Printing Large Woodcuts

Working on large blocks of wood can pose a number of problems for the printmaker and can be quite limiting in a number of ways obtaining large paper and when the carved block is ready to print the method of printing by hand or a press if you can find a press large enough to accommodate your work.

Printing with a large garden roller is a great way to produce large prints and I have managed to print some good quality work this way. I used this method of printing for about three years and during this time learned to perfect the technique which needs time and patience. You don't get good results straight away I encountered a number of problems along the way, including the weather as printing was done on my driveway and sometimes even the slightest breeze can play havoc with the registration of the prints when placing the paper on to the inked block. For me this was part of the whole process of printmaking and the excitement when you do finally get it right!
I also used a method alongside the garden roller called 'burnishing' and a wooden spoon came in very handy. There are various tools which you can use to burnish, it is finding the right tool which works for you.

I obtained a large etching press a Tofko Norup, the bed size is 1500 x 2000 mm about a year ago, so this has speeded up the printing process particularly in the case of making editions of prints.
I don't have to worry about the weather now as the press is set up in the garage.

Please don't hesitate to contact me if you require further information about my work or any questions on how I make it.