Relief printing or print-making is a really old technique used to reproduce images. Its history goes back to around 500BC with Egyptians using it to print on fabric and later on seals carved out of stone by ancient Chinese people. It has been used to illustrate books for a good chunk of history before photolithographic processes replaced it.
It is one of the simplest method of image reproduction and doesn’t require much specialized tools (unlike lithography or screen printing for example) which makes it perfect for people who want to start experimenting with print making.
I’ve learned multiple relief printmaking techniques when studying fine arts at university a couple of years ago, the knowledge collected in this little guide comes from experiments I did back then, insights my teachers and technicians shared with me (the technicians especially are goldmines of information) and further learning I did by myself since then.
Table of contents
Principle
Tools
Preparing the block
Transferring the image
Carving the block
Setting up registration
Preparing the paper
Printing the image
Drying the prints
References
The principle
Relief printing is a way to make multiple copies of an images using a block or plate that is carved, inked and then run through a press to transfer the image onto a piece of paper. It works in a similar way to a stamp in that the image will be reversed once printed and only the raised parts of the block will print, the lines and shapes that were carved leaving the white of the paper.
The tools
Brayers are used to ink the blocks when printing, they are made of a medium density rubber and come in all kind of sizes, it’s usually best to get a brayer that is of a similar width as the block you’re printing to prevent having to make multiple passes side by side, however if none is available a smaller brayer will still do the job.
Gouges are round carving tools of different diameters, they are used to clear out sections or cut larger channels with rounded ends. They are also useful to create circles.
Straight chisels are used to cut out very small details or to mark an ending point when working with gouges so that they don’t take out more than is desired (this is especially true when working with wood since there is a tendency for the wood to keep lifting when cutting along the grain).
V-tools are the main tools I use to create lines and define the outline of shapes due to their precision and varying width (the more you push the tool in the block, the wider the line becomes).
An Ink plate is a very flat, non-porous surface on which the printing is is spread and rolled with the brayer, a cheap way to make one is to tape a pane of glass to some wood or plywood.
The carving process
Preparing the block
The first step is preparing the block (wood or linoleum in this case) into which you’ll be carving your image.
If you’re using lino, one thing that you can do to make the block easier to handle and stay flat during printing (especially if working at a bigger size) is to glue the lino onto a piece of plywood of the same size or slightly larger. This will also come in handy in the registration process as you’ll see later.
If you’re working with wood, it’s very important that the block be perfectly flat, of even thickness and not warped in any way, that way the image will be transferred evenly when printing (this is less critical if printing by rubbing by hand).
Additionally, you can paint the block black before starting to carve to help you see what the positive and negative image will end up looking like since the carved parts be lighter than the raised ones.
Transferring the image
Once your block is prepared it is time to transfer your image to it as a reference for carving. Alternatively you could draw directly on your block (taking into account that the image will be reversed) and get a surprise when printing, this feels similar to doing film photography in that sense.
But if you already have an image drawn for your block, here is a couple ways to transfer it to the wood or lino.
The carbon paper method
This is the simplest method and works well for relatively simple drawings. First scan your drawing and flip it in whatever image editing software you’re using. Then print it the same size that you want your print to be. Layer your block, a sheet of carbon paper with the carbon side facing the block, and your drawing, tape them together at the edges and carefully trace the outlines of your drawing with a ballpoint pen while applying good pressure. From time to time you can un-tape one or two sides and lift the sheets to see if you haven’t missed any lines.
The toner transfer method
Carving the block
Now has come the time to carve your block, removing the areas that are gonna be white in your print and keeping the black ones. This part is less technical and repetitive and can allow some creative experimentation. Often I’m gonna draw an image to carve but change some lines, textures and shapes during the carving process.
Tip: when working with lino, heat it up with a blow dryer to make it easier to cut.
The Printing process
Setting up registration
Registration refers to guides and methods to help you print land always on the same spot on your sheet of paper when printing, this is especially critical if you’re making multiple color prints (using a block for each color) since the image won’t render correctly if the layers aren’t aligned.
The corner guide method
This is the easiest method and the one I use for small one-color prints since it’s easy to setup and makes the printing pretty fast.
The tape hinge method
This method works well with larger one-color prints
The needle method
This is the method I was taught at school for more complex multi-color prints and it works pretty well. It does require your lino to be mounted on a larger piece of plywood if you’re working with lino and your woodcut to have extra carved space at the top and bottom of your block if using wood.
leave more room at the bottom than the top
Preparing the paper
Picking the right paper and it’s size for the block is an important part of the process. Personally I prefer working with heavier cotton fibre papers since they take ink really well, tend to show some embossing and make beautiful objects once printed. Thinner Japanese washi paper can also be used, it lends itself well to the hand-rubbed printing method since they are so thin and allow to see the progress on the back. Cartouche or newsprint is commonly used for proofing a print (making test impressions to see the progress of the plate).
Once you’ve picked the paper you want to print on, it’s time to cut it to size. Usually the paper is cut larger than the block to allow some white borders on all sides and a larger border at the bottom (creating a space to sign, number and title the print). Printmaking paper almost always has frayed edges coming from the paper making process, these are desirable and often people will use a dull bread knife to cut large sheets of paper in smaller ones to imitate that irregular edge. A good way to do that is to fold the sheet of paper on the cut line with a bone folder and then drag the bread knife across the fold.
Although not necessary, I like wetting my paper before printing. This will only apply to heavy cotton papers since thin Japanese paper will not take water well. But for heavy papers, wetting on both sides and then layering in absorbent paper will render the paper more soft and allow it to take the ink better and emboss slightly which I find really pleasing.
Ink
Usually most prints are made with oil-based inks but water based inks are becoming more common, I’ve only worked with oil-based ink so far when doing that type of printing so I can only advise on those.
For inking your block you’ll need a roller, a spatula, and an inking surface (something very flat and non-porous like a plate of glass or a tile).
When your paper and registration guide is ready, take some ink with your spatula and spread it out in a line on your inking surface, it is usually good to move it around to warm it up a little bit and to make sure it doesn’t contain dried particles that will affect the quality of the print.
Pressure source
Relief prints can be printed using one of two methods, either by hand-rubbing the back of the paper that has been applied on top of the ink block with a tool, or by using a printing press.
Hand-rubbing is a good way to get started and can yield great results, especially for small editions. European woodcuts were printed mostly with a printing press historically but in japan, woodblock printing is done with a tool called a baren. Other less specialized tools that can be used are: a bone folder, a wooden or metal spoon, a metal tin, etc. Really what you’re looking for is a hard and soft surface with a medium-sized point of contact with the paper - too small and it makes it tedious to cover the whole surface, too big and it requires too much pressure to print correctly.
Printing the image
time to print
Drying the prints
Your prints will need to dry once printed, usually for a couple hours (especially if using oil-based ink). If you’re making a multi-color print, the ink will have to dry in between each color you’re printing.
In studio, drying racks are used for that purpose.
“But first the notion that man has a body distinct from his soul, is to be expunged; this I shall do by printing in the infernal method, by corrosives, which in Hell are salutary and medicinal, melting apparent surfaces away, and displaying the infinite which was hid.”
- William Blake