Wood Engraving How to Do It

by Brett, Simon

• ISBN13: 9781408127261
• ISBN10: 1408127261
• Edition: Revised
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2011-05-24
• Publisher: A&C Black

Summary

This book is an easily followed, simple how-to-do-it manual on wood engraving for the beginner, written by a master of the field.  The processes of printing and engraving are clearly explained, together with their material requirements, up-to-date variations on techniques, and all the tips and methods that the author has found helpful in 30 years as a practitioner.  The book is also a beautiful object in its own right and as the author Simon Brett's work is highly collectible, the book will be particularly welcome to all those who treasure his work and fine wood engraving in general.

Author Biography

Simon Brett is an artist, printmaker, prize winning book illustrator and a former chairman of the Society of Wood Engravers. He taught for 18 years, from 1970 to 1989, and has written widely on the history and practice of wood engraving, editing the Engravers handbooks for the Society of Wood Engravers and An Engraver's Globe, which showed the work of over 200 artists from 23 countries, for Primrose Hill Press. He has curated major exhibitions for the Society and for the British Council.

Table of Contents

The Arrangement of the Book	p. 7
Introduction: Basic Principles	p. 9
The Hand	p. 13
The Act of Printing	p. 13
Basic printing	p. 13
Ink	p. 13
Pressure	p. 16
Better Printing	p. 19
Make-ready	p. 20
Design and printing - and three case histories	p. 26
Inspecting the print - troubleshooting	p. 34
Lowering	p. 36
The Act of Engraving	p. 39
Holding the tool	p. 40
First cuts	p. 41
Sampler blocks	p. 43
Good habits	p. 46
Not addition but subtraction	p. 50
The Mind	p. 55
The Means to Order	p. 55
Designing for Engraving	p. 61
Preparing a design	p. 63
Putting the design on the block	p. 67
Darkening the block	p. 68
Transferring the design	p. 69
Drawing the design on the wood	p. 73
A personal choice	p. 75
Designing through engraving	p. 76
Choices - Shapes, surfaces and forms	p. 79
Choices - Some other example	p. 82
Choices - Marks	p. 86
Choices - Edges	p. 89
Proofing and re-engraving	p. 99
The pains to know	p. 102
Setting Up	p. 105
Blocks	p. 105
Engraving tools	p. 110
The choice and care of tools	p. 113
Other engraving equipment	p. 115
Paper	p. 116
Ink	p. 118
Rollers	p. 119
Presses	p. 120
Cleaning agents	p. 122
Space	p. 122
Self-help	p. 123
Contacts	p. 124
Suppliers	p. 126
A beginner's shopping list	p. 127
Matters Arising	p. 129
Index	p. 159
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