Woodcut is a relief printing technique in printmaking. An design or image is carved into the surface of a block of wood — typically using gouges. This leaves the parts to print level with the surface while the non-printing parts are gouged away. The remaining surface is inked to produce the print.
You will learn how to transfer your design onto wood, cut out your design and print in a range of colours onto paper of various kinds using the printing press. At the end of the session you will have lots of unique, original prints ready to be framed and hung on your wall.
What to expect
Time at ArtisOn is designed to take you away from it all and provide the environment, the time and the guidance you need to create. You can expect a warm welcome, skilled and friendly tutors plus the chance to meet like-minded people keen to share ideas and experiences. You can even leave us to clear up the mess! There will usually be two workshops going on and we encourage everyone to mingle and be nosey about what the other workshop is up to.
Arrive in time to meet other participants over a cup of tea or coffee and biscuits before beginning your session at the appointed time. There will be a mid-morning break for refreshments and a chance to talk over progress with others. Lunch is usually around 12:45 for about 45 mins – you can expect a homemade 2 course lunch. The main course will be delicious but don’t overdo it as the puds are usually worth waiting for! There will be a further afternoon break with the most wonderful cakes from Roots & Fruits Home Bakery, a North Yorkshire micro-bakery producing handmade bread and cakes. All food and refreshments are included in the price of the workshop.
Finish time is given as a target – there are occasions when the session may overrun so do let us know if you need to be away promptly.
We aim for your day to be a real treat… of course you could always learn a new skill in a shed or a draughty village hall with a curly sandwich, but we want you to have more fun than that! So we make it a day being looked after, with good food, good company and great inspiration!
What you’ll need to bring with you
Please bring:
Any visual resources you would like to use as inspiration. This could be drawings, photographs or other images, fabric or wallpaper. You could even bring in objects such as shells, feathers, plants or other natural, organic items. (These tend to be easier to reproduce as wood-cuts than more geometric or manufactured imagery – although it is up to you!)
Also, if you have some paper you would like to try printing onto please bring it along – in the past people have brought opened up envelopes, pages from an old book, old maps, wrapping paper, etc.
