Łódź Underground by Alicja Habisiak-Matczak
This series of laser engraved woodcuts combine digital precision with the expressive qualities of hand drawing, translating ink wash and charcoal sketches into print matrices. The laser technique allows for a highly nuanced rendering of halftones, capturing both the fluid gradations of ink wash and the rich textures of charcoal, while expanding the language of printmaking through the integration of traditional processes and contemporary technology.
The woodcuts were laser-engraved and cut based on my original charcoal and ink drawings, then printed on Coventry Rag 300 gsm paper. Black Vanson ink was applied to the matrices with a roller, and the prints were pulled on an etching press.
The panoramic prints Łódź Underground I, II, III refer to the hidden, largely inaccessible underground infrastructure of Łódź, my hometown in Poland. These imagined tunnel-like spaces evoke a sense of mystery, suggesting layers of the city that remain unseen and unexplored.
A separate group of works belongs to the Inside Out / Outside In series, focusing on spatial transitions and layered architectural perception. The idea of moving between interior and exterior is rooted in everyday experience—particularly in the FAB Building staircase in Edmonton, a transitional space I passed through many times each day. This repeated movement informed my understanding of architecture as a dynamic and interconnected system.
Inside Out / Outside In XVII – Perspectives of Vancouver and Inside Out / Outside In XVI – FAB Corridor (laser woodcut, 21 × 15 cm, 2023) explore shifting viewpoints and spatial overlaps, combining structural clarity with subtle distortion. In some works, additional manual cuts were introduced to enhance light and contrast.
MATERIAL: plywood
CUT/ENGRAVED: engraved and cut
CUTTING/ENGRAVING TIME: 30 – 60 minutes
FILE PREPARATION:
Charcoal and ink drawings were scanned and turned into grayscale in Photoshop. In case of ‘Vancouver Perspectives” a painting with acrylic on canvas was photographed and further elaborated in photoshop. Blacks and halftones were strengthened in levels settings.
SETTINGS USED:
P 92,50 V 100 500
Halftone: stucki
Cut line: standard
Engraving: 2 passes
Cutting – cut line: 5 passes
Drawing remains the starting point for all my prints. The laser cutter offers exceptional precision in translating the textures, tonal transitions, and lines characteristic of spontaneous drawing.
Particularly in woodcut, it enables gradient effects that are virtually impossible to achieve through manual carving. While traditional Japanese woodblock printing produces tonal variation through inking techniques, laser engraving introduces a distinct visual quality of its own. Although the classic printing process remains unchanged, the time required to create the matrix is significantly reduced.
I hereby give the University of Alberta Printmaking department permission to publish the above information/images in a paper/presentation/publication/website on the use of a laser cutter in Printmaking. I permit the information to be edited and reformatted in order to suit the publication format.