Now, simply carve away the areas that have NOT been inked. One of the best tools for the job is an X-acto knife. Always cut away from the inked areas at an angle so that they become the peaks of little ridges.

Never undercut the inked area!

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You might want to experiment with some other carving tools, such as a Speedball cutter,or a set of woodcarver's knives. These can be especially useful in carving out and leveling off the valleys between the inked ridges.

Another nice tool is a sewing needle with its head pushed into the end of a wooden handle. This can be used to prick out very intricate details.

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When you have finished the carving, press it onto an inked pad and try it out on a piece of paper.

You may want to make a few touch-up cuts here and there once you've inspected your test prints.

When you're happy with the results, cut away the excess material around the edges of your design.