other than these nit pickings this is a fine art tutorial book.

* Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

A wonderful resource for anyone curious about starting block printing.

I was interested in this as I have tried block printing in the past but not gotten very far with it as I struggled with inspiration and technique. With all the beautiful examples of block printing in this book, however, it’s definitely helping on the inspiration front and makes me want to get carving, a good sign for an arts and crafts book!

There was a great image at the start of the basic block prints section that showed a block carved with many different patterns and I did wish the book had focused in on that more as I thought it would have been useful to go through all those different carved patterns and how you might incorporate them in your design to help you turn a drawing into an interesting block print. While the book is aimed at beginner block printers, it focuses on the techniques of block printing and, I feel, assumes that you are already fairly confident in your design skills so may not be suitable for those who are an absolute beginner when it comes to art.

Besides those small points though, I really enjoyed this book and I think it’s an excellent resource for artists and crafters wanting to pick up a new skill. The book does a great job at introducing you to different block printing techniques via well photographed, step-by-step tutorials and has a nice selection of projects to inspire you and show how you might put your lino prints to use. The contemporary/whimsical designs in the book are eye catching and will certainly inspire many artists and crafters to give block printing a try.

A vibrant and wonderful instructional book for block printing! This book gives a straightforward, but detailed overview from needed materials, methods, and a variety of projects. I was interested in this book because I had fond memories of learning this in high school art class. Block printing is incredibly easy to learn and makes such stunning prints! Gorgeous, colorful, step-by-step pictures accompany all of the projects. Some of the projects include: basic block print, multiplate block print, mosaic-effect, and interlocking block print, etc. This is a perfect place to start if you're looking to start block printing!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC.