Project: how to make a linocut card - in pictures

Nick Morley demostrates how to do a linocut card. It's cheap and you don't need much specialist equipment, so anyone can do it on their kitchen table. And no matter how much you practise, it still looks handmade – which is always appealing.
Photograph: Graham Turner for the Guardian

Exercise time: 30 minutes. Difficulty: medium. You will need 1 piece of lino, 2 lino-cutting tools, 1 roller and 1 tube of ink Photograph: Graham Turner for the Guardian

Draw around the lino on to plain paper, then sketch your design in the box and cut the box out Photograph: Graham Turner for the Guardian

Place the paper, design down, on top of the lino. Holding it firmly in place, scribble over the top with a soft pencil to press the image on to the lino Photograph: Graham Turner for the Guardian

Very carefully, lift the paper to check your design has transferred on to the lino Photograph: Graham Turner for the Guardian

Using a permanent marker pen, colour in the parts of the design that you won’t cut out. Make the lettering thick but neat, to make it easier to cut around Photograph: Graham Turner for the Guardian

Using your gouge, very carefully cut out any area that isn’t black. Use the thin gouge to smoothly carve round the edges of the design, the larger gouge to do the larger areas Photograph: Graham Turner for the Guardian

Squeeze out a small line of ink on to a piece of glass or perspex. Dip your roller gently in the ink, then spread it out evenly on to the surface. The ink shouldn’t be too gloopy Photograph: Graham Turner for the Guardian

Gently but firmly, roll the ink across your lino design, making sure you don’t get ink on any of the grey areas. If you do, carefully wipe it off with a dry cloth Photograph: Graham Turner for the Guardian

Place the front of your card down on to the lino. Hold firmly in place and use the back of a wooden spoon to firmly but very carefully transfer the inked design Photograph: Graham Turner for the Guardian

Again very carefully, peel the card off the lino. Leave somewhere safe to dry for at least 2 days Photograph: Graham Turner for the Guardian

The anti-Valentine’s template is perfect for people who want to mark the day but aren’t into the cliches. You can choose exactly what to say – that’s the beauty of making it yourself Photograph: David Levene for the Guardian