Urban woodcuts
In almost all of Knudsen's artwork he is drawn both to the Urban Scenes of Chicago and Rural Scenes. Later in his career after retiring as professor of Fine Art at Harper College he began to explore creating prints through woodcuts or woodblock printing. Just as before he would experiment with urban subject matter in painting and intaglio printing he also began to enjoy the more primitive results of woodcut printing. He especially enjoyed the unique qualities of each print. Also the process was shorter allowing him to explore more creative ideas. During the 1990s and 2000s he produced most these prints.
Rural woodcuts
As a juxtaposition to his love of the city Knudsen also enjoyed the peaceful beauty of rural landscapes and activity. During his undergraduate and graduate studies he spent most of his time in Rural Northeastern Iowa. This was also where his wife was from and gave him ample opportunity to sketch or paint. Throughout his entire career he would visit each year. He was especially inspired by Southwest Michigan where he retired and opened his John A. Knudsen Workshop/Gallery.
