A Cartivale map theme

Linocut / Woodblock

Bold ink meets the spaces left unprinted. Linocut / Woodblock gives your map the feel of a relief print, with carved marks and slightly broken edges. It’s a tactile starting point for a simple, strong composition.

Make a Linocut / Woodblock map

In the studio, choose Linocut / Woodblock under Theme, then pick a style.

Buenos Aires · Terracotta · Made with Cartivale

Marks that feel cut, not brushed

Directional hatching and uneven ink coverage give the geographic shapes a worked surface. The paper peeks through, and the road structure has a heavier, more decisive character. Japanese Ink flows like a brush; Engraving / Etching uses much finer marks. Linocut / Woodblock sits between broad dark areas and the lighter cuts that break them open.

Find your starting style

Black & Ivory gives the clearest light-dark contrast. Indigo cools the ink, Terracotta warms it, and Forest keeps the relief-print mood in deep green. Woodblock adds indigo colour separation, restrained red accents and carved contours from actual geographic boundaries.

Black & Ivory
New York
Indigo
Valparaíso
Terracotta
Buenos Aires
Forest
Montréal
Woodblock
Kyoto

Look for a strong silhouette

Move the map until the larger shapes work together, then reduce any layers that make the view feel crowded. A small amount of your own text can sit in the lighter space. Try keeping markers and routes close to the chosen ink colour for a limited-palette piece.

How it works