Which printmaking tool is used to smooth ink and roll it onto the printmaking surface for a relief print?

• A. Gouge
• B. Brayer
• C. Plate
• D. Burnisher

Answer: (B)

In relief printmaking, you want ink evenly on the raised surfaces of the block so the print stays clean and uniform. The brayer is a rubber roller used to roll through the ink and then roll it across the printing surface, laying down a smooth, even layer on the raised areas. This rolling action distributes the ink evenly and helps control how much ink is on the block before you press it onto paper. The other tools have different roles: a gouge is for carving away material from the matrix, a plate refers to the printing surface itself rather than a tool, and a burnisher is used for smoothing or polishing in other contexts, not for applying ink to a relief block.