What is a woodcut?

A printing technique in which an image is carved into a woodblock surface typically using gouges while leaving the surface level with the printing parts. Areas cut away by the artist carry no ink while images or characters carry ink for producing the desired print. Cutting is done along the wood's grain unlike in wood engraving in which the block is cut at the end-grain. Surface is inked using an ink-covered roller that's rolled on the surface so as to leave ink on the flat surface and not on non-printing areas. (Image © Anna Kepa/Shutterstock)