GIGI PERKINS

What is Woodcut?

 

Woodcut most simply is a type of printmaking where the image is carved in reverse onto a board of wood and then ink is rolled evenly onto the surface, after placing your paper face down on the block and running it through the press the ink creates an image on the paper from the surface of the block that has not been carved out-- this is relief printing. Reduction woodcut is an engaged, time consuming, and addictive way to create art. Reduction means that you are working with the same block of wood and the different colors you see in the final print are created by carving out on the block the last color you just printed so that it will not be covered up by the next color you print on the block. In this way an image can be built up by thinking about what colors make up an image and where those colors exist in the picture plane to carve out on the wood where you want them to appear on the paper. Also taking into account how many colors the image will be divided into and how those colors will interact with each other as you print one atop the other stacking up layers of ink. It takes hours just to plan out, then hand carve out, then mix the ink and then roll out and run through the press each individual edition of the print-- and thats just for one color.