Purchase a wooden board or piece of linoleum specifically used for relief printmaking from an art supply store. This block should be the size you want for the final image. Linoleum is easier to carve for a beginner.
Draw the image in pencil onto the surface of the block. Keep in mind that your image will only consist of two colors—the ink color and the color of the paper you will print it onto. An image that has very intricate lines may be difficult to carve—stick to large and distinct shapes if possible. The image will also be reversed once printed, so text must be drawn backward.
Fill in the background, or negative space, of the image with your pencil. This will help you keep track of what must be carved away versus what must remain as a raised surface on the block.
Carve away the negative space with your relief-carving tools. Wide U-gauges are preferable for large areas, and narrower V-gauges help with thin lines. The straight knife tool can be used to cut straight lines that will serve as cutting boundaries.
Dab a line of relief ink onto a non-porous surface to cover the length of your brayer. Press the brayer into this line, and on another portion of the surface, roll the brayer repeatedly forward to evenly cover the rubber roller with ink. Do not roll back and forth, as the ink may not reach all portions of the roller.
Examine the rubber of the brayer for a uniform coating of ink. One or two more turns of dabbing and rolling may be necessary to properly cover the rubber.
Roll the brayer over the surface of the block with the same forward-only motion. Examine the block for uniform ink coverage, and repeat the process with more ink if necessary. If ink manages to touch the carved negative space area, wipe it out with a cloth and carve that space more deeply.
Place a piece of paper over the block. The image may be transferred by using a hand-cranked relief press, or simply by rubbing a spoon over the back of the paper. Peel up one corner of the paper to examine your progress, taking care not to pull the paper completely out of alignment with the block. When the ink appears to have solidly transferred to the paper, pull it by one corner off the block. Allow to dry as indicated by the ink’s instructions.