The art of printmaking is regarded as one of the most revolutionary artistic innovations as it enabled artists to reproduce mirror images of original artistic creations multiple times. This in many ways facilitated greater access to art for the general public. The beginnings of printmaking can be traced back to the 1st century AD during the reign of the Han dynasty in China. However, over the past, as artists began experimenting with different methods of art production, different techniques of printmaking emerged. Printmaking is a process whereby images or designs are reproduced from a matrix, on which the design is carved, onto another surface such as paper, fabric, etc by applying pressure. Here, Relief printing is the most widely known process of printmaking wherein the raised cuts of designs are printed from the matrix onto another surface. Depending on the nature of the material used as the matrix, there are three main types of relief printing. These are woodcut, Linocut/ Lino printing, and Collagraphy.
Woodcut
Woodcut is believed to be the oldest form of relief printing dating back to as early as the 9th century in China. Eventually, it spread into Europe during the early renaissance period where it began to be widely used for printing religious imagery and illustrating manuscripts. It was however in the 17th – 18th century during the Ukiyo-e period in Japan that woodcut printmaking reached its artistic peak with the work of great printmakers like Ando Hiroshige (1797 – 1858) and Suzuki Harunobu (1725 – 1770). In woodcut printing, wood is used as the matrix on which the design is cast. While the size of the wooden block may vary according to the design, it is also restricted by the size of the printing press. Therefore, in the case of a large print several blocks are used to print images, and then it would be assembled to get the final complete image. Ideally, the thickness of the block is kept at around one inch for easier use. After the wood is carefully prepared, the design is drawn on the surface of the block. The recessed areas which would not be inked are then cut or carved off. This is usually done by a professional block cutter using tools like a chisel, gouge, or knife. Through this, the design stands in relief to the rest of the block which is then inked evenly using a roller and finally pressed onto a dampened paper transferring the ink on the paper. While one can simply manually press the paper against the block, a printing press is preferred to create a consistent distribution of ink. One feature that makes woodcuts stand out among other printing techniques is the residual wood grain texture the block leaves behind on the paper.
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Woodcut Printmaking Tools
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Angst (1896) Woodcut by Norwegian Expressionist Artist Edward Munch
Linocut / Lino Printing
Linocut as a technique of printmaking emerged relatively recently, in the 20th century, and since then it has become an art of its own. Linocut is a form of relief printing wherein a linoleum sheet is used instead of wood as the matrix. Usually, the linoleum is placed on top of a block of wood so that it stands firm and stable. Since linoleum as a material is soft, the areas which are not a part of the design can be cut off easily using knives or gouges. Unlike in woodcut wherein the cutting is supposed to be done along the direction of the grain, in linocuts the negative spaces of the design can be cut off in any direction. Such features of the linoleum and also the fact that it is affordable make it an ideal option for artists who are just beginning to work with printmaking. In the final print produced after the linoleum is pressed onto the paper, its designs appear with a slightly spongy grainy texture. This can be done either by hand or by using a tool like the back of a spoon or a printing press.
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Flower Linocut by Maarit Hanninen
Collagraphy
Collagraphy is another kind of relief painting but here instead of cutting off the recesses from the surface, the cut of the design is added to the surface of the printing plate. An elevation is created by collaging together thin items like fabrics, plants, or plastic onto the plate. The ideal elevation of the print matrix is usually up to a quarter of an inch. After the collage is prepared, the printing plate is entirely coated with a substance known as a medium. This is then left to dry after which ink is carefully applied on the plate and pressed onto paper by hand, tool, or with a printing press. Collagraph prints are unique as the impression appears with different textures and subtle marks according to the materials which have been used in the collage or the acrylic mediums applied on the printing plate. This is not the case in woodcuts or linocuts which have more to do with bold lines and shapes.
Second Born (2013) by Wangechi Mutu
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