Woodblock engraving is a relief printmaking technique, used frequently in book illustration of the 19th century. Today, the most common example of woodblock printmaking is rubber stamping. Artists and crafters can buy ink pads and precut rubber stamps to create works of art. Some rubber stamping enthusiasts make their own stamps using blocks of wood, along with carving and engraving tools.
Tools
A number of carving and engraving tools may be used for woodblock engraving. Among them are spit sticks, tint tools, scorpers, handheld rotary tools and engraver tools. Spit sticks are used to cut lines that are tapered at one end and wider at the other. Tint tools cut lines of varying widths to create a tint or shade for outlining. Scorpers are the widest cutting tools and most commonly used to clear away wood around engraved areas. These hand tools should be sharpened regularly. A handheld rotary tool can be used with a carving and engraving accessory. An engraver kit is extremely useful for etching precise lines and deep grooves, as well as letters and numbers using a template.
Wood
Suitable types of wood for should be soft to medium. Small engravings, which are highly detailed, are often carved on basswood. Another wood, butternut, is also easy to carve using hand tools, making it one of the most popular woods for woodblock engraving projects.
Inking
Two kinds of ink application are used on engraved woodblocks: laid-on and facsimile. The laid-on process involves the use of India ink for the predominant tints and a pencil for intricate details. Facsimile is accomplished by drawing all lines onto the block before engraving.
Printing
Printing inks work best on engraved woodblocks and are available in either water-based or oil-based versions. Experimenting with these two inks on different papers is the best way to determine which ink is most suitable for your project. Oil-based printing ink adheres well to most types of paper and provides richer color tones, but takes a long time to dry. Water-based printing ink, on the other hand, delivers softer tones, is quick-drying and easy to clean up. A distinct disadvantage of water-based inks is that they tend to print unevenly.