Technique
Relief printing
A printmaking method in which the raised areas of the block receive the ink. Woodcut and linocut are relief-print techniques.
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- Technique
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Understanding the term
Ink is applied to the surface of the block while the cut-away areas remain uninked. The image reverses when printed. The material's resistance and the tool's marks are often visible as active parts of the line and solid areas.
When Relief printing is given as a technique, it describes the process that created the work's impression, structure or surface. Technique and subject are distinct: very different images can be made using the same method.
The process can often be read in edges, lines, layers and surface. It can also explain natural variation between examples and offer useful evidence about workflow, edition and appropriate care.
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