Woodcut
木版画 / 8th century– / Technique / Relief Printing
Prints the surface left after carving, raising an image through line direction and the pressure of black and white.
At a glance
Visual cues
- Direction of the cut
- Hard black-white contrast
- Density of line
- The block's materiality
Best used for
- Carving a strong story or symbol in one color
- Handwork resistance and reproducibility at once
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Dictionary entry
- Type
- Contrast a heavy headline with the print's fine lines
- Composition
- Place the black masses first; open focal points with white cuts
- Material
- Ink black and paper; run the line direction along the form
- Caution
- Not a digital scuff texture. Design where the black stays and which way you carve.
- Further study
- Albrecht Dürer / block-print traditions
Related entries
- Gothic (ゴシック)Shared effects: Rebellion.Compare Woodcut and Gothic
- Linocut (リノカット)Same Relief Printing lineage.Compare Woodcut and Linocut
Often confused with
More from Relief Printing
Continue through styles in the same Relief Printing family, prioritised by shared effects.
- Letterpress (活版印刷)Shared effects: Nostalgia.
Browse all Relief Printing entries
Cite this entry
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- Link
- https://indexstyle.org/styles/woodcut
- Markdown
- [Woodcut — IndexStyle](https://indexstyle.org/styles/woodcut)
- HTML
- <a href="https://indexstyle.org/styles/woodcut">Woodcut — IndexStyle</a>