Wood engravers use the end of wood grain rather than the side.
A form of printmaking, wood engraving creates designs in wood by removing the end fibers of a wood block with various tools. The artist then transfers the design by covering it in ink and pressing it on paper. The art of wood engraving began first as a necessity with the invention of the printing press when wood engravings were used for type, as well as for illustrations on a publication. Today it has become a fine art.
Tint
The angle tint tool is a tool that easily cuts straight lines and lightens the ink tone on the final print, according to McClain's Printmaking Supplies website. Thus, when the artist covers the finished wood engraving in ink and presses it on paper, the print will show differing shades of the ink color. These tools have a straight edge, which come in a variety of widths and can also outline certain parts of the wood engraving design. The face on an angle tint appears triangular and the edge of the tool looks like a wedge.
Spitstickers
Also called elliptic tint tools, spitstickers resemble the normal tint tools. The exception lies in the face of the tool, which still looks triangular but has rounded edges. Spitstickers come in a variety of sizes and work to widen cuts made by tinting tools. They are also used for outlining and drawing. The rounded edges on these tools help make the cutting process go more smoothly.
Gravers
While very similar to spitstickers and tint tools, gravers span more area so you can create a much wider cut. Flat gravers have a rectangular face and you can use them to clear large areas on your wood block. Round gravers look more like tint tools since the face is triangular. However, the top and bottom edges lie flat instead. Flat gravers and round gravers also go by the name of scorper. Gravers lack the ease of cutting that spitstickers offer.
Burins
Gravers of a different type, burins can have either a lozenge-shaped or a square tip. McClain's website defines burins as tools that the artist traditionally used on copper plates, but they also happen to work very well for carving on wood or Resingrave. When using burins, you can vary the width of your lines. In addition, you can buy them in several sizes to suit your needs.
Multiple Line Tools
Multiple line tools can make multiple cuts in wood with only one stroke. The square face of these tools has several parallel blades to create the multiple cuts. They come in one size with a width of 1/8 inch.
Stipping Tools
Curved, the stipping tool has a tiny, triangular face. With this tool, you can make dots or even raise a burr on your wood engraving.
Whetstones
Since tool edges can go dull with use, a whetstone is an important addition to the arsenal of any wood engraver. Different types of whetstones exist to give your tools a sharp blade for easier and more precise wood engraving.
