1. Making a Wood Block Relief Print The work of Ryusei Okamoto

2. From first sketch to the design for the key block

3. The artist carves away the areas around the lines – leaving them standing higher. As this is the start of the print the artist has left the lines much wider than he wants them in the final print.

4. This is Ryusei Okamoto’s woprk table, showing the wood block that he is carving and the chisels gouges and mallets that he uses.

5. The rough cut wood block is inked with oil based ink to make a proof print.

6. The rough cut block and the proof prints

7. First and second cuts – notice that the lines are being made thinner, finer.

8. Second and third cuts – notice that the lines are being made thinner, finer still.

9. Ryusei Okamoto using different carving tools

10. Colour is added by carving TEN more wood blocks. How do you think the image is transferred? These blocks are printed first in order and then the key block is printed over them in black

11. The finished print