Woodcut Block Print, the earliest known printmaking method, stands as a testament to the enduring appeal of relief print techniques. This art form, rooted in carving and imprinting, allows for the creation of striking images with bold lines and textural richness. In essence, woodcut is a relief process. Imagine a design meticulously carved into a wooden block using knives and specialized tools. The magic unfolds as the raised areas, untouched by the carving tool, become the ink-bearing surfaces that transfer the image onto paper. Conversely, the carved recesses remain ink-free, contributing to the artwork’s negative space and defining the visual narrative.
A curated selection of woodcut tools, showcasing the chisel, gouge, knife, and ink application tools essential for the relief printmaking process.
Preparing the Woodblock for Woodcut Printing
The foundation of a successful woodcut print lies in the careful preparation of the woodblock itself. Pear wood is frequently favored for its fine grain and workability. The wood is sawn along the grain to ensure strength and prevent splitting, then meticulously planed to achieve a flawlessly smooth surface, ready to receive the artist’s design. Seasoning is a critical step, reducing the wood’s moisture content to minimize the risks of warping and cracking over time, particularly under the pressure of the printing press.
The dimensions of the woodblock are dictated by the intended image size, with practical limitations imposed by the printing press capacity. Larger prints often necessitate the creation of multiple woodblocks, each contributing a section of the overall image. These sections are printed individually and then carefully assembled to form the complete artwork. Smaller blocks are generally preferred for their enhanced durability, being less susceptible to damage from age or the mechanical stress of printing. Block thickness also plays a crucial role in handling and longevity; an ideal thickness of approximately one inch provides a balance of robustness and ease of manipulation during the carving and printing stages.
Transferring the Design to the Woodblock
Once the woodblock is prepared, the design must be transferred onto its surface, ready for carving. Artists may choose to draw their designs directly onto the block, embracing spontaneity and a direct connection with the material. Alternatively, a preliminary sketch can be created on paper and then affixed to the block as a guide. Another transfer method involves using chalk or graphite on the back of a paper sketch.
An animation illustrating the process of transferring a design onto a prepared woodblock, a key step in setting up for woodcut carving.
The sketch is positioned face-down on the woodblock, and the artist traces over the lines of the design with a stylus. The pressure from the stylus transfers the chalk or graphite onto the wood surface, effectively imprinting the design onto the block and making it ready for the carving process.
The Intricate Art of Woodcut Carving
The carving of the woodblock is often entrusted to skilled professional block cutters, artisans who specialize in the precise removal of wood to realize the artist’s vision. Employing a variety of tools such as chisels, gouges, and knives, the block cutter meticulously removes the areas that are not intended to hold ink.
An animated demonstration of the woodcut carving process, highlighting the delicate removal of wood to define the image in relief.
This subtractive process leaves the lines of the image raised in relief above the newly cutaway areas. This characteristic is fundamental to woodcut’s classification as a relief printmaking technique, where the printed image originates from the raised surfaces of the matrix.
A raking light photograph accentuates the carved relief of a woodblock, showcasing the depth and texture created by the subtractive carving process inherent in woodcut block printing.
Inking and Printing the Woodcut
With the carving complete, the woodblock is ready for inking. Ink is applied evenly across the raised surfaces using a dauber, traditionally an ink ball, or a modern roller. Care is taken to ensure that ink is only applied to the relief areas and does not seep into the carved recesses, preserving the intended negative space of the print.
Animation showing the inking stage of woodcut printing, where ink is uniformly applied to the raised surfaces of the carved block in preparation for printing.
The inked woodblock is then placed on the bed of a printing press. A sheet of dampened paper is carefully laid over the inked surface. Printmakers may choose between a platen press, which applies direct pressure, or a roller press, which distributes pressure evenly as the block and paper pass through. While early woodcuts might have been created by hand-pressing paper onto the block, the consistent pressure afforded by a press is now favored for optimal ink transfer and print quality.
An animated sequence of a woodcut print being produced on a printing press, illustrating the final transfer of the inked image from the block to paper.
Once the paper is lifted from the block, the woodcut print is revealed. It’s important to note that the printed image appears in reverse compared to the original design on the woodblock, a characteristic inherent in the printmaking process.
A comparative view of a finished woodcut print alongside its original carved woodblock, clearly demonstrating the reversed image transfer inherent to the relief printing process.
Liz Zanis (American, born 1980). Big Rocks, 2018. Woodcut and woodblock. Courtesy of the artist
Explore Woodcut Masterpieces
Diogenes, seated before his barrel, reading from a book, a plucked hen standing behind him at right
Two Women on the ShoreDiscover a curated selection of remarkable woodcuts within the Museum’s collection.
Marquee image: Christoffel Jegher (Flemish, 1596–1652/53), after Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish, 1577–1640). The March of Silenus (detail), ca. 1652. Woodcut, sheet: 17 5/8 x 13 3/8 in. (44.7 x 33.9 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1951 (51.501.7695)
