Woodcutting, the oldest form of relief printmaking, is a beautiful medium that utilizes a block of wood, enabling artists to create engaging—and replicable—artworks. I have always found this medium to be incredibly rewarding. Rich in history, two discernible methods emerged in its development: Eastern woodcutting dating to ninth-century China and Western woodcutting developing in fourteenth-century Germany with the invention of the printing press.

Euphorion (1948–49) by Georg Netzband is an example of a woodcut in the museum’s collection depicting the Greek mythological story of Euphorion (son of Achilles and Helen of Troy) struck down by Zeus for flying too close to heaven. It’s small—5.625 inches by 3.5 inches to be exact—and lacking the grandeur of larger artworks, but it is exemplary of woodcutting because of its mastery of line and contrast. Viewers might consider it simplistic compared to other woodcuts in the collection, but this work provides a great reference for introductory skills and the basics of woodcutting because of the precise forms created with vertical, horizontal, and diagonal cuts.

Another noted woodcut is Childbirth (1959) by Munakata Shikō. Utilizing the same elements of line and contrast, Shiko expertly creates unique patterns and figures surrounding the figure of a child celebrating an infant’s birth. The image relates to depictions of the Budda’s birth and Shikō’s Buddhist roots.

The process of woodcutting can take a long time (and requires a steady hand!) but is worth the result. Pear wood is the most suitable due to its close grain and moderate hardness, allowing for intricate details to be captured with the balance of a substrate that is not too soft, but not too dense to carve.

To begin forming an image, the artist starts by carefully carving the woodblock, using a chisel or gouge, allowing the raised surfaces to form figures and shapes to be revealed in print; uncarved areas will appear as white on the paper. After the artist has carved an image, they evenly roll ink onto the woodblock with a brayer or roller. They then place the block on a printing press with a dampened sheet of paper (to easily absorb the ink) and run the paper through the press. Prints can be made without a printing press by evenly distributing pressure by hand to transfer ink from the woodblock onto the paper sheet.

Want to try printmaking at home? You can create lithographs, linocuts, and more with kits and tutorials ready to guide you. Being one of the oldest forms of relief print making, there are countless resources, from articles to videos, available online.  Given the tools, materials, time, and space, it can be accessible to anyone to learn.