Blog - Relief Printmaking

Wood engraving is a relief technique using fine tools to carve intricate designs into the end-grain of dense hardwoods like boxwood. Gorgeously fine details can be achieved. We now have a brand new range of tools and materials available to buy in our shop, plus a lovely selection of wood engraving tools in the Handprinted studio, some of which were kindly donated to us - we’ve been itching to have a go ever since!

Choosing the paper for your printmaking project can have a significant impact on the way the print turns out. Changing the colour, thickness or tex. . . 

I'm Rose, a printmaker, from and still living in the City of York. I work part-time in retail and do my printmaking the rest of the time. I come from a creative family, so I  always have different projects on the go. I love reading, sewing and embroidery...

Hello! My name is Andrea and I am a printmaker from Plymouth in Devon. Plymouth is a coastal city in the southwest of the UK, but also neighbours the beautiful Dartmoor. I live with my husband and 2 sons. During the day...

I am a linocut printmaker trained in illustration. Working as Prints by the Bay I create narrative-driven prints about femininity and women’s connection to nature. Using one-colour and reduction linoprint, my illustrative work blends story, symbolism, and soul to evoke...

Wood engraving is a relief printing technique that uses fine tools to carve into end-grain hardwood such as boxwood, resulting in highly . . .

I’m Jo Boddy, I live on the Surrey/Berkshire border with my husband, our two children and my furry (and often muddy) cockerpoo, Hops.  Printmaking is a second career built out of a need to do ‘something for myself’ when the children were very small.  An evening art course turned into a...

Decoding Pfeil Cutting Tools can be confusing. When you haven't got the tools in front of you, it's difficult to know what tools may be the right sha...

About me and what I do.  I’m Mark Howard Jones, a Hampshire-based artist and printmaker creating contemporary linocuts and paintings inspired by suburban life, walking, and local history. My work explores place, memory, and community, often through everyday scenes and recurring motifs like neighbourhood streets...

I am a full-time printmaker and artist based in Edinburgh. For ten years, I co-ran a gallery café with my partner and sold my paintings there, after which we both went freelance in search of a more satisfying work/life balance. I now mak...

When carving traditional lino it can be difficult to see your lines. Staining the block first can enable you to have more visibility, and therefore a more accurate design. Sumi Ink is a great option for block staining, and it's...

Speedy Carve Blocks are delicious to cut and a joy to print. We have featured them many times in our blog, but this time we have created a process with a three-layered print. For a layered print like this, it's helpful to start with a dra. . .

Block printing onto fabric is such a fun way to create your own designs. Jigsaw printing allows you to carve just one block to print a multi-coloured design. By cutting our carved block into jigsaw pieces we can ink them...

I’m Louis Andrews, multidisciplinary artist with a primary focus on tattooing and printmaking. After a brief stint studying painting...

Accurate registration can be difficult when printing multi-block linocuts. Offset printing will show you exactly where your design will sit on each block, allowing you to cut a set of blocks that will print in perfect alignment.  Begin by preparing...

Measure Pattern Tape is a really useful bit of kit for your printmaking projects. This adhesive ruler tape can be stuck onto your printing surface or board to help lay out your designs accurately. It's self-adhesive and we've even found...