Relief Printmaking Press Techniques

Series Summary

Printmaking is the process of making artworks by printing on paper. Prints are created from a single original surface, like metal plates, stone, wood blocks, or linoleum. The plates or wood blocks are then inked and run through a press to create a print. Though many prints can be produced from a single plate, each print is considered an original piece of art since it is not a replica of an existing piece. Albrecht Durer of early sixteenth century Europe created woodcuts and etchings of the highest quality, which increased the use and popularity of this art method. Today, hundreds of artists still use the same printmaking techniques of old to create truly unique prints. One type of printmaking is relief printing. In this method, the raised portions of a wood block are printed, and the carved areas are left without ink. In this instructional printmaking video series, an experienced printmaker offers different ideas and materials for relief printing. Learn about the different types of wood available and how they effect the print. Find out how you can experiment and create your very own printing method. Relief printmaking techniques can be mixed and matched to produce something of your very own.

Video Transcript

"There are a number of nuances in wood cut print making, and it has to deal to a large degree with your materials and techniques and how you go about printing your block of wood. Here, is two prints, each is on a different type of paper. This is a kitty coda, which is a Japanese paper. And this is a western reeves light weight paper. They're also printed differently. This print was printed on a press. You can tell by the absolutely clean and even surface that the print has made onto the piece of paper. This large stretch of very even color is much easier to create using a press. However, in this print, that was hand printed, you can see where certain elements, of a, painter leaves can come out from the print. It's hand printed so there can be different pressures. There's also color that's been added in to certain areas, and printed over top of it. It gives you a lot more flexibility, when as we did today, we can pull back the piece of paper, and print it again and again, and really work into the print in a very patronly way. It gives you two very different looks to the print. This is facilitated not only by the paper, but also the method of print making."