The process of Woodblock print

The world of the woodblock print.

Delicate colors and shades are produced by many procedures.
Each cut of the block and every movement of the "baren" expresses the spirit of the printer.
Many colors are printed over and over again until the final printed work is created.

Processes３

The grey is printed on the
11The grey is printed on the "noren" - the split curtain used by shops in Japan. The "Itabokashi" technique, a chamfered soft edge, is used here.
The grey is printed on the roof by using the
12The grey is printed on the roof by using the "bokashi" technique-diluting with water to gradate the color.
The indigo is printed on the
13The indigo is printed on the "noren"
The gradated shading on the pot comes next.
14The gradated shading on the pot comes next.
Finally the black is printed using
15Finally the black is printed using "sumi", black ink.
The scratched block used for the roof.
[c] The scratched block used for the roof.
The red and green block. Sometimes as here, more than one color may be cut on the same block.
[d] The red and green block. Sometimes, as here, more than one color may be cut on the same block.
Completion - The completed print takes 23 rintings. The shop represented in
16 Completion - The completed print takes 23 printings. The shop represented in "Yougure" - "Sunset is an old tea shop in the Saga district in Kyoto. The light coming through the split shop curtain induces a feeling of tranquility.

The print "Yougure" - "Sunset" required 14 blocks, but after that it had to be printed 23 times as one block was used several times for different techniques such as "Itabokashi" and "Gomazuri" and as in "[d]" where two different colors were used on one block.
We Japanese feel justly proud of our unique traditional woodblock print - which may use many colors and is produced solely with the fine wood and handmade papers of japan.Masao Ido