Truly handmade.

 

I create my woodcut prints using techniques based on the earliest methods of printmaking. I begin each edition by working-out an original design on paper, then carving this image in relief on a hard maple block using a combination of hand-forged knives and gouges. I then print each image by rolling a thick linseed oil-based ink onto the surface of the woodblock, laying down the paper, then burnishing the back of the paper with a Japanese baren and bamboo spoon until the image is transferred. The papers I use are the finest hand-made Japanese washi made from the soft inner bark of cultivated mulberry and wild gampi.

Below are images showing the creation of a piece from sketch to final print.

 

Printing

This is a short video showing my printing process for a small piece. In it you can see all the basic techniques I use, beginning with rolling the ink on the block, aligning the paper, then rubbing the back of the paper first with the circular baren and finishing with a bamboo spoon.