Block Prints vs. Paintings: What’s the Difference and Which Should You Collect?

Key Takeaways

• The difference between block prints and paintings lies primarily in process, not originality.
• Block prints are handmade, original works—not reproductions.
• Block printing requires significant time, precision, and irreversible decisions.
• Limited editions enhance collectibility without mass production.
• Nevada landscapes are uniquely suited to block print aesthetics.
• Craig Mitchell is a leading Nevada block print artist with deep ties to place.

When building an art collection, one of the most common questions collectors face is deceptively simple: Should I choose a painting or a block print? Both are original works of art. Both can be deeply expressive. And both can become meaningful, long-term additions to a home or collection. But block prints and paintings differ in fundamental ways—from how they’re made, to how they age, to how collectors engage with them over time. Understanding those differences not only helps you buy with confidence, it helps you collect with intention.

This guide breaks down the difference between block prints and paintings, how block prints are made by artists, and why collectors increasingly seek out handmade block prints—especially from artists deeply rooted in place, like Nevada block print artist Craig Mitchell.

The Core Difference Between Block Prints and Paintings

At the most basic level, the difference between block prints and paintings comes down to process.

A painting is created directly on a surface—canvas, panel, or paper—using paint as the primary medium. Each painting exists as a single, standalone work.

A block print, by contrast, is created through a printmaking process. The artist carves an image into one or more blocks (traditionally wood or linoleum), inks those blocks, and then prints the image onto paper by hand. Each print is pulled individually, one at a time.

While block prints are produced in editions, they are not reproductions. Each print is an original work, created through a physical, manual process that requires precision, patience, and skill.

How Block Prints Are Made by an Artist

To understand why block prints are so highly regarded, it helps to understand how block prints are made by an artist.

The process typically involves:

• Field research and sketching
  Many landscape printmakers—Craig Mitchell included—begin outdoors, sketching directly from Nevada’s high desert, mountain basins, and alpine terrain.
• Design transfer and carving
  The final design is transferred onto a block, which is then carved by hand. Every carved line permanently removes material. There’s no undo button.
• Separate blocks for each color
  Each color in a block print usually requires its own block. A four-color print may require four separately carved and aligned blocks.
• Hand inking and printing
  Ink is rolled onto the block, paper is carefully placed, and pressure is applied—often by hand or with a press—to transfer the image.
• Editioning and signing
  Finished prints are signed, numbered, and released as a limited edition.

This process is slow, physical, and unforgiving. It’s one reason block printing remains relatively rare—especially among contemporary Nevada artists.

Time, Skill, and Artistic Commitment

Both paintings and block prints require technical mastery, but the time investment differs. A painting evolves directly on the canvas. Decisions can be revised, layered, or painted over.

A block print requires the artist to commit to every decision before the first print is pulled. Once a block is carved, it cannot be changed. Registration between blocks must be exact. Mistakes often mean starting over. This level of commitment is precisely what many collectors value. Block prints reflect not just vision, but discipline.

Texture, Surface, and Longevity

Paintings often emphasize brushwork and surface texture. Oil and acrylic paintings can age beautifully, but they are also sensitive to light, humidity, and environmental changes.

Block prints offer a different kind of tactility:

• Crisp carved lines
• Subtle ink density variations
• Paper texture as part of the artwork

Because block prints are typically printed on archival papers with stable inks, they can be exceptionally durable when properly framed. Their flatter profile also makes them easier to display in a variety of settings.

Cost, Accessibility, and Collectibility

Another key difference between block prints and paintings is accessibility.

Paintings are one-of-one works, which often places them at higher price points. That exclusivity appeals to some collectors, but it can also be a barrier.

Block prints strike a balance between rarity and accessibility:

• Limited editions preserve artistic integrity
• Multiple collectors can own the same image
• Prices are often more approachable

For many collectors, block prints offer an ideal entry point into collecting original art—without sacrificing craftsmanship or long-term value.

Why Nevada Block Prints Are Especially Compelling

Nevada’s landscapes demand restraint. The subtle shifts in light, the openness of the land, and the balance between desert and alpine terrain align naturally with the graphic language of block printing.

Craig Mitchell is widely regarded as one of the leading Nevada block print artists working today because his process mirrors the landscape itself: deliberate, grounded, and shaped by direct experience.

His prints are not decorative interpretations of Nevada—they are the result of sustained engagement with place.

Explore Craig Mitchell’s Nevada Block Prints

If you’re drawn to the craftsmanship, restraint, and longevity of block printing, you can explore Craig Mitchell’s limited-edition Nevada and Lake Tahoe block prints—each created from firsthand experience in the landscape and printed by hand in small editions.

FAQs

Are block prints considered original art?
Yes. Each block print is an original work created by the artist through a manual printing process. They are not digital or mechanical reproductions.

How many prints are in a typical block print edition?
Edition sizes vary, but fine art block prints are usually released in small, limited editions to preserve value and integrity.

Do block prints hold their value over time?
Well-crafted block prints by established artists often hold or increase in value, particularly when editions are limited and well documented.

Is a painting better than a block print for collecting?
Neither is inherently better. The right choice depends on your budget, space, and how you want to live with the artwork.

Why are block prints popular in landscape art?
The medium’s emphasis on shape, line, and contrast pairs naturally with landscapes that reward simplification and intentional composition.