Natalie Heaman

Ex Libris: Lino Bookplates

Something fun I made for myself and as gifts: lino block bookplates! This was my first time doing lino printing and it was pretty fun. I was worried that trying to carve type was going to be way out of my depth, but for the most part I really like how these turned out.

Not pictured: one of these I got pretty far along before I realized I forgot to mirror the letters and I had to start over 😦 – AND that happened on the third one.

A photo of the N. Heaman bookplate printed on the inner cover of How to be both, a noel by Ali Smith. On the same page is a stamp from the Shakespeare and Company bookstore in Paris, which shows the bookstore name circling a portrait of Shakespeare.
A photo of a bookplate Lino block siting next to a print of it on the inner cover of a book. This bookplate reads “Ex Libris N. Heaman” and has an illustration of a dog reading a book: the dog is laying down and her head is deep in an open book – only the tips of her pointy ears are seen poking up.
A photo of a bookplate Lino block siting next to a print of it on a piece of paper. This bookplate reads: “Ex Libris B. Adler” and has an illustration of a book cover with a silhouette of a pointy barred dog on the dog. The dog is siting upright, looking alert with ears perked and fluffy tail raised.
A photo of a Lino block print in black ink. The print reads: “Ex Libris S. Monger” – it’s a bookplate, and around the text are decorative vines and flowers.
A making-of photo of the S. Monger bookplate: the photo is a top-down look at the Lino block, with the caring tool and many small shavings of Lino block scattered the tabletop.
A photo of the Lino block process, looking top-don at a table top. A sketchbook sits open, one page has multiple sketches for book plates, and the second page has more refined sketches, along with pieces of tracing paper used to refine and transfer the final design onto the Lino blocks. Next to the sketchbook are two small Lino block rectangles with the transferred design, but not yet carved. Other items on the tabletop include a mechanical pencil, x-acto knife, eraser, and washable marker.

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