What is a woodcut?
A woodcut is a print made using a carved block of wood. Wood blocks were first used to print books and pictures in China more than 1200 years ago. Its use followed shortly after the invention of paper in the same region.
The woodcut has a long and honorable history in both Asia and Europe. Used for centuries to produce printed images for a wide range of purposes, it is now mainly used as a means of artistic expression. People continue to enjoy the distinctive look of an image printed from a woodblock. The ability to create more than one original print from a block offers artists both technical challenges and creative opportunities.
To make a woodcut, an image is first cut into a smooth block of wood. Printing ink is then applied to the surface of the block. To make the print, paper is pressed against the inky surface of the block. The ink is transferred to the paper where the wood has not been cut away. To make a second print, more ink is applied and the process repeated.
More detailed information about how I made these prints can be found in Studio Notes.