A linocut is a relief print, one of the oldest printmaking processes. A linocut is made using a sheet of linoleum the surface of which is cut away so that the image to be inked and printed onto paper stands in ‘relief’. A variety of u- and v-shaped gouges are used to cut lines, shapes, and textures on the surface of the linoleum block.
Linoleum is a man-made material with a smooth surface manufactures from a mixture of cork, linseed oil, and sand held together by a hessian backing.
Other forms of relief print include wood-cuts, and wood engraving.