I needed some new calling cards for my art making endeavors. I have the usual letterpress business card but, I wanted something more like a little art piece I could give out with my name and contact info on the back side.

I decided to print three reduction linoleum cuts in editions of 100 on some birch veneer laying around.

The real tricks are getting the pressure just right so it won't crush the wood fiber but yields a crisp image and soaking up some of the oil in the ink body with a reducer or some mag. carbonate powder (depending on the color).

The front side image cut in linoleum and printed in two colors went smoothly, it will be a couple of weeks before the back side can be printed with the info from handset metal type. The front needs to be totally dry so the pressure of printing the back won't cause offset or smearing. the type is ten times easier than linoleum is to print as the minuscule amounts of surface lead to easier control of ink and pressure.