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Relief Printmaking
Relief printmaking is a general term that describes a number of techniques and media, including woodblock or wood cut printing, wood engraving, and linoleum printing. Solarplate and collagraph prints can be created through a relief technique as well.
In relief printing, a design is drawn on a plate surface and the areas not to be printed are carved away. Ink is applied on the raised surfaces with a ink brayer and a sheet of paper (or fabric) is placed on top. The back of the paper is rubbed with a baren or spoon until the ink transfers evenly to the paper surface. Alternately, the block and paper can be run through a printing press.
Relief printing is a very old process, originating in stamps perhaps thousands of years ago. The first woodblock prints were probably in China around the 5th century and were fully developed in the 14th century with the spread of papermaking capabilities. Japanese ukiyo-e, or 'pictures of the floating world' in the 18th century included woodblock prints of courtesans and actors, eventually spreading to more romantic and historical scenes. These had a tremendous influence on later artists in Europe.
Reduction printing uses one block to print a series of colors. After one color is printed, more is cut away from the block and the next layer is printed on top.
Indonesian batik printing, Yoruban adire eleko cloth and African Adinkra cloth are examples of block printing on fabric. The first two use resist techniques with dye but Adinkra cloth is printed directly with blocks and inks. Adinkra symbols and printing are thought to have originated in the 19th century or earlier.
Katsushika Hokusai; Ejiri in Suruga Province, part of the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji; woodblock print; first edition 1830, this edition 1930
Above: a linoleum block plate and print; S Girardi; linoleum print; 1986
Hokusai image is in the public domain.
Some sites about relief printmaking:
The Woodcut vs. Wood Engraving
Printmaking 101: Wood Engraving vs. Woodcut
Soul Song Art Tutorials
Earth Metropolis: Adinkra
Afropedea: Adinkra
Printing Process Block Printing
Reduction Linoleum Block Print
Makezine: Linocuts 101
MOMA Relief Prints
Some sites about artists who worked with relief printmaking:
Ukiyo-e
British Museum: Albrecht
Wikipedia: Hokusai
The Metropolitan Museum: Relief Prints
Some sites about contemporary artists who work with relief printmaking:
Ian MacCulloch
Siemen Dijkstra
Siri Beckman
Christine McCarthy
Steve Edwards
Diane Castle Babcock
Anna Curtis