What is a woodcut?
A woodcut is an image printed from the carved and inked surface of a block of wood. There are many different types of woodcuts. The simplest print is made by carving a single block of wood and printing it with one color, often in black-and-white. This type of print can be reprinted many times, like a stamp.
A more complex print involves multiple blocks of wood and multiple colors. A common technique is to use a different block of wood for the background and another block of wood for the foreground.
The most complex multi-block prints may also involve reduction carving, where more of the woodblock is removed as each subsequent color is printed. This technique allows the artist to create complex designs and textures. However, when the print is complete, the majority of the woodblock has been carved away and the print cannot be made again, resulting in a limited edition.
Designing and Carving
A design is drawn on a flat block of wood. The composition is created knowing that the resulting print will be a mirror image of the carved block. Areas not intended to be seen are carved away. The raised area of the block that remains will be the surface that creates the image.
For multicolor prints, the artist must also consider the sequence of colors he envisions for the final piece, generally working from lighter shades to darker shades as the print is further carved.
For multi-block prints, separate blocks are carved for different elements of the piece, such as the background and foreground, which allows the artist to add intricate details and contrasting colors.
Inking and Printing
Once the block has been carved, ink is often applied with a special roller called a brayer. The intended color is first mixed and spread on a flat surface, such as glass. The brayer is rolled over the ink and then across the woodblock.
A piece of paper is placed upon the block with special attention to alignment and then passed through a press, which applies even pressure to transfer the image to the paper.
In a multicolor, multi-block print, this sequence of carving, inking and printing is repeated for each individual color on each block. A single piece of paper will pass through the press many times as layers of colors from each block are added to create the final image.
