The block for a woodcut can be cut from the log either lengthwise, along the grain, or crosswise, across the grain, each method producing a slightly different look in the final print. Virtually any kind of wood that can be cut is suitable. In his bird's eye view of Venice, printed in 1500, Jacopo da Barbari used six walnut blocks. Early woodcut artists preferred a close grain which made it possible to cut very fines lines. In the past hundred years, artists have often used wood with a coarser grain, incorporating its natural pattern into their prints.
Some modern artists use plywood.
In this century, linoleum has been a frequent alternative to wood. The blocks are cut with straight knives or scooped ones called gouges. In recent years some artists have begun to use power tools. An important feature of the woodcut is its technical simplicity. Wood is readily available and inexpensive.