This Christmas, I decided to make my own Christmas card. I love the idea of giving handmade cards to the people on my Christmas list, but I generally end up running out of time. Of course, I could scan an original piece of artwork and then print copies with my ink-jet printer, but that just doesn’t give the feeling of something hand-produced. To get around this problem, I decided to use a mix of new and old technologies to create woodblock prints. That way, I would be able to create duplicate prints that are still hand-made.
The idea for this method of printing dates back to ancient times when seals were created to stamp official documents. In fact, it is still used to stamp small images on documents. In China, this printing method was used to create the text and artwork for books, while in Europe it was generally used only for the illustrations.
The first step was to create a sketch of what I wanted the card to look like. Here are my sketches… from very rough to more finished.
After I had a final sketch I was happy with (though inevitably I never like the final as much as the first sketch… still I hope it has some of the feeling of that idea) I scanned it.
Then I printed it onto a piece of paper using a laser printer, rather than my usual inkjet printer. Since a laser printer uses heat to apply the ink to the paper, I was able to reverse that process using heat from an iron, transferring the ink image onto my block. I used a wood substitute called Resingrave that is easier for beginners to use and a lot cheaper than the traditional highly polished boxwood blocks.
Now that I had my image on a block, it was time to dig out my engraving tools. They are like little chisels, and have fun names like Scorpers, Spitstickers and Gravers. The goal is to carve away any areas that will remain white in the final print; because they are lower, they won’t pick up any ink, while areas that are left high will transfer ink to the paper.
Controlling the tools takes a little practice. I tried three times before I had a carving that I was satisfied with. Once the carving was finished, I used a roller to apply ink. The roller helps to apply the ink in a smooth even layer. With the block inked up, I was then able to start making prints. The basics of printmaking are pretty simple; paper is pressed against the block to create the image. I did this in two different ways; with a small etching press, and with a kitchen spoon.
I didn’t have an etching press, and they are expensive to buy. But I found an online pattern (https://openpressproject.com) for creating an etching press using a 3D printer. A 3D printer uses a moving nozzle to lay down layers of plastic, slowly building up a given shape. I don’t have a 3D printer either . . . but my library has one that can be used for free. They allow patrons to print out one part every two weeks, so over the course of a few months I printed out all the parts for my etching press.
In the end, however, I did most of my block prints by just using a spoon to rub the back of the paper while it was pressed against the carved block. Because the back of my block was a little uneven (I had to saw off 1/2 the height of the block to fit it in the press) this method yielded better results.
Here is my final print… I would have liked to try again but I didn’t have another block handy and this was taking way more time than I had bargained for… though not as much time as creating a custom card for each person on my Christmas card list! I really enjoyed the process of carving and printing my own card. I learned a lot this year and I already have ideas for next year’s card.
May you all have a very blessed Christmas! If you would like to be on next years Christmas card list, it’s easy, just send me a Christmas card and I’ll be sure to add you to our list. God bless you!
