A relief print is made by carving out or indenting areas of a flat surface-commonly used are linoleum, materials such as EZ-cut and different kinds of wood- and then rolling ink or pigment on them and pressing that ink onto a paper or fabric. The resulting picture or marks is a mirror image of the picture/marks carved out of the flat surface; only the ink left raised up on the platform of the flat surface will show when the paper is pressed to it. In this type of Printmaking, it is important to either plan meticulously and carve meticulously, or to go with the flow of your mistakes. It is sometimes difficult to fill in your accidental gouges.
Below is an example of what a reduction relief block looks like after the final layer has been printed. In a reduction relief, a block is printed, then carved, then printed again as many times as desired. wherever you care out the previous layer shows through. This is my favorite method of printmaking so far.
This is the print from that block. The final layer was the red on the tips of the mail chutes.
Here they are together:
See how the print is the reverse of the block?
