Inversion Intro Slides Inversion Intro
Design Principles of Relief and Reversal
Unit: Mastering Relief Printing
The Reverse Reality
Think about your name.
If you write it on a stamp and press it down, what happens?
Concept:
EMAИ
In relief printing, everything you carve is a mirror of what you print.
Lino Logic:
Positive & Negative Space
1 Positive Space
The areas that get ink. This is the material you LEAVE BEHIND on the block.
2 Negative Space
The white of the paper. This is the material you CARVE AWAY .
?
Contrast is Key
Masters of the Block
[Image: Albrecht Dürer Rhinoceros]
Albrecht Dürer
The German master of high-contrast line and intricate detail in woodcuts.
[Image: Hokusai Wave]
Katsushika Hokusai
The Japanese master of the "Ukiyo-e" style, using bold shapes and flat colors.
Crucial Question: How did these artists show light and shadow with only black ink?
Your Design Strategy
Think Bold
Thin lines are hard to carve. Use strong shapes and thick outlines to start.
Text Alert
If your design has words, you MUST write them backwards on your block.
Half & Half
Aim for a balanced mix of black (ink) and white (paper) space.
Mirror Image Design Worksheet Mirror Image Design
Concept Sketching & Reversal Practice
Artist:
Date:
The Challenge
In relief printing, your final print is a mirror image of your carved block. To succeed, you must plan your design in reverse—especially if you include letters, numbers, or directional movement.
Part 1: The Reverse Text Lab
Practice writing the following characters as they must appear on the BLOCK (reversed) so they print correctly.
Normal
R
Reversed Block View
Normal
5
Reversed Block View
Normal
OK
Reversed Block View
Normal
ART
Reversed Block View
Part 2: High-Contrast Sketching
Create a high-contrast design in the "Final Print" box. Then, use the grid to recreate it in reverse in the "Carved Block" box. Remember: use solid black for ink and white for what you will carve away.
View A: Final Print
(How you want it to look on paper)
View B: Carved Block
(Flip it horizontally!)
Self-Check:
High Contrast?
Words Flipped?
Solid Shapes?
Blade Skills Slides Blade Skills
Safety and Carving Techniques
Anatomy of a Cutter
1
The Handle
Ergonomic grip; often hollow for storage of extra nibs.
2
The Nib (Blade)
The cutting edge. Comes in U-shapes (wide) and V-shapes (thin).
3
The Chuck
The screw mechanism that holds the nib. Must be TIGHT.
The Golden Rule
Always carve
Both hands behind the blade
Finger in the path? BAD.
The Bench Hook
A metal or wooden plate that hooks over the edge of your table.
Prevents the block from sliding away from you.
Provides a solid "stop" for your carving.
Saves your table from accidental gouges.
"If it's not hooked, it's not safe!"
Finding the Angle
Too Deep
You'll get stuck or cut through the block. Avoid the 90° angle.
Just Right
30° to 45° angle. Smooth, clean curls of lino should peel off like butter.
Too Shallow
You'll just scratch the surface. The ink will still stick to these areas!
Texture Challenge Worksheet Texture Challenge
Mastering the Mark: Carving Practice Block
Studio Log
NAME: ____________________ BLOCK: ____
Before you touch your final design, you must prove your mastery of the carving tool. Different nibs (blades) create different visual energies. Use your Practice Block to complete the six challenges below.
Caution: Keep both hands behind the blade at all times!
1. The Hairline
Small V-Gouge
Carve Here
Carve five parallel lines as thin as a strand of hair. Do not let them touch.
2. Thick to Thin
Pressure Control
Carve Here
Create three "tapered" lines that start deep/wide and end shallow/narrow.
3. Stipple Storm
Pointed Tip
Carve Here
Use the tip of the tool to create a "gradient" of dots (dense to sparse).
4. Cross-Hatch
Overlapping Lines
Carve Here
Create a value scale using intersecting lines. More lines = whiter space.
5. The Wide Scoop
Large U-Gouge
Carve Here
Clear a 1-inch square of material entirely. It should be smooth and flat.
6. Organic Curves
Direction Change
Carve Here
Carve a perfect circle or spiral. Focus on rotating the BLOCK, not the tool.
Mastery Check-In
Which nib felt easiest to control?
Which texture was the most difficult to create?
"The mark of a master printmaker is not just the shapes they leave, but the textures they carve into the white space."
Ink & Pull Slides Ink & Pull
Application, Consistency, and the First Proof
Lesson 3: Mastering the Surface
The Inking Station
1. The Palette
A clean sheet of plexiglass or a glass slab. This is where you "charge" your roller.
2. The Brayer
The rubber roller. Always rest it with the roller UP so it doesn't get flat spots.
3. The Ink
Start with a small "bead" (about the size of a pea). You can always add more.
"Keep it tidy. A messy station leads to 'ghost marks' on your clean paper."
Listen for the "Velcro"
When you roll out your ink, you shouldn't just look at it—you should HEAR it.
Too Wet?
If it sounds like "sloshing" or "squishing," you have too much ink. Your details will fill in.
Just Right
A crisp, consistent "tacking" or "ripping" sound, like Velcro being pulled apart.
Charging the Block
01
Multi-Directional
Roll North-South, then East-West. Ensure even coverage across the whole block surface.
02
Light Pressure
Let the brayer do the work. If you press too hard, ink will fall into your carved grooves.
03
Edge Check
Watch out for ink build-up on the very edges of your block.
"Reload your brayer after every 2-3 passes over the block."
The Artist Proof (A.P.)
A "Proof" is a test print. Its purpose is to show you where your carving needs more work.
The "Noise" Check:
Look for small black lines in your white areas. This is "noise"—parts of the lino that weren't carved deep enough and caught ink.
Do you like the noise? Keep it for texture. Don't like it? Carve it away before the next pull.
A.P. The First Pull
Proofing Reflection Log Proofing Log
Self-Assessment & Refinement Record
Printmaker:
"An Artist Proof (A.P.) is not a final product. It is a tool for seeing. It reveals the truth of your carving that you cannot see on the block itself."
Artist Proof #1
Observation Phase
Analysis Questions:
1. Are there areas where ink filled in small details? (Flooding)
2. Are there "chatter" marks (stray lines) in your white space?
3. Is the ink density consistent across the whole print?
Attach Photo or Sketch Problem Areas
The Refinement Plan
Based on Proof #1, what specific changes will you make to your block before your next pull?
1
2
Artist Proof #2
Verification Phase
Final Checks:
Contrast is sharp and clear
"Chatter" is reduced or intentional
Paper is clean (no finger smudges)
Ready for Edition
Printmaking Studio • Grade 8 • Unit 3
Edition Etiquette Slides Edition Etiquette
Registration, Signing, and Professional Standards
Lesson 4: The Professional Pull
Defining "The Edition"
An edition is a set of identical prints pulled from the same block.
The Rule of Five
For this project, your goal is an edition of 5. That means 5 prints that look exactly the same in terms of ink density and alignment.
Quality over Quantity.
Print 1/5
Print 2/5
...and so on.
Registration
"Registration" is the method of aligning your paper perfectly with your block every single time.
A
The paper must be centered.
B
The margins must be even.
C
No crooked prints allowed!
We will use a "Registration Jig"—a guide taped to the table to hold our block and paper in place.
How to Sign a Print
Professional printmakers use PENCIL ONLY (never pen) at the bottom of the print area.
Printed Image Area
1 / 5
Edition Number
"The Silent Morning"
Title (in quotes)
J. Smith, 2026
Signature & Year
Your Mission
Produce FIVE consistent, perfectly registered prints.
Throw away the "oopsies." Only the best 5 make the edition.
Clean Margins
Even Inking
Pencil Signature
The Numbered Edition Guide Edition Reference
Standards for Professional Presentation
Mastery
The Bottom Line
Image Area
1/5
Edition Fraction
Which number in the set this print is, out of the total made.
"Title"
Work Title
Center aligned. Always in quotation marks.
Signature '26
Artist Signature
Your name and the year. Clear and legible.
Registration Jig
A jig ensures every piece of paper hits the block at the exact same spot. Follow these steps to set up your station:
1
Tape a large piece of newsprint to your table.
2
Trace your block in the center with a marker.
3
Measure and trace where your paper corners should go to keep the block centered.
Professional Checklist
Pencil only for signing?
Margins clean of thumbprints?
Ink density is consistent?
Image is straight on the paper?
"A messy margin tells the buyer you don't value the work."
Studio Standard v1.0
Layered Destruction Slides Layered Destruction
The Magic and Risk of Reduction Printing
Lesson 5: No Turning Back
What is Reduction?
In standard printing, one block = one color. In Reduction Printing, you use one block for multiple colors by carving more away between each layer.
The Catch:
Once you carve for the second color, the first color is GONE FOREVER. You cannot go back and print more of the first layer.
Layer 1
Layer 2
Layer 3
The 4-Step Cycle
01
Print Base
Print your entire edition (e.g., 10 prints) in the lightest color.
02
Carve More
Carve away the areas you want to STAY the base color.
03
Overprint
Print the second (darker) color over your first layer.
04
Repeat
Continue until you reach your darkest detail color.
Reduction Strategy
Light to Dark: Always print your lightest colors first (Yellow → Red → Black).Perfect Registration: If Layer 2 is 1mm off, the whole print looks blurry. Your jig must be bulletproof.Print Extra: Some will fail. If you want an edition of 5, print 8 base layers.
Planning is 90% of the work.
Process in Motion
[A Time-Lapse Video of a Reduction Print will be shown here]
Watch how the block gets smaller and smaller as the print gets more complex.
Reduction Planner Worksheet Reduction Planner
Layer Mapping & Carving Sequence
Project Title:
1. Light-to-Dark Sequence
Color 1 (Lightest)
BASE LAYER
Color 2 (Medium)
MID TONE
Color 3 (Darkest)
FINAL DETAIL
2. Layer Mapping
Sketch your design. Use numbers or shading to identify which areas will be printed at which stage.
Main Composition Area
Key / Legend:
= Paper White (Carve First)
= Areas to stay Color 1
= Areas to stay Color 2
3. The Carving Sequence
Stage 1: Before Printing Color 1
CARVE AWAY WHITE
What parts of your design should be the pure white of the paper?
Stage 2: After Printing Color 1
CARVE AWAY COLOR 1
What parts do you want to PROTECT? (The parts that will stay Color 1)
Stage 3: After Printing Color 2
CARVE AWAY COLOR 2
Final reveal: What parts do you want to keep from your second color?
"Think twice, carve once."
Reduction printing is irreversible.
Teacher Signature for Approval:
