Wood Engraving with David Frazer

Wood engraving is a very old printmaking medium historically used as a form of illustration for books and newspapers. White lines are engraved in the small, fine, end grain wood blocks using engraving tools and printed as a relief print. Much finer, highly detailed work can be achieved than with a lino-cut or woodcut. The prints are small and intimate and well suited to narrative and poetry.

David will give an introduction into the history of wood engraving, give you a demo and run you through the techniques and the best way to make a successful relief print. You will start off engraving on a synthetic block where you will practice with all the tools and experiment with all the different marks and patterns which you will then print. Then you will move onto a more considered piece using end grain lemonwood or boxwood sourced from the UK. David will then show you how to transfer a drawing to the block. After engraving you will then print a small edition and David will show you how to curate and sign them.

For a two day workshop you will complete two woodblocks.