About Block Prints
How I Make My Original Prints
Want to know how block prints are made? Read on for more. You can also visit my free prints page to get an original block print for free, or visit my home page to see all of my available paintings and prints.
A brief history of woodblock printing
Wood block (or woodcut) relief printing is one of the oldest printing forms, dating back over 1000 years. Woodblock printing was originally used to reproduce text for books or scrolls, before the invention of movable type printing. Each page had to be carved out by hand, letter by letter.
Later, publishers and artists began using wood block printing techniques to reproduce illustrations in addition to text. The Japanese prints of the 16th century are the most famous examples of this, though the method has been used by artists worldwide, including several renaissance artists in Europe.
Modern artists have expanded on the woodblock tradition with different styles and techniques, but the basics are still the same as have been practiced for hundreds of years. I also use Linoleum blocks for some of my prints - same technique as printing with wood, but it's much easier to carve.
The making of a print: Cottonwood Tree on The Hill
Creating the design.
Like all art, this tree began it's life as an idea, motivated by the local Cottonwood trees. So, I began sketching - dozens of simple sketches - until I had refined the idea to a useable image. Sometimes, for my smaller images, a couple quick sketches will do and then I draw directly onto the block. For larger pieces like the Cottonwood trees, I painted the design on paper with black ink and then copied that to the block.
Transferring the design.
Traditionally, transferring the design to the woodblock was tedious process of tracing and gluing. Instead, I opted to make a photocopy and then use Acetone to transfer the photocopied image onto the wood. Smelly, but much easier than tracing. For linoleum blocks, I can draw directly onto the block or trace my design with transfer paper. Either way, the design on the block will be a mirror image of the final print, so I have to be careful to plan for that.
Carving the block.
After the design is transferred into the block, the real work begins. Each detail must be carved by hand, using small chisels, knives or gouges. The background area is carefully carved away, leaving raised lines for the printed area. Bit by bit I carve around the lines, and the wood chips (or linoleum chips) start to pile up.
Still carving . . .
How long does it take to carve over 300 little round leaves into a block of wood? A bit longer than I had imagined, but a few days later the carving is finished, and my hands have had a nice workout :-) Carving the smaller linoleum blocks for my little 5x7 prints is not nearly so tedious - sometimes even less than an hour.
Pulling the prints.
Finally, it's time to create the finished art. First, if I'm using wood, the block is coated with linseed oil to help preserve the surface. Then, it's time to spread the ink. I spread some printing ink onto a glass plate, using a putty knife and a roller. The ink is thick and sticky. Next, I roll a small rubber roller, called a brayer, through the sticky ink on my glass plate until the ink is spread in a nice thin layer and the roller is coated. Then, I roll the brayer on the carved block, spreading the ink onto the raised lines. I carefully place a clean sheet of paper down onto the inked block. I rub the backside of the paper with a specially designed baren, or sometimes I roll it with a rolling pin, or sometimes even rub it with a spoon. Either way, the key is to rub or roll the paper all over until the ink starts to work into the paper.
Voila!
Pull the paper from the block, and we now have one completed print! I just repeat this inking and rubbing process again for each print. Once the prints are dry, I inspect them and sign them with the title, date and number.
Looks great in a frame
More prints
Visit my free prints page to get an original block print for free, or visit my home page to see all of my available paintings and prints. Want to know more about the process? Check out these links on wikipedia and google.