Select or draw the design you want to print. You will have to carve this design out of the linoleum. If you are a beginner, avoid overly complicated images.
Use a pencil to trace the design onto tracing paper.
Put the linoleum on your work surface. Place the tracing paper on top of the linoleum. The drawn-on side of the tracing paper should be facing down onto the linoleum. Use a pencil to draw or shade over the lines of your design. Lift the tracing paper off the linoleum. Your design will have transferred onto the linoleum.
Carve out the areas of your design that you do not want to print. Hold the linoleum cutter so that the blade skims along the top of the linoleum. You will only need to carve 1/8 of an inch deep to create an area which will not print. Carve away large areas of the design with large lino cutters and smaller, more intricate parts of the design with small cutters.
Use you fingers to brush over the design and remove any excess bits of linoleum. This is your block with which to print.
Squeeze a blob of ink onto the top of the palette. Use the brayer to roll the ink out across the length and width of the palette until it forms a thin layer with a rough-looking consistency. If you do not have a palette, you could also use sheet of acetate to roll the ink out on. Check that the roller on the brayer is completely covered with a thin layer of ink.
Roll the inked-up brayer over the top of the carved linoleum. Make sure that all the areas of the design that you want to print are covered with a layer of ink. You may need to roll the inked brayer over the carving a couple of times.
Place a piece of paper on top of your carved lino block and press lightly into place. Use a second clean brayer to roll over the back of the paper. Try to roll over all parts of the design with equal pressure.
Pull the paper away from the block from left to right. This is your block print.
Repeat steps 7 through 9 for additional prints.