Wood engraving, as an art form, traces its roots back to the late 1700s. During the early years of wood engraving, it was the common method used to illustrate printed materials. During the period of its use, the wood engraving process was more efficient than the wood cut also used to create illustrations in printed matter. Photography replaced wood engraving in the early 20th century.
Engraving the Wood
The end grain of a block of wood is engraved or carved during the wood engraving process. This differs from wood cuts that are carved on the side of the piece of wood. The end grain allows finer lines and more detail than the side of the wood. Engraving tools are used to form the relief carving in the end of the piece of wood.
Printing with a Wood Engraving
The wood engraving served as a tool for printing illustrations in books prior to the advent of photographic processes. The surface of the engraving was covered with ink, which was pressed on the paper. Carving artists worked along with printers to create the illustrations for books of the era. Wood engraving was considered a low-budget illustration method compared to wood cuts and was sometimes considered to hold a lower artistic value.
Black-Line Engraving
If the intended lines are left as the highest portions of the wood engraving they will print as black on the paper during the printing process. In this case, the engraver carves away the portions of the image that will remain white in the printed image. Printings using black-line engraving would look similar to a pencil or pen and ink drawing.
White-Line Engraving
If the lines of the illustration or drawing are carved into the wood block the image will print as a black background with the white lines of the image. Think of it as a blackboard background with white chalk lines creating the drawing. Some artistic pieces of white-line engraving have been produced in recent years.
