Hand Block Printing is possibly the oldest printing technique in the world with the oldest known surviving block prints found in Egypt and dated to the 9th Century. It has a long history within East and South Asia and through its arrival and development in Europe.
China:
As Buddhism prevailed in China during the Tang dynasty (618-907 AD), there was a need to produce a large volume of Buddhist scriptures, and copying by hand could not meet rising demand. Ancient Chinese craftspeople there came up with a novel way of mass producing printed works, through the prototype of woodblock printing.
Traditional woodblock printing can be divided into four major steps: writing, engraving, printing and binding. Each step is subdivided into several procedures. It takes roughly 30 steps to produce a woodblock print. Carving lies at the centre of woodblock printing, as it can make or break the print. Characters and images are carved to produce raised areas or lines that will eventually provide ink to paper.
A five metre scroll of the Buddhist scripture, Diamond Sutra, printed in 896 AD is the earliest dated printed book in the words of the British library where it is stored. The Chinese invented relief printing, carving their blocks from one piece of wood in reverse and printing them with ink.
According to current scholarship, printing on paper was invented in China around 700 A.D. The capacity for creating multiple duplications and the affordable price of the printed image made it an effective medium for mass communication across various cultural contexts. In China, it provided a means for disseminating the Buddhist faith; pictorial prints assumed a major role in folk rituals and festivals as their subject matter expanded to include auspicious or protective imagery. Woodblock printing remained the dominant printing method in East Asia until the 19th century.
Japan:
Woodblock printing was introduced to Japan in the early 7th century from the Asian continent and was first used to mass-produce sacred Buddhist texts (similar to China). The earliest surviving Japanese printed texts are the small printed charms commissioned by Empress Shōtoku around 770, to thank the Buddha for suppressing a rebellion and to ensure her realm’s future protection. Woodblock printing allowed millions of these charms to be created quickly and inexpensively. They were placed inside one million small wood pagodas and sent to Buddhist temples around the country.
During the Edo period (1603-1868), with the growth of large urban centers such as Edo (modern Tokyo), woodblock printing was used to meet the demand for affordable literature and art among an increasingly-educated population. Renowned artists were often commissioned to create designs. Many of the printed works of this era belong to a genre called ukiyo-e (“pictures of the floating world”), often illustrating characters and activities of the pleasure quarters of Japan’s cities.
Printing techniques also became more sophisticated over time, with full colour printing widely used by the eighteenth century. Whereas images of elegant women and kabuki actors were the most popular ukiyo-e images of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, by the nineteenth century, many prints featured Japanese landscapes and scenes from legend/folklore, and often depicted supernatural beings.
India and Pakistan:
Block printing occupies a long history within South Asia, dating back to the Indus Valley civilisation around 3500 to 1300 BC. The export of textiles, especially cotton, is recorded from the Harappan period onwards. During the Mohenjo-daro site excavation, needles, spindles, and cotton fibres dyed with Madder (a red dye or pigment obtained from the root of the madder plant) were excavated, proving Harappan artists’ familiarity with dye fixatives.
It is believed that block printing flourished under the Mughals, who introduced intricate floral motifs that are still widely used in hand block printed textiles from Rajasthan. The printing and dyeing of fabrics like cotton is said to have originated in Rajasthan and was then adapted by Gujrat, spreading across various Indian states thereafter. Pre-Mughal influence, designs were mainly geometric forms, however, the Mughals introduced new forms such as animals and fruit.
Deeply rooted in the Indus Valley Civilisation, in Pakistan, block printing occupies a rich history in the regions of Sindh and Punjab, with skilled artisans concentrated in towns such as Hala and Thatta (Sindh) and Multan (Southern Punjab). The design of ajrak is a pattern iconic to Sindh, with a rich blue, red, black, white colour pallete. It carries deep cultural significance within Sindhi culture.
Block printing in South Asia is therefore known for its intricate designs, vibrant colors, and use of natural dyes, and is used to create traditional clothing such as saris, kurtas, dupattas and salwar kameez.
Developments in Europe:
Paper did not reach Europe until the twelfth century (despite being invented in China hundreds of years prior), and printing imagery using woodblocks became a phenomenon in Europe beginning in the late fourteenth century in Germany, spreading to the Netherlands, south of the Swiss Alps and to areas of northern Italy. Block printing became popular in Europe during the fifteenth century with the invention of the printing press, which allowed the mass production of books, thereby leading to a surge in literacy rates and spread of knowledge. The earliest surviving block-printed books in Europe date back to this century and were often decorated with elaborate designs and illustrations. Early European loose-sheet woodcuts predominantly depicted Christian subjects and devotional imagery. These were often folded and taken by pilgrims on their travels and cut/ pasted into books and on walls at home. Hence, few of these early woodcuts survive due to continual use.
It was not until the sixteenth century that printed wallpaper began to be produced in Europe. Britain was one of the first countries to employ the hand block printing technique specifically for wallpaper after adapting the process from Chinese and Indian textile production of the time. The first printed wallpapers were produced as an alternative to the tapestries and wall hangings that came before them and were printed in monochrome carbon ink with colour brushed onto the design by hand afterwards, if it was required. The very earliest designs were Damasks which reflected the popular Chinese Silk Damasks that were trading amongst the wealthy in Europe. Wallpaper was also a commodity for the wealthy in the beginning with the printing technique being a highly skilled and laborious process.
Block printing played a large role in the Arts and Crafts Movement in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries – a reaction to industrialisation and mass production. Artisans created intricate designs and patterns for textiles, wallpaper, and other decorative items using block printed techniques. While William Morris is the most celebrated, other designers like C.F.A. Voysey and Arthur Silver also made significant contributions. Their work expanded the movement’s stylistic range, incorporating influences from Art Nouveau to Japanese art. Artists in the United States and Europe also embraced coloured woodcuts during this period, taking great influence from techniques in Japan.
In South Asia, the post-Mughal era saw increasing consolidation of power amongst Europeans, culminating in the British Raj which ruled until 1947. With the arrival of colonial Britain’s East India Company in the mid-nineteenth century, block printing on textiles spread from South Asia to Europe. The rise of European industrialisation resulted in Britain beginning to export their textiles to India, coercing domestic weavers and artisan printers to shut down (including through inflicting violence) and forcing people to buy cheap versions of their once distinguished textiles.
The Industrial Revolution created technological advances in the UK, such as the mechanical printer. However, there was a revival of traditional methods in the 1960s and 70s with a renewed fascination in Eastern spirituality and travellers bringing back a love for block printed textiles to Europe.
Today block printing is enjoying a modest revival, alongside a recent resurgence in people who are interested in artisan made papers and fabrics, and value the special qualities that hand block printing can bring.
Block printing techniques can be broadly categorised into relief printing and intaglio printing (see our separate entry for intaglio). Traditionally, block printing involves carving a design into wood, leaving the desired areas raised and the rest removed, then inking this (often using a roller) and transferring the image onto a surface like fabric or paper. The resulting design will be a mirror image of the one on the block.
Steps to create a wooden block:
Preparing the wood:
First, the right wood is chosen. Known for its ease of carving, pear wood is a popular option. Others include teak (less prone to flaking and cracking), or sheesham wood. The wood is then sawed into manageable block sizes and is planed smooth to create a uniform surface. The moisture content of wood is removed by seasoning it to prevent warping and cracking.
Transferring the design:
A design is sketched onto the wood block using a pencil. Alternatively, tracing paper can be used to transfer the design. A permanent marker can also be used to make the design stand out. Additionally, the block can be coloured with drawing ink to help see the cut marks.
Carving the block:
Various chisels and gouges are used to create different line lengths and clear areas, using a controlled pressure and cutting across the grain. Unwanted areas are carved away.
Finishing:
The surface is sanded to smoothen it and remove imperfections. The block can be coated with a white paste to further help ensure a smooth surface. Finally, the block is washed to clean it and provide a glossy finish. It is now ready for inking.
Printing methods include:
Wood is the traditional material used, but block printing can also be carried out using lino. Similarly, the design is laid out and cut into lino blocks, either in relief or intaglio. The paper is pre-coloured, paint is added to the block, and the design is printed, either with a handheld roller or a hand-planked printing press. For textile printing, the prepared fabric is secured to the printing table and ink is applied to the block. The design is printed using either hand pressure or roller, or in the case of a lino block backed with wood for strength, a mallet tap is used to discharge the ink from the block onto the fabric.
A variety of carving tools, brayers and presses can be used and block printing allows for much experimentation, offering endless design possibilities. The techniques can be used to create a number of pieces, including wallpaper, prints and illustrations, textiles and garments (clothing, accessories and home furnishings), fine art prints and more.
Textiles
Wallpaper
Businesses employing two or more makers:
Hugh Dunford Wood will be 74 at his next birthday and has no-one to take over printing from his blocks.
