A brayer is a hand roller used to apply smooth, even layers of ink to your block or plate before printing — an essential tool for linocut, woodblock, and relief printmaking. Choose your brayer based on roller hardness (soft for textured surfaces, hard for fine detail), width relative to your block size, and compatibility with your ink type (water-based or oil-based). The right brayer delivers consistent ink coverage and cleaner, more professional prints.