Relief Printing

Relief printing, the oldest form of expression in the graphic arts relies on one’s desire to communicate information through images. Woodcut is rooted in an illustrative history and has been used as an expression of religious sentiment, narrative impulse and political thought. The woodcut and linocut techniques heighten one's graphic response to what interests him or her.
In the woodcut or linocut technique, the image is defined by the upstanding, uncut area of the block, which is then inked and transferred to the paper.

Woodcut/Linocut and Relief Printing
Woodcut and Linocut are relief printing techniques in printmaking in which an image is carved into the surface of a block of wood or piece of linoleum. The areas that the printer does not intend to print are the areas that are removed or carved away, typically with gouges. The uncarved areas that remain at the original surface level are the areas that will be printed. The raised areas are covered with ink by rolling over the surface with an ink-covered roller (brayer), leaving ink upon the flat surface but not in the carved out, non-printing areas. Multiple colors can be printed by keying the paper to a frame around the woodblocks (where a different block is used for each color).

Reduction Woodcut/Linocut Prints
Reduction woodcuts are what the name implies: they are prints made by gradually reducing the printable areas of a wood block. This process involves working with a single block (matrix), printing a color, cutting more of the block, printing this new reduced image over the first print, and so forth depending on the number of colors the artist wants to print in a single image. The key to successfully making a reduction cut is planning and careful registration.

Preliminary Drawing
It is helpful to develop a preliminary drawing, at the same scale as the block, using colors you will ultimately print in. It is easiest, with respect to mixing the colors of your inks, to use a monochromatic approach to colors in the drawing and subsequently in the print. Consier using light colors firs Using two
monochromatic colors and a third, distinct color is also fine.


Paper Preparation and Registration System
When you have determined the size of the block/image, you’ll need to determine the dimensions of the
paper (and the kind of paper) you’ll print the finished image on. It may be easiest to work with a paper
dimension that is 14 – 15 inches wide and 22 or more inches in height). You may print on japanese
style papers on the press, but heavier etching-style papers will respond better to the pressure offered by
the press.

For an edition of 5 impressions (plus BAT and one AP), you should prepare more paper than you think
you’ll need (it’s easy to make mistakes in reduction prints as there are so many steps to keep track of).
Consider preparing 10 – 14 sheets of archival printmaking paper and an equal number of newsprints
sheets. TEAR ALL THE SHEETS (EDITIONING PAPER AND PROOFING PAPER) TO THE
EXACT SAME DIMENSIONS. Neatly stack all the sheets together in a pile that is editioning and
another pile that is newsprint.

Find the center line (lengthwise) of the proofing paper stack by measuring across the paper’s width and
dividing the length by two. Staggering the sheets, draw a single line with a pencil down the center of all
the sheets. Be sure the long edges are flush and neat. (see fig. 1). Do the same with the editioning
paper stack. Now you’re ready to use the registration system.

Registration Systems
There are a variety of systems printmakers can use to register their prints. The registration system, or
jig, allows you place the matrix in precisely the same place on the page every time. This is especially
handy when printing multiple colors with multiple matrices.

Get a registration jig and be sure you always use the same one for a single edition. You’ll be preparing
the paper for one particular jig and using a different one, mid-edition could have unfavorable
consequences. Find the center point of the interior area of the wooden jig – the part where the block
will be. This should be about 6 inches; mark it with a pencil (see fig. 2).

You’ll need to mark the paper to correspond to the pegs. This may be best done 3 – 4 sheets at a time if
the paper is thick. Neatly stack 3 – 5 sheets of paper at a time, edges flush; the mid-point marked in
pencil should be visible at the top of the topmost sheet of the stack. Lay the regisration system on the
stack of paper, with the top edge flush to the top edge of the stack of paper. Line up the mid point on the
paper with the mid point on the regisration jig. When everything is square and neat, mark the center of
each hole in the regisration jig, by using a scribe or needle to puncture the paper through all the sheets in
the stack. When this is done, remove the regisration jig. Using a hand hole-puncher, punch the holes
around the pin pricks. Double check that the paper is well registered by placing the dowels/pegs in the
holes and placing a sheet of paper on the registation jig, placing the dowels through the holes in the
paper. Repeat this step for all the sheets of editioning and proofing paper.

Congratulate yourself when this phase is complete!
This is the tedious, but critical part of the process.
Yippee for you!!!

Cutting the Block for the First Color

Plan to print the lightest and most transparent colors first and the darkest/opaque colors last.

Making ‘separations’ of your preliminary drawing may be helpful. To do this, use tracing paper to trace
three versions of the image corresponding to the areas for each color and use these three drawings to
guide the drawing and cutting of each phase of the print.

When you have prepared the paper and registration jig, you are ready to cut the block and print the first
color.


Mixing Ink

There are some fundamental rules to mixing ink colors so that you achieve the color you want quickly
and without wasting a lot of ink.

Always add dark colors to light, not light colors to dark. Example: to achieve a light blue, using cobalt
blue and white, place a tablespoon or so of white ink on the palette. In an area several inches away from
the white ink, lay out some cobalt ink. Lay the inks out with separate palette knives dedicated to each
color. Gradually add cobalt to the white ink pile until you achieve the color you want. The cobalt being
of strong pigmentation will quickly color the white, so use the blue sparingly and keep adding blue in
small amounts until you get the desired effect. Taking notes of your color mixing adventures will
help you mix colors more quickly and effectively in the future.

You can lighten colors by adding white or transparent base. Example: Mixing white and red will
lighten the red, but also make it turn pink quickly. An alternative is to add transparent base to the red
instead of white. This will reduce opacity/increase transparency of the red and maintain the hue more
faithfully.

Try to mix the amount of ink you’ll need for the entire ‘run’ in advance. This may require you to mix a
little more than you think you might need. Recall too that the first application of ink requires more as
the wood is dry and absorbent. Do your best to mix as much as you need, but not a vast quantity more
than you’ll need.

Save mixed colors in foil or wax paper. You may hold it in your drawer if you think you’ll use it again,
or document the contents of your mixed recipe and donate it to the studio.


Printing on Etching Presses

Press Printing
You’ll be printing your image using an etching press. Each press is built a little differently and you have
the ability to raise or lower the steel roller to suit the medium you’re passing through the press. For
woodblocks you’ll need to raise the steel rollers higher than you would for etching plates which are
thinner than woodblocks.

The presses – or your block --- can be damaged if the pressure is not set properly. So spend some time
setting up the press prior to inking your block to be sure that it’s set to print the best image possible.
You can do this by assembling the following elements in the following order:


On top Pusher blanket (stiffest thin blanket)
Tympanum (thinnest plexiglass)
Newspring (to protect and cushion)
Printing paper (or 3 – 4 sheets of proofing paper in place of editioning paper)
On bottom Wood block
[Press Bed]

Fig. 3

Place these on the press bed and SLOOOWWWLLLY advance the press bed toward the roller and up to
the pile of material. Ease the roller over the top of the pile.

If you feel like you’ll have to crank really hard to get the pile through, DON’T!! Back up the press,
relieve the pressure by a few increments, and try again.

If, conversely, you can run the pile through too easily (you barely feel any pressure as the block passes
under the roller), you may need to tighten up the pressure in SMALL INCREMENTS. Tighten the
pressure a bit, run the pile through, see how it feels, and adjust accordingly until it feels snug and the
block leaves a light, embossed impression in the paper.

• When you’re ready to print the first ‘run’ (‘run’ refers to color or layer), clean the block of debris
and dust.
• Use a brayer that is as wide as the block (or wider) to eliminate lap or roller marks.
• Ink the block outside of the registration jig – don’t get ink on the registration jig.
• Because you are utilizing the pressure of the press, and you are printing several layers of ink on a
single sheet, you don’t need to apply as much ink to these prints as you did to the hand-burnished
prints to achieve a uniform, dark color. In fact it is better to allow the first run to be just a tad bit
‘dry’ looking or transparent if a lot of this color will ultimately be buried by other colors. Applying
too much ink will slow the process: you’ll have to allow more time for the print to dry before
applying a second color.

Printing
Have a ‘clean hands person’ (or wash your hands between inking and printing) assemble the registration
jig and install a hole-punched sheet of paper (start with newsprint to proof). When you’ve thoroughly
inked the block, insert it into the registration jig and the clean hands person (CHP) will carefully lower
the paper onto the block, letting the ink stick the paper to the block. CHP will then (1) remove the
dowels from the jig, and (2) remove the jig itself, keeping the paper in place – don’t move it, the
registration will be compromised. CHP will then (3) lay down the newspring, the tympanum, the
blanket, being sure there are no wrinkles in the pile.

Now you’re ready to print. (This is the exciting part......)

Plan to print more impressions than you need for the edition/BAT/AP. Print all the editioning paper you
tear for the project. You may experience mistakes in the subsequent phases of the print and need extras
around just in case.


Drying/Storing Prints in Progress

The clean hands person will remove the print (take a minute to look at it and take joy in this great
moment!) to the drying rack.

Remove the print from the rack when its dry (about 2 – 5 days depending on how thick the ink
application is). Collect these when they are dry, take care of them (place interleaving or glassine or in a
pinch, newsprint between the printed sheets to keep them from sticking to each other) as you’ll continue
printing on them to complete the assignment.

Allow the first run to dry thoroughly before printing another color on top of it.
SUPPLIES
3-in-1 oil
Ballpoint pen
Blotters
Brayers
Chisels and gauges (U and V)
Cork backed ruler (at least 18”)
Dremel
Hand cleaner
India ink
Inks
Oil base block inks
Graphic Chemical Perfect Palette oil base block inks
Handschy litho inks
Linoleum
Masking tape/ artist’s tape (1 roll)
Mylar or acetate sheet for registration
Newsprint pad (18” x 24”)
Palette knife
Paper towels (only Bounty!)
Pencils and erasers
Printmaking paper (usually 22”x30”) Do not store your papers rolled up!
Suggested:
Hahnemuhle Copperplate
Pescia
Rives BFK
Somerset Book
Somerset Satin
Somerset Velvet
Mulberry (Kozo)
Gampi
Protective gloves (rubber or latex)
Q-tips
Respirator (optional)
Saral transfer paper
Sharpening stone
Sharpie markers
Shop apron (optional)
Shop rags (optional)
Sandpaper
Setswell compound
Sketchbook
Steel wire brush
Wood
Recommended: Shina wood
Wooden spoons
X-acto knife and blades



Topic: Single color block print
Topic: Negative/positive diptych
Topic: Color, Transparency mixing
Topic: Chine Colle
Topic: Reduction print
Topic: Multiple block print
Topic: Monoprint- minimum size 14”x18”
Topic: Exchange Folio

Woodcut and Linocut

Multiple Color Registration

“Kissing”
•Cut paper to the size of your block
•Roll ink onto your block
•Lay it down on your block edge to edge
•Print your image using the press
•While the ink on your print is still wet replace your used block with an uncarved block of the same size
•Place your wet image face down on the new block edge to edge and run it through the press
•The image will appear on your block and you can once again carve