WOODCUT Prints

Our regular columnist (and leading printmaker) LAURA BOSWELL guides you through all the tools and techniques required to make a simple two-block woodcut print

- LAURA BOSWELL

Woodblock is a type of relief printing. In woodblock prints, the surface of the material is used to make the print and the cut-away areas do not register. Below is a simple, two-block project that is a good starting point for anyone who wants to explore basic woodblock printing. It includes instructions for making a jig to line up the two woodblocks for accurate printing.

First, I want to talk you through the materials you will need.

PAPER

To transfer designs, you need tracing paper and carbon paper (standard office carbon paper works well). Initial rubbings can be made on thin, cheap paper – blank newsprint paper is ideal – while test prints can be made on slightly thicker printer paper.

For your final prints, you will need a good quality printing paper: a wide range of papers will work, smooth papers are best. Japanese washi papers under 150gsm are particularly good for hand printing.

INKS

For this project you will need at least two colours of ink. For best results, it is important to use relief printing ink. There are three types of relief printing inks available: water-based inks, oil-based inks, and oil-based inks that can be cleaned in water (often called “safe wash” inks). All three types of ink will work for this project. Water-based ink gives fast results, but safe-wash and traditional oil-based inks are easier to use.

MATERIALS

This woodblock print requires two types of wood. The background needs a piece of softwood with a visible grain, such as pine, larch or cedar – I used a roof shingle here. A second piece is needed to cut details: shina plywood is ideal. It is sometimes called Japanese ply or Asian ply.