Artists’ wood grain prints

Here is a small selection of work by artists incorporating wood grain in prints, quite a few of the examples are from the mid 20th century, and happily many are contemporary.

Wood grain inspires printmakers; the printed grain suggests water, sky, landscape, and (not surprisingly) wood! I hope the work of these artists will help to fire your imagination for new ways to incorporate wood grain into your own prints. Have a look at the post “print from wood grain” for some tips on how to make good prints from salvaged timber.

I particularly like the wood grain prints where the grain is obvious, but also stands for something else. The saw cut reveals patterns of growth in a particular tree, and these patterns inspire images which celebrate the organic flow of energy in the natural world.

Antonio Frasconi is one of my favourite printmakers, because of his energetic and passionate approach.

I am including a couple of wood grain prints by Michael Rothenstein as I have just been to a fantastic exhibition of his work at Dean Clough Gallery

“A unique collection of 90 prints by Michael Rothenstein (1908-1993), arguably the most experimental British graphic artist of the 20th century.”

Prints using wood grain to suggest  water

Elizabeth Olds frequently incorporated wood grain into her prints.

Merlyn Chesterman is a contemporary printmaker based in the South West of England.

Wood grain as Landscape

I couldn’t miss Max Ernst out of this collection!

Laura Boswell produces evocative landscapes with elements of wood grain.

One of several atmospheric wood grain prints by Heiner Bauschart.

Wood grain print with birds

There are, of course, many more artists creating prints with wood grain – I hope you will be one of them soon, if you are not already!