What is relief printing?

Key facts about relief printing

A blue rubber stamp carved with a heart shape sitting on a wooden background — Image caption,
A heart design relief printing plate made from rubber

Relief printing is a technique that allows a design to be repeated multiple times.

This technique sees a design created on a surface - known as a printing plate - which is then rolled or painted with ink and printed onto paper or fabric.

The design on the printing plate can be cut away, or added on top, but it has to be raised. The areas that are raised will pick up the ink, meaning any designs drawn on a flat printing plate won't work.

Two woodcut stamps of elephants with a colourful print on fabric — Image caption,
Decorative elephant woodcut printing stamps from India

The print will be a mirror image of what you see on your printing plate, so if there is writing in the design it will need to first be written the wrong way around.

Relief printing techniques include woodcut, lino cut, letterpress and rubber and metal stamping.

Make a relief print

Printmaking can require lots of equipment and space, but you can make relief prints with simple things found at home too.

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Here are some ideas to help you make your own relief print. You will need PVA glue, paint, paper and a brush as well as some of the materials suggested here.
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Start to collect different types of cardboard, old packaging and materials. These can be used to create your printing plate.
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You can create your printing plate using anything that will be raised from the background surface once stuck on. Leaves, feathers and small twigs can work well and can be easily stuck onto a printing plate.
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You can also use the different textures in the cardboard as part of the printing plate. Scratching or picking the layers can create interesting textures.
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When you have created your design, you can apply paint to it and then place the paper over the top. Rub the paper so that your print is transferred onto it. Then peel the paper off and you will have your first print. You can try and make a few from the same printing plate.

Did you know?

A collection of historic stamps and seals on a white background — Image caption,
These stamps and seals come from Ancient Egypt and are over 2000 years old

Relief printing is the earliest printing process.
It started in China around 255BC.
More than 2000 years ago in Egypt, woodblock printing was being used to print patterns onto fabric.
The advantage of printmaking is that lots of copies of the same picture can be printed from the printing plate.

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Key facts about relief printing

Make a relief print

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