Relief & Lino Printing
Relief printing is a method where ink is applied to the surface of a plate or block and a print is taken either by press or by hand. Monoprinting is a direct and spontaneous method of printing one-offs from the surface of a plate.
We carry a large range of the world's most popular woodcut and lino cutting tools, from entry level to the finest quality, and at prices to suit every budget.
A range of vinyl plates and linos including a selection of softer alternatives for easier cutting. High quality wood blocks can also be found in this section.
These sturdy, high quality presses can be used for etching, lino, lithography, and woodblock. Accessories for presses are also found here.
Sets are a great way to try a new medium or brand, or to expand your collection. Sets can cover all the bases and make excellent gifts too.
A timeless and traditional method of printmaking that can be adapted to suit a range of abilities and allows for a wide range of creative possibilities.
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An Introduction to Relief Printmaking
The principle of relief printing is that ink is applied to the surface of a plate or block and a print is taken either by press or by hand.
You can set yourself up relatively inexpensively and get creative making cards and stamps, or explore the more specialist techniques of wood engraving and Japanese woodblock printing. Monoprinting is a direct and spontaneous method of printing one-offs from the surface of a plate.
More on Relief Printing
Both the earliest and the most accessible form of printmaking, it is possible to get started with very little initial outlay. Prints can be taken from relatively inexpensive blocks of lino, vinyl or wood and with a few tools and a little ink you can get started.
The print is made from ink applied to the surface of the block, the areas cut away remain unprinted. Thus it is a negative or reductive process which can be likened to 'drawing with light'.
Always remember that your printed image will be the reverse of that which appears on the block, so 'watch your p's and q's'!
Lino and vinyl can give a flat, crisp image. Woodcuts, where the image is cut into the side grain of the plank, have the potential to show the wood grain or texture and can be very expressive. Wood engraving differs in that the image is cut into the highly polished end grain of the wood using specialist tools. They are usually small-scale with the potential for exquisite detail due to the density of the wood.
Prints can be taken without a press by rubbing the back of the paper with a wooden spoon, for example. In the case of Japanese woodblock, prints are taken with a special printing tool called a 'baren'. If you have an etching press, you can often raise the top roller to allow for the plate or block to fit through a higher pressure print or use a specially designed relief press.