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Vintage

Linocut illustrations for KDP books (AI)

kdpbook.io can illustrate your whole KDP book in the linocut print style: each main character first gets a reference sheet in this style, and every page is drawn from those sheets so the characters look the same from cover to last page. It is recommended for 9 of the 36 book types (including picture book, illustrated storybook and novel) and prints in color and black & white.

Hand-carved relief print: chunky shapes, white gouge marks and two or three flat inks with a hand-pressed texture.

Family:
Vintage
Color:
Color and black & white
Audiences:
Preschool, Early readers, Teens (young adult), Adults, Seniors (large print)
Book types:
9 recommended
Use this styleAll styles

Already wrote the story? Illustrate your children’s book with AI.

Linocut print illustration sample: a young red fox reading an open book on the mossy roots of an old oak, carved as a linocut in black, brick red and ochre on cream paper
Every style draws the same subject, a fox with a book under an oak, so you can compare them
The look

What linocut print looks like

A hand-carved linocut relief print: bold chunky shapes, white gouge marks and carving lines in the dark areas, two or three flat inks (black, brick red, ochre) on cream paper and a slightly uneven, hand-pressed texture.

Best for

Folk tales and picture books, illustrated storybooks, poetry, cookbooks, memoirs, guided journals, devotionals and chapter openers in novels and short stories.

Better avoided for

Glossy modern looks and ultra-cute toddler books.

Made for

Books that suit linocut print

In print

How linocut print prints on KDP

  • In black and white it is black ink on white with the carving marks breaking up large dark areas, so pages don't print as one heavy block of black.
  • In color it prints on white paper: KDP's standard color uses 50–61 lb (74–90 GSM) paper and premium color 60–71 lb (88–105 GSM). KDP recommends premium color for image-heavy books such as children's books and cookbooks.
  • On black-and-white interiors, KDP asks for printed lines of at least 0.75 pt and recommends gray fills of at least 10%.
  • KDP needs images at 300 DPI or more at print size; every illustration is prepared at that resolution.

Compare what each interior costs with the printing cost calculator, and read how to choose the trim size and paper.

Consistency

Same characters, every page

Before the pages are painted, each main character gets a reference sheet in this style. Every illustration is drawn with those sheets as references, so faces, clothes and colors stay the same from the cover to the last page. Text is never painted into the art: titles, captions and dialogue are typeset on top.

Preschool Early readers Teens (young adult) Adults Seniors (large print)

Prompt tips for linocut print

  • Nature, seasons and village life are linocut classics.
  • Name two or three ink colors and keep them for the whole book.
  • Bold silhouettes work best: one subject, big and simple.

Similar styles

Other vintage styles, and how each one differs from linocut print.

  • Art nouveau illustration sample: a young red fox reading an open book on the mossy roots of an old oak, set against a golden halo and flowing vines with pink flowers
    Art nouveau

    Whiplash curves, halos and flowers woven around the subject, where linocut print has carved relief shapes with white gouge marks.

  • Art deco poster illustration sample: a young red fox reading an open book on the mossy roots of an old oak, under symmetrical stepped arcs and golden sunburst rays, with a teal lake on either side
    Art deco poster

    Streamlined geometry, sunbursts and symmetry in black, gold and teal, where linocut print has carved relief shapes with white gouge marks.

  • Tattoo flash illustration sample: a young red fox reading an open book on the mossy roots of an old oak, as a tattoo flash design with red roses, a swallow, stars and an empty ribbon banner on parchment
    Tattoo flash

    Heavy outlines and flat bold color of traditional flash, where linocut print has carved relief shapes with white gouge marks.

  • Mid-century storybook illustration sample: a young red fox reading an open book on the mossy roots of an old oak, in a 1950s-style print with three flat spot colors, a big sun and slight misregistration
    Mid-century storybook

    A limited spot-color palette with lithograph texture, where linocut print has carved relief shapes with white gouge marks.

  • 1970s storybook illustration sample: a young red fox reading an open book on the mossy roots of an old oak, in earthy mustard, olive and burnt orange with soft grain, over a valley with a church at sunset
    1970s storybook

    An earthy 70s palette with soft grain, where linocut print has carved relief shapes with white gouge marks.

About linocut print

Which books suit the Linocut print style?

Linocut print is offered for picture book, illustrated storybook, novel, cookbook, guided journal, novella & short stories and more. You can still pick it for any other book type, or describe your own style.

Can Linocut print be printed in black and white?

Yes. Linocut print has a black-and-white rendering for B&W interiors, which KDP prints for less than color.

How is a linocut different from a risograph print?

A linocut is carved: bold shapes with white gouge marks and a hand-pressed texture. A risograph is a grainy overprint of bright spot colors with no carving marks.

Can a linocut illustrate a novel in black and white?

Yes. Its black-ink version is offered for novels, short stories, memoirs and devotionals, where it makes striking chapter openers.

Make it with kdpbook

Illustrate your book in linocut print.

Describe your book, keep this style, and watch every page get painted with the same characters.

Use this style

2,000 free credits · no card required