Instead, each one explains a certain technique and gives a brief history of its development, illustrated with major works form the Museum of Fine Arts collections. The Introductory Notes give an overview of basic printmaking techniques. We hope this information will help you understand and enjoy the current exhibition. The woodcut is the earliest and simplest of the printmaking techniques. It is also the most enduring, having been in constant use for centuries, both as an artistic and a commercial means of disseminating ideas to a wide audience.
Woodcuts are relief prints.
The design is drawn on the surface of a wooden block or plank. The areas that are to be blank are cut away, leaving raised the design that is to be printed. Ink is then rolled or daubed over the raised area. A sheet of paper is placed on top of the block and pressed against it, either in a press or by hand. This pressure transfers the ink to the paper.