Brian Hanscomb (born 1944) is a British artist and printmaker specializing in copperplate and wood engraving. He is recognized for his technical precision and for maintaining traditional engraving methods within contemporary British art.
Born in Croxley Green, Hertfordshire, Hanscomb entered the trade of commercial engraving through a formal apprenticeship in letterpress engraving. This professional background provided the technical foundation for his subsequent transition into fine art printmaking. His work is characterized by an intricate, fine-lined style, often executed on a miniature scale.
Hanscomb’s subject matter frequently explores the English landscape, industrial archaeology, and natural environments. In the 1980s, he relocated to Cornwall, an area that became a primary source of inspiration for his topographical and pastoral engravings. His artistic approach is often associated with the aesthetic values of the Brotherhood of Ruralists, though he has maintained an independent career as a master engraver.
He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers (RE) and a long-standing member of the Society of Wood Engravers (SWE). Hanscomb has contributed illustrations to numerous limited-edition books and has exhibited extensively throughout the United Kingdom. His engravings are held in several prominent public collections, including the Victoria and Albert Museum, the British Museum, and the Ashmolean Museum.