block printing, explained

Block printing is a method of relief printmaking that began in ancient China. Before stamps were made via laser engraving (or other methods) as they are today, they were designed, carefully carved, and printed by hand.

Relief printmaking is the process of creating a raised image on a surface material, applying ink, and printing on a surface. Traditional materials include stone, linoleum, and wood. Carving out of rubber is a relatively newer alternative that began in the 20th century. It is my material of choice, as I find it more accessible than other materials, in terms of both cost and ease of use.

My entire making process takes anywhere from 10 minutes (mini block with stamped ink) to several days (larger blocks with rolled ink).

Photo: Carving "Tamarind" during a live demo at the Burke Museum, March 2025. See the IG highlight here.

how i make my prints

  • 01 • design + transfer

    I start with a digital or pencil drawing. This usually takes me a few hours. Once the illustration is ready, I either immediately transfer it to a rubber block (if drawn with pencil), or print it, trace it with pencil, and then use a bonefold to move the design to rubber.

  • 02 • carving

    Once the illustration has been transferred, I start carving material away, using specialized carving tools. This process takes anywhere from 45 minutes to several hours, depending on the size of the block and amount of detail.

  • 03 • printing

    When carving is complete, I do a test print with an ink pad to see how well I carved the imagery. I'll clean up any areas that I missed, do another test print, and when I'm happy with the block, use rolled printmaking ink to pull a print with high-quality ink. I'll roll ink onto the block again and print, and repeat this process for however many prints I planned to print.

  • 04 • drying

    Prints are hung up to dry for 2-5 days. Drying time depends on the amount of ink used and the amount of water in the air (longer in the summer, shorter in the winter).

  • 05 • signing + preparing to sell

    Prints are individually signed with the title of the piece, the print number (if editioned), and my signature + the year it was printed. Prints are then wrapped in protective poly bags to be sold.

  • 06 • reprinting

    I will often reprint my blocks, most often my mini prints, until I decide they will no longer be sold due to damage to the block, feeling ready to say goodbye to a design, or other reasons. For reprints, I'll repeat steps 3-5!

get a behind-the-scenes look

See more studio and market vlogs on my Youtube channel.