Woodblock Printing Process: How to Make Block Prints

Woodblock printing, or wood block printing, is a style of relief printing in which artists use carved wooden blocks to press designs onto textiles or paper. The advent of the printing press and other technologies eventually led to less of a need for woodblock printmaking. Still, plenty of people reach for wood instead of lino blocks (or other more modern materials) to do their printing projects today.

Woodblock printing served as a particularly prominent printing approach for Chinese and Japanese art throughout the Middle Ages and the following few centuries. The history of this printing style saw it spread throughout Asia into Europe before the printing press’ arrival eclipsed it.

• Origins in China: Chinese artists began using woodblock printing in earnest during the Tang dynasty, from the seventh through tenth centuries. They used carving blocks and mulberry paper to illustrate and print long scrolls featuring Buddhist texts like the Diamond Sūtra. As the Tang era gave way to the Song dynasty, China’s artisans began to include more Confucian texts in their efforts as well.
• Arrival in Japan: By the time of the Ming dynasty—which stretched from the fourteenth through seventeenth centuries—the printing style had moved out to nearby Japan. Japanese woodblock printing (or mokuhanga) expanded to encompass more personal and social expression, rather than purely religious expression.
• Japan’s woodblock innovations: Throughout the Edo period (1603–1837), artists like Harunobu, Hiroshige, and Utamaro depicted the “floating world” (or ukiyo) of their time—a term for the urban environment of Japan that once featured kabuki actors, samurai, and merchants—with their ukiyo-e woodblock artwork. As they branched into using multiple blocks for their art, they started to denote their pieces with kento (marks to group and register blocks together). Katsushika Hokusai’s The Great Wave Off Kanagawa is perhaps the most famous Japanese print from this period.
• Spread to Europe: Woodblock printing methods eventually spread to Europe, too. Woodcut print drawings made up the illustrations for many printed books in Europe, even after the printing press began to spread throughout the continent and the rest of the world in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
• Eclipse by other printing technologies: As screen printing, linocuts, and lithographs became more popular in the centuries to follow, woodblock printing became more of an experiment for artistic hobbyists than the go-to practice for mass-produced books and artwork.

You only need a few materials to build a personal block printing kit. You can start trying out this wooden block printing technique with these five tools:

1. 1. Baren: Although this implement is optional for woodblock printing, it can prove beneficial. This tool helps you apply a steady pressure to the back of your carving block once you’re done cutting a design into it and covering it with ink. You can always use your hand to do so if necessary.
2. 2. Brayer: This roller expedites the printing process by getting ink or dye all over your wooden block before you apply it to paper. Rubber brayers are quite common.
3. 3. Chisels: You’ll need chisels or other carving knives to gouge all of the fine details into your block. By engraving your design into the wood, you can transfer it onto any paper or textile surface you please.
4. 4. Inks and dyes: Seek out water-soluble block printing ink to ensure you can clean up your wood easily. Try out different pigments and dyes to see which you like best.
5. 5. Wood: You’ll need wooden blocks for this printing technique. As the name suggests, these form the linchpin upon which all the other materials rest. Different types of wood have different strengths and weaknesses. For instance, it’s easier to carve softer woods, but you’ll have an easier time transferring over granular details with harder woods (of which the opposite is true—they’re harder to carve but better at conveying details).

Woodblock printing takes trial, error, and diligence, but it can be very rewarding. Try out this four-step tutorial when you’re ready to experiment with this older printing technology:

1. 1. Decide on a drawing. You’ll need to pick a drawing you’d like to trace over and engrave onto your woodblock. Start with something simple for your first time. Keep in mind that the carvings will make up white rather than dark space, which can feel counterintuitive. Use photo editing software to create a negative image of your drawing to see how it looks in reverse—this will make transferring it to the block easier.
2. 2. Engrave the woodblock. Once you’ve decided on your drawing, start to carve it into your block with chisels and carving knives. Keep separate blocks available in case you make a mistake. Add some acrylic casing to your block to prevent any warping of the wood.
3. 3. Roll ink onto the block. Use your brayer to rub your ink or dye all over the bottom of your carved block. Wait a moment or two before you transfer it—too much wet ink can make for a smudged art print.
4. 4. Press down on the paper. Take out a single sheet of paper to start, but keep others handy in the event of an error. Place your woodblock facedown on your printing paper. You can also use a textile if you prefer. If you notice an error, clean off the block and work on carving the problem area more precisely to improve your final print.

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