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diff --git a/20195.txt b/20195.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e4f740f --- /dev/null +++ b/20195.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2899 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, Wood-Block Printing, by F. Morley Fletcher, +Illustrated by A. W. Seaby + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Wood-Block Printing + A Description of the Craft of Woodcutting and Colour Printing Based on the Japanese Practice + + +Author: F. Morley Fletcher + + + +Release Date: December 26, 2006 [eBook #20195] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WOOD-BLOCK PRINTING*** + + +E-text prepared by David Clarke, Janet Blenkinship, and the Project +Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team (https://www.pgdp.net/c/) + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustrations. + See 20195-h.htm or 20195-h.zip: + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/0/1/9/20195/20195-h/20195-h.htm) + or + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/0/1/9/20195/20195-h.zip) + + +Transcriber's note: + + Inconsistency in spelling and hyphenation is as in the original. + + + + + +The Artistic Crafts Series of Technical Handbooks +Edited By W. R. Lethaby + +WOOD-BLOCK PRINTING + +A Description of the Craft of +Woodcutting & Colour Printing +Based on the Japanese Practice + +by + +F. MORLEY FLETCHER + +With Drawings and Illustrations by +the Author and A. W. Seaby. +Also Collotype Reproductions +of Various Examples of +Printing, and an Original +Print Designed and Cut by +the Author Printed by Hand +on Japanese Taper + + + + + + + +[Illustration: Meadowsweet. +Collotype reproduction of a woodblock print by the Author. +(_Frontispiece_.)] + + + +London +Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons, Ltd. +Parker Street, Kingsway, W.C.2 +Bath, Melbourne, Toronto, New York +Printed By +Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons, Ltd. +Bath, England + + + + +EDITOR'S PREFACE + + +In issuing these volumes of a series of Handbooks on the Artistic +Crafts, it will be well to state what are our general aims. + +In the first place, we wish to provide trustworthy text-books of +workshop practice, from the points of view of experts who have +critically examined the methods current in the shops, and putting aside +vain survivals, are prepared to say what is good workmanship, and to set +up a standard of quality in the crafts which are more especially +associated with design. Secondly, in doing this, we hope to treat design +itself as an essential part of good workmanship. During the last century +most of the arts, save painting and sculpture of an academic kind, were +little considered, and there was a tendency to look on "design" as a +mere matter of _appearance_. Such "ornamentation" as there was was +usually obtained by following in a mechanical way a drawing provided by +an artist who often knew little of the technical processes involved in +production. With the critical attention given to the crafts by Ruskin +and Morris, it came to be seen that it was impossible to detach design +from craft in this way, and that, in the widest sense, true design is an +inseparable element of good quality, involving as it does the selection +of good and suitable material, contrivance for special purpose, expert +workmanship, proper finish, and so on, far more than mere ornament, and +indeed, that ornamentation itself was rather an exuberance of fine +workmanship than a matter of merely abstract lines. Workmanship when +separated by too wide a gulf from fresh thought--that is, from +design--inevitably decays, and, on the other hand, ornamentation, +divorced from workmanship, is necessarily unreal, and quickly falls +into affectation. Proper ornamentation may be defined as a language +addressed to the eye; it is pleasant thought expressed in the speech of +the tool. + +In the third place, we would have this series put artistic craftsmanship +before people as furnishing reasonable occupations for those who would +gain a livelihood. Although within the bounds of academic art, the +competition, of its kind, is so acute that only a very few per cent. can +fairly hope to succeed as painters and sculptors; yet, as artistic +craftsmen, there is every probability that nearly every one who would +pass through a sufficient period of apprenticeship to workmanship and +design would reach a measure of success. + +In the blending of hand-work and thought in such arts as we propose to +deal with, happy careers may be found as far removed from the dreary +routine of hack labour as from the terrible uncertainty of academic art. +It is desirable in every way that men of good education should be +brought back into the productive crafts: there are more than enough of +us "in the city," and it is probable that more consideration will be +given in this century than in the last to Design and Workmanship. + + * * * * * + +There are two common ways of studying old and foreign arts--the way of +the connoisseur and the way of the craftsman. The collector may value +such arts for their strangeness and scarcity, while the artist finds in +them stimulus in his own work and hints for new developments. + +The following account of colour-printing from wood-blocks is based on a +study of the methods which were lately only practised in Japan, but +which at an earlier time were to some degree in use in Europe also. The +main principles of the art, indeed, were well known in the West long +before colour prints were produced in Japan, and there is some reason to +suppose that the Japanese may have founded their methods in imitating +the prints taken from Europe by missionaries. Major Strange says: "The +European art of _chiaroscuro_ engraving is in all essentials identical +with that of Japanese colour-printing.... It seems, therefore, not vain +to point out that the accidental sight of one of the Italian +colour-prints may have suggested the process to the Japanese." The +Italians aimed more at expressing "relief" and the Japanese at flat +colour arrangements; the former used oily colours, and the latter fair +distemper tints; these are the chief differences. Both in the West and +the East the design was cut on the plank surface of the wood with a +knife; not across the grain with a graver, as is done in most modern +wood engraving, although large plank woodcuts were produced by Walter +Crane and Herkomer, about thirty years ago, as posters. + +The old woodcuts of the fifteenth century were produced as pictures as +well as for the illustration of books; frequently they were of +considerable size. Often, too, they were coloured by stencil plates or +freely by hand. + +At the same time the printing in colour of letters and other simple +devices in books from wood-blocks was done, and a book printed at St. +Albans in 1486 has many coats of arms printed in this way; some of the +shields having two or three different colours.[1] + +About the year 1500 a method of printing woodcuts in several flat tones +was invented in Germany and practised by Lucas Cranach and others. A +fine print of Adam and Eve by Hans Baldung in the Victoria and Albert +Museum has, besides the bold black "drawing," an over-tint printed in +warm brown out of which sharp high lights are cut; the print is thus in +three tones. + +[1] See R. M. Burch, _Colour Printing_, 1900. + +Ugo da Carpo (_c._ 1480-1530) working in Venice, introduced this new +type of tone woodcut into Italy; indeed, he claimed to be the inventor +of the method. "This was called _chiaroscuro_, a name still given to +it, and was, in fact, a simple form of our modern chromo printing." His +woodcuts are in a simple, vigorous style; one of them after Raphael's +"Death of Ananias," printed in brown, has a depth and brilliancy which +may remind us of the mezzo-tints of Turner's _Liber Studiorum_. This is +proudly signed, "Per Ugo da Carpo," and some copies are said to be dated +1518. + +Andrea Andreani (_c._ 1560-1623), a better known but not a better +artist, produced a great number of these tone woodcuts. Several prints +after Mantegna's "Triumphs of Caesar" have a special charm from the +beauty of the originals; they are printed in three tints of grey besides +the "drawing"; the palest of these tints covers the surface, except for +high lights cut out of it. A fine print of a Holy Family, about 15x18 +inches, has a middle tone of fair blue and a shadow tint of full rich +green. Copies of two immense woodcuts at the Victoria and Albert Museum, +of Biblical subjects, seem to have been seems to cramp the hand and +injure the eyes of all but the most gifted draughtsmen. It is desirable +to cultivate the ability to seize and record the "map-form" of any +object rapidly and correctly. Some practice in elementary +colour-printing would certainly be of general usefulness, and simpler +exercises may be contrived by cutting out with scissors and laying down +shapes in black or coloured papers unaided by any pattern. + +Finally, the hope may be expressed that the beautiful art of +wood-cutting as developed in Western Europe and brought to such +perfection only a generation ago is only temporarily in abeyance, and +that it too may have another day. + + W. R. LETHABY. + _September 1916._ + + + + +AUTHOR'S NOTE + + +This little book gives an account of one of the primitive crafts, in the +practice of which only the simplest tools and materials are used. Their +method of use may serve as a means of expression for artist-craftsmen, +or may be studied in preparation for, or as a guide towards, more +elaborate work in printing, of which the main principles may be seen +most clearly in their application in the primitive craft. + +In these days the need for reference to primitive handicrafts has not +ceased with the advent of the machine. The best achievements of +hand-work will always be the standards for reference; and on their study +must machine craft be based. The machine can only increase the power +and scale of the crafts that have already been perfected by hand-work. +Their principles, and the art of their design, do not alter under the +machine. If the machine disregards these its work becomes base. And it +is under the simple conditions of a handicraft that the principles of an +art can be most clearly experienced. + +The best of all the wonderful and excellent work that is produced to-day +by machinery is that which bears evidence in itself of its derivation +from arts under the pure conditions of classic craftsmanship, and shows +the influence of their study. + +The series of which this book is a part stands for the principles and +the spirit of the classic examples. To be associated with those +fellow-craftsmen who have been privileged to work for the Series is +itself an honour of high estimation in the mind of the present writer. +If the book contributes even a little toward the usefulness of the +series the experiments which are recorded here will have been well +worth while. + +To my friend Mr. J. D. Batten is due all the credit of the initial work. +He began the search for a pure style of colour-printing, and most +generously supported and encouraged my own experiments in the Japanese +method. + +To my old colleague Mr. A. W. Seaby I would also express my indebtedness +for his kind help and advice. + + F. M. F. + + EDINBURGH COLLEGE OF ART, + _September 1916._ + + + + +CONTENTS + + + CHAPTER I + PAGE + + Introduction and Description of the Origins of + Wood-block Printing--Its Uses for Personal + Artistic Expression, for Reproduction of + Decorative Designs, and as a Fundamental + Training for Student of Printed Decoration 1 + + + CHAPTER II + + General Description of the Operation of Printing + from a Set of Blocks 9 + + + CHAPTER III + + Description of the Materials and Tools required + for Block Cutting 17 + + + CHAPTER IV + + Block Cutting and the Planning of Blocks 23 + + + CHAPTER V + + Preparation of Paper, Ink, Colour, and Paste for + Printing 47 + + + CHAPTER VI + + Detailed Method of Printing--The Printing + Tools, Baren and Brushes 61 + + + CHAPTER VII + + Principles and Main Considerations in Designing + Wood-block Prints--Their Application to + Modern Colour Printing 81 + + + CHAPTER VIII + + Co-operative Printing 89 + + + APPENDIX + + Prints and Collotype Plates 94 + + Books of Reference 129 + + INDEX 130 + + + + + ILLUSTRATIONS + + + FIG. PAGE + + 1. PLAN OF WORK-TABLE 11 + + 2. BLOCK MOUNTED WITH CROSS ENDS TO + PREVENT WARPING 18 + + 3. DRAWING OF THE KNIFE 19 + + 4. SIZES OF CHISELS 20 + + 5. SHORT CHISEL IN SPLIT HANDLE 21 + + 6. MALLET 21 + + 7. POSITION OF THE HANDS IN USING THE + KNIFE 30 + + 8. ANOTHER POSITION OF THE HANDS IN USING THE KNIFE 31 + + 9. KNIFE CUTS IN SECTION 33 + + 10. DIAGRAM OF KNIFE CUTS 33 + + 11. METHOD OF HOLDING GOUGE 35 + + 12. CLEARING OF WOOD BETWEEN KNIFE CUTS 35 + + 13. POSITION OF REGISTER MARKS 37 + + 14. REGISTER MARKS 37 + + 15. REGISTER MARKS (SECTION OF) 38 + + 16. SECTION OF COLOUR-BLOCK 42 + + 17. DRAWING OF SIZING OF PAPER 49 + + 18. CORK OF INK-BOTTLE WITH WAD FOR PRESERVATIVE 56 + + 19. METHOD OF RE-COVERING BAREN 64 + + 20. DRAWING OF BRUSHES 66 + + 21. MANNER OF HOLDING THE PAPER 70 + + 22. MANNER OF USING THE BAREN 72 + + + + +COLLOTYPE PLATES + + + 1. MEADOWSWEET. REPRODUCTION OF A WOOD-BLOCK + PRINT BY THE AUTHOR _Frontispiece_ + + 2. KEY-BLOCK OF A PRINT DRAWN AND CUT + BY THE AUTHOR 5 + + 3. THE BAREN, OR PRINTING PAD 12 + + 4. COLOUR-BLOCK OF A PRINT OF WHICH THE + KEY-BLOCK IS SHOWN AT P. 5 23 + + 5. IMPRESSION (NEARLY ACTUAL SIZE) OR A + PORTION OF A JAPANESE WOOD BLOCK + SHOWING GREAT VARIETY IN THE + CHARACTER OF THE LINES AND SPOTS + SUGGESTING FORM 26 + + 6. REPRODUCTION OF AN IMPRESSION (REDUCED) + OF THE KEY-BLOCK OF A JAPANESE PRINT + SHOWING ADMIRABLE VARIETY IN THE + MEANS USED TO SUGGEST FORM 33 + + 7. PORTION OF DETAIL FROM A JAPANESE + WOOD BLOCK 48 + + + + +APPENDIX + + + PAGE + + 8. WOOD-BLOCK PRINT BY THE AUTHOR 95 + + 9. FIRST PRINTING (_Collotype reproduction_) 98 + + 10. SECOND PRINTING " " 100 + + 11. THIRD PRINTING " " 102 + + 12. FOURTH PRINTING " " 104 + + 13. FIFTH PRINTING " " 105 + + 14. SIXTH PRINTING " " 107 + + 15. EIGHTH PRINTING " " 109 + + 16. COLLOTYPE REPRODUCTION OF A COLOUR + PRINT BY HIROSHIGE 111 + + 17. COLLOTYPE REPRODUCTION OF A PORTION + OF THE PRINT SHOWN ON THE PRECEDING + PAGE, ACTUAL SIZE, SHOWING THE TREATMENT + OF THE FOLIAGE AND THE EXPRESSIVE + DRAWING OF THE TREE-TRUNK AND STEMS 114 + + 18. COLLOTYPE REPRODUCTION OF ANOTHER + PORTION OF THE PRINT SHOWN ON P. 111 + ACTUAL SIZE, SHOWING THE EXPRESSIVE + USE OF LINE IN THE DRAWING OF THE + DISTANT FORMS 116 + + 19. COLLOTYPE REPRODUCTION OF A COLOUR + PRINT BY HIROSHIGE 118 + + 20. COLLOTYPE REPRODUCTION OF A PORTION + (ACTUAL SIZE) OF THE PRINT ON THE + PRECEDING PAGE, SHOWING TREATMENT + OF TREE FORMS AND DISTANCE 120 + + 21. COLLOTYPE REPRODUCTION OF A COLOUR + PRINT BY HIROSHIGE 121 + + 22. COLLOTYPE REPRODUCTION OF A PORTION, + ACTUAL SIZE, OF THE PRINT ON THE + PRECEDING PAGE, SHOWING TREATMENT + OF TREE AND BLOSSOM 123 + + 23. THE TIGER. COLLOTYPE REPRODUCTION + OF A COLOUR PRINT BY J. D. BATTEN 125 + + 24. LAPWINGS. COLLOTYPE REPRODUCTION OF + A COLOUR PRINT BY A. W. SEABY 127 + + + + + ERRATA + + + Page 62.--For "bamboo-sheath" read "bamboo leaf". + + " 63.--In last paragraph, delete "the inside of". + + " 64.--Third line from bottom, after "occasionally" + insert "when printing". + + + + +WOOD-BLOCK PRINTING + +BY THE + +JAPANESE METHOD + + + + +CHAPTER I + + +_INTRODUCTORY_ + + Introduction and Description of the Origins of Wood-block Printing; + its uses for personal artistic expression, for reproduction of + decorative designs, and as a fundamental training for students of + printed decoration. + +The few wood-block prints shown from time to time by the Society of +Graver Printers in Colour, and the occasional appearance of a wood-block +print in the Graver Section of the International Society's Exhibitions, +or in those of the Society of Arts and Crafts, are the outcome of the +experiments of a small group of English artists in making prints by the +Japanese method, or by methods based on the Japanese practice. + +My interest was first drawn in 1897 to experiments that were being made +by Mr. J. D. Batten, who for two years previously had attempted, and +partially succeeded in making, a print from wood and metal blocks with +colour mixed with glycerine and dextrine, the glycerine being afterwards +removed by washing the prints in alcohol. As the Japanese method seemed +to promise greater advantages and simplicity, we began experiments +together, using as our text-book the pamphlet by T. Tokuno, published by +the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, and the dextrine and glycerine +method was soon abandoned. The edition of prints, however, of Eve and +the Serpent designed by J. D. Batten, printed by myself and published at +that time, was produced partly by the earlier method and partly in the +simpler Japanese way. + +Familiar as everyone is with Japanese prints, it is not generally known +that they are produced by means of an extremely simple craft. No +machinery is required, but only a few tools for cutting the designs on +the surface of the planks of cherry wood from which the impressions are +taken. No press is used, but a round flat pad, which is rubbed on the +back of the print as it lies on the blocks. The colours are mixed with +water and paste made from rice flour. The details of the craft and +photographs of the tools were given in full in the Smithsonian +Institution pamphlet already mentioned. + +It is slow and unsatisfactory work, however, learning manipulation from +a book, and several technical difficulties that seemed insurmountable +were made clear by the chance discovery in London of a Japanese +printseller who, although not a printer, was sufficiently familiar with +the work to give some invaluable hints and demonstrations. + +Further encouragement was given to the work by the institution, a little +later, of a class in wood-cuts in colour under my charge, at the L.C.C. +Central School of Arts and Crafts, which for several years became the +chief centre of the movement. + +Such are the bare historical facts of the development in our country of +this craft imported from the Far East. + +On a merely superficial acquaintance the Japanese craft of +block-printing may appear to be no more than a primitive though delicate +form of colour reproduction, which modern mechanical methods have long +superseded, even in the land of its invention; and that to study so +limited a mode of expression would be hardly of any practical value to +an artist. Moreover, the craft is under the disadvantage that all the +stages of the work, from making the first design to taking the final +impressions, must be done by the artist himself--work which includes the +delicate cutting of line and planning of colour blocks, and the +preparation of colour and paper. In Japan there were trained craftsmen +expert in each of these branches of the craft, and each carried out +his part under the supervision of the artist. No part but the design was +done by him. So that the very character of the work has an essential +difference. Under our present conditions the artist must undertake the +whole craft, with all its detail. + +[Illustration: Plate II.--Key-block of the print shown on the +frontispiece. + +(The portion of wood lying outside the points of the mass of foliage is +left standing to support the paper, but is not inked in printing.) + +(_To face page 5._)] + +Simple as the process is, there is, from first to last, a long labour +involved in planning, cutting and printing, before a satisfactory batch +of prints is produced. After several attempts in delegating printing to +well-trained pupils I have found it impossible to obtain the best +results by that means, but the cutting of the colour-blocks and the +clearing of the key-block after the first cutting of the line may well +be done by assistant craftsmen. + +A larger demand for the prints might bring about a commercial +development of the work, and the consequent employment of trained +craftsmen or craftswomen, but the result would be a different one from +that which has been obtained by the artists who are willing to +undertake the whole production of their work. + +The actual value of wood-block prints for use as decoration is a matter +of personal taste and experience. + +In my own opinion there is an element that always remains foreign in the +prints of the Japanese masters, yet I know of no other kind of art that +has the same telling value on a wall, or the same decorative charm in +modern domestic rooms as the wood-block print. A single print well +placed in a room of quiet colour will enrich and dominate a whole wall. + +The modern vogue still favours more expensive although less decorative +forms of art, or works of reproduction without colour, yet here is an +art available to all who care for expressive design and colour, and +within the means of the large public to whom the cost of pictures is +prohibitive. In its possibility as a decorative means of expression well +suited to our modern needs and uses, and in the particular charm that +colour has when printed from wood on a paper that is beautiful already +by its own quality, there is no doubt of the scope and opportunity +offered by this art. + +But as with new wine and old bottles, a new condition of simplicity in +furniture and of pure colour in decoration must first be established. A +wood-block print will not tell well amid a wilderness of bric-a-brac or +on a gaudy wall-paper. + +From another and quite different point of view, the art of block-cutting +and colour-printing has, however, a special and important value. To any +student of pictorial art, especially to any who may wish to design for +modern printed decoration, no work gives such instruction in economy of +design, in the resources of line and its expressive development, and in +the use and behaviour of colour. This has been the expressed opinion of +many who have undertaken a course of wood-block printing for this object +alone. + +The same opinion is emphatically stated by Professor Emil Orlik, whose +prints are well known in modern exhibitions. On the occasion of a visit +to the Kunstgewerbeschule of Berlin, I found him conducting a class for +designers for printed decoration, in which the Japanese craft of +block-printing was made the basis of their training. He held to the view +that the primitive craft teaches the students the very economy and +simplicity upon which the successful use of the great modern resources +of colour-printing depend, yet which cannot be learnt except by recourse +to simpler conditions and more narrow limitations before dealing with +the greater scope of the machine. + +My own experience also convinces me that whatever may be the ultimate +value of the Eastern craft to our artists as a mode of personal +expression, there is no doubt of its effect and usefulness in training +students to design with economy and simplicity for modern printing +processes. + + + + +CHAPTER II + + + General Description of the Operation of Printing from a Set of + Blocks + +The early stages of any craft are more interesting when we are familiar +with the final result. For this reason it is often an advantage to begin +at the end. + +To see a few impressions taken from a set of blocks in colour printing, +or to print them oneself, gives the best possible idea of the quality +and essential character of print-making. So also in describing the work +it will perhaps tend to make the various stages clearer if the final act +of printing is first explained. + +The most striking characteristic of this craft is the primitive +simplicity of the act of printing. No press is required, and no +machinery. + +A block is laid flat on the table with its cut surface uppermost, and is +kept steady by a small wad of damp paper placed under each corner. A +pile of paper slightly damped ready for printing lies within reach just +beyond the wood-block, so that the printer may easily lift the paper +sheet by sheet on to the block as it is required. + +It is the practice in Japan to work squatting on the floor, with the +blocks and tools also on the floor in front of the craftsman. Our own +habit of working at a table is less simple, but has some advantages. One +practice or habit of the Japanese is, however, to be followed with +particular care. No description can give quite fully the sense of +extreme orderliness and careful deliberation of their work. Everything +is placed where it will be most convenient for use, and this orderliness +is preserved throughout the day's work. Their shapely tools and vessels +are handled with a deftness that shames our clumsy ways, and everything +that they use is kept quite clean. This skilful orderliness is essential +to fine craftmanship, and is a sign of mastery. + + +The arrangement of tools and vessels on a work-table may be as the +accompanying plan shows: + +[Illustration: FIG. 1.--Plan of work-table. + + A. Block. + B. Sheets of damped paper lying on a board. + C. Second board lifted from B. + D. Brushes lying on a strip of wood. + E. White plate or dish containing colour. + F. Saucer containing paste of rice-flour. + G. Baren, or printing pad, lying on a sheet of paper + slightly oiled with sweet oil and tacked to + the table. + H. Deep bowl of water and brush for moistening + the damping sheets. + I. Saucer of water for use in printing. + J. Sponge.] + +When printing on a table arranged in this way the board lying on the +sheets of damped paper at B is first lifted off and placed at C to +receive the sheets as they are done. If the block A is quite dry, it is +thoroughly moistened with a damp sponge and wiped. The colour from a +saucer, E, is then brushed over the printing surface thinly, and a trace +of paste taken from F is also brushed into the colour. (This is best +done after the colour is roughly spread on the block.) The brush is laid +down in its place, D, and the top sheet of paper from the pile is +immediately lifted to its register marks (notches to keep the paper in +its place) on the block. The manner of holding the paper is shown on +page 70. This must be done deftly, and it is important to waste no time, +as the colour would soon dry on the exposed block and print badly. + +Pressure is then applied to the back of the paper as it lies on the wet +block. This is done by a round pad called the _baren_ by the Japanese. +It is made of a coil of cord covered by bamboo sheath as shown later +on page 62. The pad is rubbed by hand with considerable pressure, moving +transversely forwards and backwards across the block, working from the +left to the right. Once all over the block should be enough. The paper +is then lifted off and laid face upwards on the board at C. The block is +then re-charged with colour for another impression, and the whole +operation repeated as many times as there are sheets to be printed. + +[Illustration: Plate III. The Baren, or printing pad. + +(The pad is actually 5 inches in diameter.) + +(_To face page 12._)] + +When this is done all the sheets will have received a single impression, +which may be either a patch of colour or an impression in line of part +of the design of the print. The block A is then removed, cleaned, and +put away; and the block for the second impression put in its place. + +It is usual to print the line or key-block of a design first, as one is +then able to detect faulty registering or imperfect fitting of the +blocks and to correct them at once. But there are cases in which a +gradated tone, such as a sky, may need to be printed before the line +block. + +The complete design of a print may require several blocks for colour as +well as the key block which prints the line. The impressions from all +these blocks may be printed one after another without waiting for the +colour on the paper to dry. + +As soon as the batch of damped sheets has been passed over the first +block, the sheets are replaced at B between boards, and, if necessary, +damped again by means of damping sheets (as described later in Chapter +V) ready for the next impression, which may be proceeded with at once +without fear of the colour running. It is a remarkable fact that patches +of wet colour which touch one another do not run if properly printed. + +For the second printing fresh colour is prepared and clean paste, and +the printing proceeds as already described, care being taken to watch +the proper registering or fitting of each impression to its place in the +design. + +There are many niceties and details to be observed in the printing of +both line and colour blocks. These are given in special chapters +following. This description of the main action of printing will be of +use in giving a general idea of the final operation before the details +of the preliminary stages are described. + + + + +CHAPTER III + + + Description of the Materials and Tools required for Block-cutting + +The wood most commonly used by the Japanese for their printing-blocks is +a cherry wood very similar to that grown in England. The Canadian cherry +wood, which is more easily obtained than English cherry, is of too open +a grain to be of use. The more slowly grown English wood has a closer +grain and is the best for all the purposes of block cutting and +printing. Well-seasoned planks should be obtained and kept ready for +cutting up as may be required. + +When a set of blocks is to be cut for a given design, the size of the +printing surface of each block should be made equal to the size of the +design plus 1 inch or, for large prints, 1-1/2 inch in addition long +ways, and 1/4 or 1/2 inch crossways. The thickness of the plank need not +be more than 5/8 or 3/4 inch. It is best for the protection of the +surfaces of the printing blocks and to prevent warping, also for +convenience in storing and handling them, to fix across each end a piece +of wood slightly thicker than the plank itself. These cross-ends should +be mounted as shown in fig. 2. + +[Illustration: FIG. 2.--Block mounted with cross ends to +prevent warping.] + +Both surfaces of the plank should be planed smooth and then finished +with a steel scraper, but not touched with sand-paper. + +It is understood that the face of the plank is used for the printing +surface, and not the end of the grain as in blocks for modern wood +engraving. + +The tools needed for cutting the blocks are the following: + +1. THE KNIFE + +[Illustration: FIG. 3.--Drawing of the knife.] + +With this knife the most important and delicate work is done. All the +lines of the key-block as well as the boundaries of the colour masses +are cut with it, before the removal of intervening spaces. + +The blade lies in a slot and is held tight by the tapered ferrule. This +can be pulled off by hand and the blade lengthened by pulling it +forward in the slot. + +2. CHISELS + +These are used for removing the wood between the cut lines or colour +masses, and should be ordinary carvers' chisels of the following sizes: + +[Illustration: FIG. 4.--Sizes of chisels.] + +except those under No. 9, which are short-handled chisels for small +work. + +The Japanese toolmakers fit these small chisels into a split handle as +shown in fig. 5. The blade is held tightly in its place by the tapered +ferrule when the handle is closed, or can be lengthened by opening the +handle and pulling forward the blade in its slot. In this way the blade +can be used down to its last inch. + +3. MALLET + +This is needed for driving the larger chisels. + +[Illustration: FIG. 5.--Short chisel in split handle.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 6.--Mallet.] + +These are all the tools that are needed for block cutting. For keeping +them in order it is well to have oilstones of three grades: + +1. A carborundum stone for rapidly re-covering the shape of a chipped +or blunt tool. + +2. A good ordinary oil stone. + +3. A hard stone for keeping a fine edge on the knife in cutting line +blocks. The American "Washita" stone is good for this purpose. + +[Illustration: Plate IV. Colour block of a print of which the key-block +is shown on page 5.] + +(_To face page 23._) + + + + +CHAPTER IV + + + Block Cutting and the Planning of Blocks + + +The cutting of a line block needs patience and care and skill, but it is +not the most difficult part of print making, nor is it so hopeless an +enterprise as it seems at first to one who has not tried to use the +block-cutter's knife. + +In Japan this work is a highly specialised craft, never undertaken by +the artist himself, but carried out by skilled craftsmen who only do +this part of the work of making colour prints. Even the clearing of the +spaces between the cut lines is done by assistant craftsmen or +craftswomen. + +The exquisite perfection of the cutting of the lines in the finest of +the Japanese prints, as, for instance, the profile of a face in a +design by Outamaro, has required the special training and tradition of +generations of craftsmen. + +The knife, however, is not a difficult weapon to an artist who has hands +and a trained sense of form. In carrying out his own work, moreover, he +may express a quality that is of greater value even than technical +perfection. + +At present we have no craftsmen ready for this work--nor could our +designs be safely trusted to the interpretation of Japanese +block-cutters. Until we train craftsmen among ourselves we must +therefore continue to cut our own blocks. + + +CUTTING + +A set of blocks consists of a key-block and several colour blocks. The +block that must be cut first is that which prints the line or "key" of +the design. By means of impressions from this key-block the various +other blocks for printing the coloured portions of the design are cut. +The key-block is the most important of the set of blocks and contains +the essential part of the design. + +A drawing of that part of the design which is to be cut on the key-block +should first be made. This is done on the thinnest of Japanese tissue +paper in black indelible ink. The drawing is then pasted face downward +on the prepared first block with good starch paste. It is best to lay +the drawing flat on its back upon a pad of a few sheets of paper of +about the same size, and to rub the paste on the surface of the block, +not on the paper. The block is now laid down firmly with its pasted side +on the drawing, which at once adheres to the block. Next turn the block +over and lay a dry sheet of paper over the damp drawing so as to protect +it, and with the baren, or printing rubber, rub the drawing flat, and +well on to the block all over. + +The drawing should then be allowed to dry thoroughly on the block. + +With regard to the design of the key block, it is a common mistake to +treat this as a drawing only of outlines of the forms of the print. Much +modern so-called decorative printing has been weak in this respect. A +flat, characterless line, with no more expression than a bent gaspipe, +is often printed round the forms of a design, followed by printings of +flat colour, the whole resulting in a travesty of "flat" decorative +treatment. + +The key design should be a skeleton of all the forms of a print, +expressing much more than mere exterior boundaries. It may so suggest +form that although the colour be printed by a flat tint the result is +not flat. When one is unconscious of any flatness in the final effect, +though the result is obtained by flat printing, then the proper use of +flat treatment has been made. The affectation of flatness in inferior +colour printing and poster work is due to a misapprehension of the true +principle of flat treatment. + +[Illustration: Plate V. Impression (nearly actual size) of a portion of +a Japanese wood block showing great variety in the character of the +lines and spots suggesting form.] + +(_To face page 26._) + +As an illustration of the great variety of form that may be expressed by +the key-block, a reproduction is given (page 33) of an impression from a +Japanese key-block. It will be seen that the lines and spots express +much more than boundaries of form. In the case of the lighter tree +foliage the boundaries are left to be determined entirely by the +subsequent colour blocks, and only the interior form or character of the +foliage is suggested. The quality or kind of line, too, varies with the +thing expressed, whether tree, rock, sea, or the little ship. The +design, too, is in itself beautiful and gives the essential form of the +entire print. + +The study of the drawing of any of the key-blocks of the Japanese +masters will reveal their wonderful power and resource in the suggestion +of essential form by black lines, spots, and masses of one uniform tint +of black or grey. The development of this kind of expressive drawing is +most important to the designer of printed decoration, whether by wood +blocks, or lithography, or any other printing process. + +Other good types of drawing for the purposes of key-blocks in wood are +given on Plate V facing page 26 and Plate XVI p. iii in Appendix. + +When the key-block with its design pasted upon it is thoroughly dry, a +little sweet oil should be rubbed with the finger at that part where the +cutting is to begin, so as to make the paper transparent and the black +line quite clear. + +In order to keep the block from moving on the work-table, there should +be fixed one or two strips of wood screwed down, to act as stops in case +the block tends to slip, but the block should lie freely on the table, +so that it may be easily turned round during the cutting when necessary. +One should, however, learn to use the cutting knife in all directions, +and to move the block as little as possible. + +The knife is held and guided by the right hand, but is pushed along by +the middle finger of the left hand placed at the back of the blade, +close down near the point. The left hand should be generally flat on the +work-table, palm down, and the nail of the middle finger must be kept +short. This position is shown (fig. 7) on p. 30. + +The flat side of the knife should always be against the line to be cut. + +Sometimes it is convenient to drive the knife from right to left, but in +this case the pressure is given by the right hand, and the left middle +finger is used to check and steady the knife, the finger being pressed +against the knife just above the cutting edge. + +A good position for cutting a long straight line towards oneself on the +block is shown below (fig. 8). The left hand is on its side, and the +middle finger is hooked round and pulls the knife while the right hand +guides it. + +In all cases the middle finger of the left hand pushes or steadies the +knife, or acts as a fulcrum. + +[Illustration: FIG. 7.--Position of the hands in using the +knife.] + +A beginner with the knife usually applies too much pressure or is apt +to put the left finger at a point too high up on the blade, where it +loses its control. The finger should be as close down to the wood as +possible, where its control is most effective. A small piece of +india-rubber tubing round the knife blade helps to protect the finger. + +[Illustration: FIG. 8.--Another position of the hands in using +the knife.] + +With practice the knife soon becomes an easy and a very precise tool, +capable of great expressiveness in drawing. Bear in mind that both sides +of a line are drawn by the knife. The special power of developing the +expressive form of line _on both sides_ is a resource tending to great +development of drawing in designs for wood-block prints. The line may be +of varying form, changing from silhouette to pure line as may best serve +to express the design. It should never be a mere diagram. + +[Illustration: Plate VI. Reproduction of an impression (reduced) of the +key-block of a Japanese print showing admirable variety in the means +used to suggest form. + +(_To face page 33._)] + +The actual cutting proceeds as follows: Starting at some point where the +surface of the key-block design has been oiled and made distinct, a +shallow cut is made along one side of any form in the design, with the +knife held slanting so that the cut slants away from the edge of the +form. A second outer parallel cut is then made with the knife held +slanting in the opposite direction from the first, so that the two cuts +together make a V-shaped trench all along the line of the form. The +little strip of wood cut out should detach itself as the second cut is +made, and should not need any picking out or further cutting if the +first two cuts are cleanly made. This shallow V-shaped trench is +continued all round the masses and along both sides of all the lines of +the design. No clearing of the intervening spaces should be attempted +until this is done. It will be seen at once that the V-shaped cuts give +great strength to the printing lines, so that a quite fine line between +two cuts may have a strong, broad base (fig. 9). The depth of the cut +would be slightly shallower than that shown in this diagram. In cutting +fine line work a cut is first made a little beyond the line, then the +cut is made on the line itself (fig. 10). + +[Illustration: FIG. 9.--Knife cuts in section.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 10.--Diagram of knife cuts.] + +Where a very fine line is to be cut, especially if it is on a curve, the +outer cut of the V trench should be made first, and then that which +touches the line: there is thus less disturbance of the wood, and less +danger of injuring the edge of the line. + +When the V cut has been made outside all the lines, one proceeds to +clear the intervening spaces between the lines of the design by taking +tool No. 1 (fig. 5). The large spaces should be cleared first. The +safest and quickest way is to make a small gouge cut with No. 1 round +all the large spaces close up to the first cut, then, with one of the +shallower chisels, Nos. 5, 6, or 7 (fig. 5), and the mallet, clear out +the wood between the gouge cuts. + +For all shallow cuts where the mallet is not needed, the Japanese hold +the chisels as shown in fig. 11. With practice this will be found a very +convenient and steady grip for the right hand. It has also the advantage +that the chisel can be held against the centre of the body and exactly +under one's eyes. + +In the diagram (fig. 12), if the wood from A to A1 is to be cleared +away, gouge cuts are made at _b_ and _b_1, then the space between _b_ +and _b_1 may be quickly cleared without risk to the edge of the form at +A. When this rough work is done the little ridge between A and _b_ may +be cleared with small round or flat tools, as is most convenient. But +this final clearing should not be done until all the large spaces are +roughed out. + +[Illustration: FIG. 11.--Method of holding gouge.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 12.--Clearing of wood between knife cuts.] + +The depth to which the spaces must be cleared will depend on their +width, as, in printing, the paper will sag more deeply in a wide space +than in a narrow one. In spaces of half an inch the depth of the first +V-cuts is sufficient, but the proportionate depth is about that of the +diagram above. The small spaces are cleared by means of small flat or +round chisels without the mallet or the preliminary gouge cut: this is +only needed where a large space has to be cleared. + +There remain now only the placing and cutting of the two register marks +or notches for controlling the position of the paper in printing. + +These are placed relatively to the design as shown in fig. 13. + +The corner of the print fits into the notch at A, and one edge of the +print lies against the straight notch at B. + +The register marks may be even closer to the space covered by the +design, but must not actually touch it, as some margin of paper is +necessary in printing: they should also be cut always on the long side +of the printing block. It will be seen from the drawing on page 70 that +these register marks correspond to the position of the thumb of each +hand in laying the paper on the block for printing. + +[Illustration: FIG. 13.--Position of register marks.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 14.--Register marks.] + +The corner mark, ABC, is made by cutting from A to B and B to C, with +the knife held perpendicularly, and its flat side against the line, then +the shaded portion is cut with a flat chisel, sloping from the surface +of the block at AC to a depth of about 1/16 inch along AB and BC. The +straight notch, EF, is similarly cut, first with a perpendicular knife +along EF, and then the shaded portion is chiselled sloping down to the +line EF. + +[Illustration: FIG. 15.--Register marks (section of).] + +In section the two register marks would be as above. + +The register marks must be smoothly and evenly cut so that the paper, in +printing, may slide easily home to its exact place. + +When the design of the key-block and the two register marks have been +cut and cleared, the trace of paper and paste on the uncut parts of the +wood should be carefully washed off with a piece of sponge and warm +water. The block is then finished and ready for use. The key-block, +however, is only one of the set of blocks required for a print in +colour, but the colour blocks are simpler and require, as a rule, far +less labour. + +The colour blocks are planned and established by means of impressions +taken from the key-block. For this purpose the register marks are +inked[2] for printing as well as the design on the block, and the +impressions must include both. These impressions are taken on thin +Japanese paper, but not necessarily the thinnest tissue. If the thinnest +is used, it should be pasted at the corners to a sheet of stiffer paper +for convenience in handling. + +[2] The preparation of the ink for printing is described on p. 54. + +It is then a fairly simple matter to take one of these key-block +impressions and to make a plan of the various colour-blocks that will be +required. These should obviously be as few as possible. + +It is not necessary to provide an entire block for each patch of +colour, but only the extent of surface required for each coloured +portion of the print, as well as for its pair of register marks. Patches +of different colour that are not adjacent to one another on the design +of the print may be cut on the same block, provided they are not too +close for free colouring of the block in printing. Each block also may +be cut on both sides, so that there is considerable scope for economy in +the arranging and planning of the colour blocks. + +When the arrangement of the plan of colour has been simplified as far as +possible, a new block is prepared as described above, and a sheet of +thin Japanese paper (unsized) is cut large enough to cover the print +design and its register marks. The clean surface of the new block is +covered thinly with starch paste well rubbed into the grain, and while +this is still wet an impression on the sheet of thin Japanese paper is +taken of the entire key-block, including its register marks in black, +and laid before it is dry face downward on the pasted surface of the +new block. This should be done as already described on page 25. It +should be rubbed flat with the printing pad and left to dry. + +This operation requires careful handling, but it should be done easily +and methodically, without any hurry. + +Each side of the set of colour planks should be treated in the same +way--a thin impression of the key-block and its register marks being +laid upon each. It is advisable to paste down a freshly taken +impression, each time, while the ink is still moist, for if these are +allowed to dry, the shrinking of the paper causes errors of register. + +When these new blocks are dry, the patch of colour to be cut on each +surface should be clearly indicated by a thin wash of diluted ink or +colour, but not so as to hide the printed key line. + +The blocks may then be cut. A V-shaped cut is made round each form, as +in the case of the key-block, and the clearing proceeds in the same way, +but it is only necessary to clear a space of about an inch round each +form: the rest of the wood should be left standing. A section of the +printing surface of a colour block would be as follows: + +[Illustration: FIG. 16.--Section of colour-block. A. Colour +mass. B. Depression. C. Surface of Plank.] + +When the register marks corresponding to these colour forms have also +been cut, and the paper washed off the blocks, the clear spaces may be +used for pasting down new key impressions for the smaller colour patches +and their corresponding register marks. In this way one side of a colour +plank may contain several different colour forms and sets of register +marks. As a rule the different colour patches would be printed +separately, though in some cases two colours may be printed at one +impression if they are small and have the same register marks. + +When the blocks have been cut and cleared it is advisable to smooth +with sand-paper the edge of the depression where it meets the uncut +surface of the wood, otherwise this edge, if at all sharp, will mark the +print. + +For any particulars about which one may be in doubt, the sets of blocks +at South Kensington Museum or in the Print Room at the British Museum +are available for examination. In one of the sets at the British Museum +it is interesting to see the temporary corrections that have been made +in the register marks during printing by means of little wooden plugs +stuck into the register notches. + +In nearly all cases the Japanese blocks were made of cherry wood, but +planks of box are said to have been occasionally used for very fine +work. + + +ERRORS OF REGISTER + +However exactly the register marks may be cut in a new set of blocks, +very puzzling errors occasionally arise while printing, especially if +the planks are of thin wood. + +Some of the blocks are necessarily printed drier than others. For +instance, the key-block is printed with a very small amount of ink and +paste. Other blocks may be even drier, such as the blocks which print +small forms or details in a design. The blocks, however, which are used +for large masses of colour, or for gradated tones, are moistened over +the whole or a large part of the surface of the block, and if the wood +is thin, and not well mounted across the ends, the block soon expands +sufficiently to throw the register out. If the block is not mounted +across the ends there will also be a tendency to warp, and this will add +to the errors of register. But if the blocks are of fairly thick wood, +and well mounted, the register will remain very exact indeed. + +Usually the key-block is printed first. If the subsequent blocks are not +in exact register the error is noticeable at once, and slight +adjustments may be made for its correction. But in cases where the +key-block is printed last (as sometimes is necessary) each colour block +must be tested before a batch of prints is passed over it. For this +purpose the first few prints of every batch should receive a faint +impression of the key-block, so that the register of the colour +impression may be verified before proceeding with the whole batch. + +If these precautions are taken, and the entire set of blocks kept as +nearly as possible in the same conditions of dryness or moisture, all +difficulties of register in printing will be easily overcome. + +When cutting a new set of blocks there is another possible source of +error which needs to be carefully guarded against. Most of the work in +designing a new print is necessarily spent in planning and cutting the +key-block, which may occupy a considerable time, especially if other +work has to be carried on as well. If new wood is used, or wood that has +not been seasoned long indoors, it will dry and contract considerably +across the grain before the work is finished. Then, if newer planks are +prepared and cut up for the colour blocks, and impressions from the +key-block are pasted down on them for cutting, it will be found that, as +the newer wood of the colour-blocks goes on drying, it will shrink out +of register, and the colour impressions will not fit the line perfectly. +It is easy to fall into this difficulty, but there is no danger of it if +the planks from which the key-block and the colour-blocks are cut are +all equally seasoned and are in the same condition. + + + + +CHAPTER V + + + Preparation of Paper, Ink, Colour, and Paste for Printing + + +PAPER + +The paper made by the Japanese from the inner bark of young shoots of +the mulberry and certain other plants of similar fibre is beyond all +others the best for wood-block printing. It is in itself a very +remarkable material, and is used in Japan for a great variety of +purposes, on account of the strength and toughness due to its long silky +fibre. + +Paper of good quality for printing may be obtained directly from Japan, +or through trading agents dealing with Japan. A case of five reams would +be the smallest quantity obtainable directly, but it is by far the +cheapest and most satisfactory way of buying it. In smaller quantities +the paper is obtainable through many of the dealers in artists' +materials. Several kinds of this paper are made, but unsized sheets of a +quality similar to the print on page 95, and a thin Japanese tissue +paper are the two kinds required for printing in colour. + +In its unsized state the paper is too absorbent for use, and it should +be sized freshly as needed for work. This is done by brushing a thin +solution of gelatine over the smooth surface of the sheets of paper. + +A drawing-board rather larger than the sheets of paper, placed as shown +in fig. 17, with its lower edge resting on a basin of warm size, will be +found a convenient arrangement. + +[Illustration: Plate VII. Impression of a portion of detail from a +Japanese woodblock (very nearly actual size). + +(_To face page 48._)] + +The sheet gelatine sold by grocers for cooking makes an excellent size. +Six of the thin sheets to a pint of water is a good strength.[3] The +gelatine is dissolved in hot water, but should not be boiled, as that +partially destroys the size. When dissolved, a little powdered alum +is also stirred in, about as much as will lie on a shilling to a pint of +water. The addition of the alum is important, as it acts as a mordant +and helps to make a better colour impression. + +[3] See also p. 75. + +[Illustration: FIG. 17.--Drawing of sizing of paper.] + +In applying the size to the paper a four-inch broad flat paste brush is +used. The paper is laid on the slanting board and the size brushed +backward and forward across the paper from the upper end downward. Care +must be taken not to make creases in the paper, as these become +permanent. To avoid this the lower end of the sheet may be held with the +left hand and raised when necessary as the brush passes downwards. The +waste size will run down to the basin, but the paper need not be +flooded, nor should its surface be brushed unnecessarily, but it must be +fully and evenly charged with size. The sheet is then picked up by the +two upper corners (which may conveniently be kept unsized) and pinned at +each corner over a cord stretched across the workroom. The sheets are +left hanging until they are dry. The Japanese lay the paper on the +cord, letting the two halves of the sheet hang down equally on either +side. + +The process of sizing and drying the sheets of paper is illustrated in a +print shown in the collection at the South Kensington Museum. + +When the paper is quite dry it is taken down, and if required at once +for printing should be cut up into sheets of the size required, with +sufficient margin allowed to reach the register marks. It is best to cut +a gauge or pattern in cardboard for use in cutting the sheets to a +uniform size. + +A few sheets of unsized paper are needed as damping sheets, one being +used to every three printing sheets. The damping sheets should be cut at +least an inch wider and longer than the printing sheets. Two wooden +boards are also required. The sheets of printing paper are kept between +these while damping before work. + +To prepare for work, a damping sheet is taken and brushed over evenly +with water with a broad brush (like that used for sizing). The sheet +must not be soaked, but made thoroughly moist, evenly all over. It is +then laid on one of the two boards, and on it, with the printing side +(the smoother side) downward, are laid three of the sized sheets of +printing paper. On these another moist damping sheet is laid, and again +three dry sheets of printing paper, face downwards, and so on +alternately to the number of sheets of the batch to be printed. A board +is placed on the top of the pile. + +The number of prints to be attempted at one printing will vary with the +kind of work and with the printer's experience. The printing may be +continued during three days, but if the paper is kept damp longer, there +is danger of mould and spotting. With work requiring delicate gradation +of colour and many separate block impressions twenty or thirty sheets +will be found sufficient for three days' hard work. The professional +printers of Japan, however, print batches of two hundred and three +hundred prints at a time, but in that case the work must become largely +mechanical.[4] + +[4] See Chapter XIII for further experience on this point. + +The batch of paper and damping sheets should remain between the boards +for at least half an hour when new sheets are being damped for the first +time. The damping sheets, all but the top and bottom ones, should then +be removed and the printing sheets left together between the boards for +some time before printing. An hour improves their condition very much, +the moisture spreading equally throughout the batch of sheets. Before +printing they should be quite flat and soft, but scarcely moist to the +touch. If the sheets are new, they may even be left standing all night +after the first damping, and will be in perfect condition for printing +in the morning without further damping. No weight should be placed on +the boards. + +Although no paper has hitherto been found that will take so perfect an +impression from colour-blocks as the long-fibred Japanese paper, yet it +should be the aim of all craftsmen to become independent of foreign +materials as far as possible. There is no doubt that our paper-makers +should be able to produce a paper of good quality sufficiently absorbent +to take colour from the wet block and yet tough enough to bear handling +when slightly damp. + +If a short-fibred paper is made without size, it comes to pieces when it +is damped for printing. But the amount of absorbency required is not so +great as to preclude the use of size altogether. It is a problem which +our paper-makers could surely solve. A soft, slightly absorbent, white +paper is required. At present nothing has been produced to take the +place of the long mulberry fibre of the Japanese, which prints +perfectly, but it is far from being pure white in colour. A white paper +would have a great advantage in printing high and delicate colour +schemes. + + +INK + +Next in importance is the preparation of the ink for printing the +key-block or any black or grey parts of a design. As a rule the +key-block is printed black, more or less diluted with paste; indeed the +key-block is often printed very faintly by means of paste only just +tinged with a trace of black. + +The use of colour for the key-block is treated in Chapter VII. The ink +is prepared as follows. Take a stick of solid Chinese ink of good +quality, and break it with a hammer into fragments; put these to soak in +a pot with water for three or four days. (The quality of the sticks of +Chinese ink varies greatly. The cheap sticks make a coarse and gritty +ink which does not print well.) Day by day pour off the water, adding +fresh, so that the glue that soaks out of the softened black fragments +is removed. Three days is usually long enough for this. If left too long +the whole mass goes bad and is spoiled. When the black mass is soft and +clean drain off the water and rub the ink smooth in a dish with a bone +palette knife. It is then ready for use, but would rapidly go bad if not +used up at once, so that a preservative is necessary to keep a stock of +ink in good condition. An effective method is to put the ink at once +into a well-corked, wide-mouthed bottle. To the under side of the cork +is nailed a little wad of unsized paper soaked with creosote. By this +means ink can be kept in perfect condition for weeks or months. A drop +of fresh creosote should occasionally be put on the wad fixed to the +cork. + +[Illustration: FIG. 18.--Cork of ink-bottle with wad for +preservative.] + +Fresh ink may at any time be obtained rapidly in small quantities by +rubbing down a stick of Chinese ink on a slab in the ordinary way, but +this is very laborious, and is only worth while if one needs a small +quantity of a glossy black, for which the rubbed-down ink containing all +its glue is the best. + + +COLOUR + +Any colour that can be obtained in a fine dry powder may be used in +wood-block printing. Some artists have succeeded in using ordinary +water colours sold in tubes, by mixing the colour with the rice paste +before printing; but the best results are obtained by the use of pure, +finely ground dry colour mixed only with water, the rice paste being +added actually on the block. + +Most of the artists' colour merchants supply colour by weight in the +form of dry powder: any colour that is commonly used in oil or +water-colour painting may be obtained in this state. A stock of useful +colours should be kept in wide-necked bottles. + +A few shallow plates or small dishes are needed to hold colour and a +bone or horn palette knife for mixing and rubbing the colour into a +smooth paste in the dishes. Small bone paper knives are useful for +taking colour from the bottles. + +When the colour scheme of a print is made certain--and this is best done +by printing small experimental batches--it is a good plan to have a +number of covered pots equal to the number of the different colour +impressions, and to fill these with a quantity of each tint, the colour +or colours being mixed smoothly with water to the consistency of stiff +cream. + +Some colours will be found to print more smoothly and easily than +others. Yellow ochre, for instance, prints with perfect smoothness and +ease, while heavier or more gritty colours tend to separate and are more +difficult. In the case of a very heavy colour such as vermilion, a drop +of glue solution will keep the colour smooth for printing, and less +paste is necessary. But most colours will give good impressions by means +of rice paste alone. It is essential, however, that only very finely +ground colours of good quality should be used. + + +PASTE + +A paste must be used with the colour in order to hold it on to the +surface of the paper and to give brilliancy. The colour, if printed +without paste, would dry to powder again. The paste also preserves the +matt quality which is characteristic of the Japanese prints. + +Finely ground rice flour may be obtained from grocery dealers. An +excellent French preparation of rice sold in packets as _Creme de Riz_ +is perfect for the purpose of making paste for printing. It should be +carefully made as follows: While half a pint of water is put to boil in +a saucepan over a small spirit lamp or gas burner, mix in a cup about +two teaspoonfuls of rice flour with water, added little by little until +a smooth cream is made with no lumps in it. A bone spoon is good for +this purpose. Pour this mixture into the boiling water in the saucepan +all at once, and stir well till it boils again, after which it should be +left simmering over a small flame for five minutes. + +When the paste has cooled it should be smooth and almost fluid enough to +pour: not stiff like a pudding. + +While printing, a little paste is put out in a saucer and replenished +from time to time. + +Fresh paste should be made every day. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + + + Detailed Method of Printing + + +Success in printing depends very much on care and orderliness. It is +necessary to keep to a fixed arrangement of the position of everything +on the work-table and to have all kept as clean as possible. To see the +deft and unhurried work of a Japanese craftsman at printing is a great +lesson, and a reproach to Western clumsiness. + +The positions indicated by the diagram on page 11 will be found to be +practical and convenient. + +The special tools used in printing are the "baren" or printing pad, +which is the only instrument of pressure used, and the printing +brushes. + + +THE BAREN OR PRINTING PAD + +As made by the Japanese, the baren is about five inches in diameter, and +consists of a circular board upon which a flat coil of cord or twisted +fibre is laid. This is held in place by a covering made of a strip of +bamboo-sheath, the two ends of which are twisted and brought together at +the back of the board so as to form a handle. The flat surface of the +bamboo-sheath is on the under side of the pad when the handle is +uppermost. The ribbed bamboo-sheath is impervious to the dampness of the +paper in printing, and the pad may be used to rub and press directly on +the back of the damp paper as it lies on the block without any +protective backing sheet. The collotype reproduction facing page 12 +shows the shape and character of the baren. + +Japanese printing pads may be obtained from some of the artists' +colour-men, or from Japan through various agencies. They are by far the +best instrument for the purpose. A pad lasts a considerable time, and +when the bamboo sheath wears through may be re-covered as described +below. If the new bamboo sheath is unobtainable, the baren may be +re-covered by a sheet of vegetable parchment (of the kind used for +covering pots of jam), laid on when wet, and twisted and bound at the +end like the original bamboo covering. A baren used and re-covered when +worn will last for an indefinite time in this way. + + +TO RE-COVER A WORN BAREN WITH BAMBOO SHEATH + +Damp the new leaf in water with a brush on both sides thoroughly. + +Wipe dry both sides. Lay it on a flat surface and stretch wider with the +fingers on the inside, keeping the leaf flat with the palm of the hand. + +Rub the inside of the leaf with something hard and smooth across the +width on both sides. + +1. Cut AG, BG with leaf folded. + +2. Place the round pad in position on the flat leaf. + +3. Stretch the leaf to lap at sides EF. + +4. Turn in EA and BF fold by fold, first one side and then the other. + +5. Pull hard before beginning the other end. + +[Illustration: FIG. 19.--Method of re-covering baren.] + +6. Cut away CH, DH, holding down firmly the end done. + +7. Twist up the ends tightly, pull over to the centre, and tie tightly +together; cut off ends. + +8. Polish on board and oil slightly. + +Twist the inside part of the baren occasionally to save wear by changing +its position within the sheath. + +Several substitutes have been tried in place of the Japanese baren, +with coverings of leather, shark's skin, celluloid, and various other +materials, but these necessitate the use of a backing sheet to protect +the paper from their harsh surfaces. + +An ingenious rubber of ribbed glass which works directly on the paper +has been devised by Mr. William Giles, who has produced beautiful +results by its means. + +If one is using the Japanese baren, its surface needs to be kept very +slightly oiled to enable it to run freely over the damp paper. A pad of +paper with a drop of sweet oil suffices for this, and may lie on the +right of the printing block where the baren is put after each impression +is taken. + +An even simpler method is that of the Japanese craftsman who rubs the +baren from time to time on the back of his head. + + +BRUSHES + +Japanese printing brushes are sold by some artists' colour dealers, but +these are not essential, nor have they any practical superiority over +well-made Western brushes. + +[Illustration: FIG. 20.--Drawing of brushes.] + +An excellent type of brush is that made of black Siberian bear hair for +fine varnishing. These can be had from good brush-makers with the hair +fixed so that it will stand soaking in water. Drawings of the type of +brush are given above. + +Three or four are sufficient; one broad brush, about three inches, for +large spaces, one two-inch, and two one-inch, will do nearly all that is +needed. Occasionally a smaller brush may be of use. + + +PRINTING + +To begin printing, one takes first the key-block, laying it upon a wet +sheet of unsized paper, or upon wads of wet paper under each corner of +the block, which will keep it quite steady on the work-table. A batch +of sheets of printing paper, prepared and damped as described in Chapter +V, lies between boards just beyond the block. The pad lies close to the +block at the right on oily paper pinned to the table. To the right also +are a dish or plate on which a little ink is spread, the printing brush +(broad for the key-block), a saucer containing fresh paste, a bowl of +water, a small sponge, and a cloth. Nothing else is needed, and it is +best to keep the table clear of unnecessary pots or colour bottles. + +When these things are ready one should see that the paper is in a good +state. It should be rather drier for a key-block than for other blocks, +as a fine line will print thickly if the paper is too damp and soft. In +fact, it can scarcely be too dry for the key-block, provided that it has +become perfectly smooth, and is still flexible enough for complete +contact with the block. But it must not be either dry or damp in +patches. + +If the paper is all right, one lifts off the upper board and top damping +sheet, placing them on the left, ready to receive the sheets when +printed. + +The key-block, if quite dry, must be moistened with a damp sponge and +then brushed over with the broad printing brush and ink. If a grey line +is wanted the brush should be dipped in a little of the paste and +scarcely touched with ink. For a pale grey line the key-block also must +be well washed before printing. Even if the line is to be black a little +paste should be used. This is best added after one has brushed the black +ink on to the block, not mixed with it beforehand. The ink and paste +are then broken together smoothly and completely over the whole surface +of the block. The last few brush strokes should be of the full length or +breadth of the block and be given lightly with the brush held upright. +The inking of the block must be thoroughly done, but with no more +brushing than is necessary to spread the colour equally. When properly +charged with ink the block should not be at all wet, but just covered +with a very thin and nearly dry film of ink and paste. + +No time should be wasted in lifting the top sheet of printing paper on +to the block, placing first its right corner in the register notch, and +holding it there with the thumb, then the edge of the paper to the other +notch, to be held with the left thumb while the right hand is released +to take up the baren (fig. 21). Beginning at the left, the baren is +rubbed backwards and forwards, a full stroke each time, to the outside +limits of the block, with a moderate, even pressure, moving the stroke +in a zigzag towards the right end of the block (fig. 22). Once over +should be enough. A second rub makes heavy printing of the finer lines. +Then the paper is lifted from the block and placed on the board to the +left. + +[Illustration: FIG. 21.--Manner of holding the paper.] + +Particular attention must be given to the careful placing of the paper +home in the register notches, and to holding it there until the rubber +has gripped the paper on the block. + +Sheet by sheet all the printing paper is passed in this way over the +key-block, and piled together. There is no fear of the ink offsetting or +marking the print placed above it. As the work proceeds the block will +give better and better impressions. Spoiled or defective impressions +should be put together at the top of the pile when it lies ready for the +next printing, for the first few impressions are always uncertain, and +it is well to use the defective prints as pioneers, so as not to spoil +good ones. + +[Illustration: FIG. 22.--Manner of using the baren.] + +When the block has been printed on the whole batch, the sheets should +be replaced at once between the boards before one prepares for the +colour impressions. Usually the paper will be too dry for colour by this +time: if this is so, the damping sheets should be moistened and put in +again as before; one to each three printing sheets. In a minute or two +they will have damped the paper sufficiently and must be taken out, +leaving the printing sheets to stand, between the boards, ready for the +first colour-block. + + +PRINTING FROM COLOUR-BLOCKS + +In printing colour the paper may be slightly damper than it should be +for key-block impressions, and a heavier pressure is necessary on the +baren if the colour masses are large. If the baren is pressed lightly +the colour will not completely cover the paper, but will leave a dry, +granular texture. Occasionally this quality may be useful, but as a rule +a smooth, evenly printed surface is best. It will be found that smooth, +even printing is not obtained by loading the block with colour or paste, +but by using the least possible quantity of both, and nearly dry paper. + +In beginning to print from a colour-block, care should be taken to +moisten the block fully before printing, or it will not yield the colour +from its surface; but the block must be wiped, and not used while +actually wet. + +The printing proceeds exactly as in the case of the key-block, except +for the heavier use of the baren. The paste should be added after the +colour has been roughly brushed on to the block, and then the two are +smoothly brushed together. The Japanese printers put the paste on to the +block by means of a little stick kept in the dish of paste. Experience +will soon show the amount of paste needed. It is important neither to +add too much nor to stint the paste, as the colour when dry depends on +the paste for its quality. Too little paste gives a dead effect. + +Some of the colours print more easily than others. With a sticky colour +it is well to wipe the block with a nearly dry sponge between each +impression, so that the wood gives up its colour more readily. In the +case of a very heavy colour such as vermilion a drop of glue and water +may help; but with practically all the colours that are generally used +the rice paste and careful printing are enough. + +The amount of size in the paper is another important factor in the +printing of colour. If the paper is too lightly sized the fibres will +detach themselves and stick to the damp block. Or if too heavily sized +the paper will not take up the colour cleanly from the block, and will +look hard when dry. One very soon feels instinctively the right quality +and condition of the block, colour, and paper which are essential to +good printing; and to print well one must become sensitive to them. + + +PRINTING OF GRADATIONS + +Beside the printing of flat masses of colour, one of the great resources +of block printing is in the power of delicate gradation in printing. +The simplest way of making a gradation from strong to pale colour is to +dip one corner of a broad brush into the colour and the other corner +into water so that the water just runs into the colour: then, by +squeezing the whole width of the brush broadly between the thumb and +forefinger so that most of the water is squeezed out, the brush is left +charged with a tint gradated from side to side. The brush is then dipped +lightly into paste along its whole edge, and brushed a few times to and +fro across the block where the gradation is needed. It is easy in this +way to print a very delicately gradated tint from full colour to white. +If the pale edge of the tint is to disappear, the block should be +moistened along the surface with a sponge where the colour is to cease. + +A soft edge may be given to a tint with a brush ordinarily charged if +the block is moistened with a clean sponge at the part where the tint is +to cease. This effect is often seen at the top of the sky in a Japanese +landscape print where a dark blue band of colour is printed with a soft +edge suddenly gradated to white, or sometimes the plumage of birds is +printed with sudden gradations. In fact, the method may be developed in +all kinds of ways. Often it is an advantage to print a gradation and +then a flat tone over the gradation in a second printing. + + +OFFSETTING + +No care need be taken to prevent "offsetting" of the colour while +printing. The prints may be piled on the top of each other immediately +as they are lifted from the block, without fear of offsetting or marking +each other. Only an excessive use of colour, or the leaving of heavy +ridges of colour at the edges of the block by careless brushing, will +sometimes mark the next print on the pile. As in printing the key-block, +it is well to hold the brush quite upright for the last strokes across +the block, and always to give a full stroke across the whole length or +width of the form to be coloured. + +As soon as one colour-block has been printed, the next may be taken and +printed at once, without fear of the colour running, even though the +fresh colour touches the parts already printed. + +One by one each colour-block is printed in this way until the batch of +paper has been passed over the whole set of blocks composing the design +of the print. There may sometimes be an advantage in not printing the +key-block first, though as a rule it should come first for the sake of +keeping the later blocks in proper register. If the key-block is not +printed one cannot see how the colour-blocks are fitting. But in the +case of a sky with perhaps two or even three printings--a gradation and +a flat tone or two gradations--there is danger of blurring the lines of +the key-block, so that in such a case the sky should be printed first, +and then the key-block followed by the remaining colour-blocks. + +At the end of a day's printing the prints may quite safely be left +standing together between the boards until the next day. For three days +the damp paper comes to no harm, except in hot weather, but on the +fourth day little red spots of mould begin to show and spread. It should +be remembered that freshly boiled paste is to be used each day. + + +DRYING OF PRINTS + +When the prints are finished they should be put to dry as soon as +possible. If they are spread out and left exposed to the air they will +soon dry, but in drying will cockle, and cannot then be easily pressed +flat. It is better to have a number of mill-boards or absorbent "pulp" +boards rather larger than the prints, and to pile the prints and boards +alternately one by one, placing a weight on the top of the pile. The +absorbent boards will rapidly dry the prints and keep them quite flat. + +Finished prints should be numbered for reference, and should, if printed +by the artist himself, also bear his signature --or some printed sign +to that effect. The number of prints obtainable from a set of blocks is +difficult to estimate. The Japanese printers are said to have made +editions of several thousands from single sets of blocks. The actual +wear in printing even of a fine line block is imperceptible, for the +pressure is very slight. Certainly hundreds of prints can be made +without any deterioration. But an artist who is both designing and +producing his own work will not be inclined to print large editions.[5] + +[5] Further experience on this point is given in Chapter VIII on +Co-operative Printing. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + + + Principles and Main Considerations in designing Wood-block + Prints--Their Application to Modern Colour Printing + +Until one has become quite familiar with the craft of wood-block +printing it is not possible to make a satisfactory design for a print, +or to understand either the full resources that are available or the +limits that are fixed. + +In beginning it is well to undertake only a small design, so that no +great amount of material or time need be consumed in gaining the first +experience, but this small piece of work should be carried through to +the end, however defective it may become at any stage. A small key-block +and two or three colour patches may all be cut on the two sides of one +plank for this purpose. + +There is great diversity of opinion as to the conventions that are +appropriate to the designing of colour prints. In the work of the +Japanese masters the convention does not vary. A descriptive black or +grey line is used throughout the design, outlining all forms or used as +flat spots or patches. The line is not always uniform, but is developed +with great subtlety to suggest the character of the form expressed, so +that the subsequent flat mass of colour printed within the line appears +to be modelled. This treatment of the line is one of the great resources +of the work, and is special to this kind of design, in which the line +has to be cut with the knife _on both sides_, and is for this reason +capable of unusual development in its power of expressing form. Indeed +the knife is the final instrument in the drawing of the design. + +Typical examples of key-block impressions are given on pages 26 and 33: +they show the variety of character and quality possible in the lines and +black masses of key-blocks. + +The designing of a print depends most of all upon this development of +line and black mass in the key-block. The colour pattern of the print is +held together by it, and the form suggested. In the Japanese prints the +key-block is invariably printed black or grey. Masses intended to be +dense black in the finished print are printed first a flat grey by the +key-block, and are then printed a full black from a colour-block like +any other patch of colour, the double printing being necessary to give +the intensity of the black. + +Although several modern prints have been designed on other principles, +and sometimes a coloured key-block is successfully used, yet the +convention adopted by the Japanese is the simplest and most fundamental +of all. Outside its safe limitations the technical difficulties are +increased, and one is led to make compromises that strain the proper +resources of block printing and are of doubtful advantage. + +The temptation to use colour with the key-block comes when one attempts +to use the key-block for rendering light and shadow. Its use by the +Japanese masters was generally for the descriptive expression of the +contours of objects, ignoring entirely their shadows, or any effects of +light and shade, unless a shadow happened occasionally to be an +important part of the pattern of the design. Generally, as in nearly all +the landscape prints by Hiroshige, the line is descriptive or suggestive +of essential form, not of effects in light and shade. + +If the key-block is used for light and shade, the question of relative +tones and values of shadows arises, and these will be falsified unless a +key-block is made for each separate plane or part of the design, and +then there is danger of confusion or of compromises that are beyond the +true scope of the work. + +It is generally safest to print the key-block in a tone that blends with +the general tone of the print, and not to use it as a part of the +colour pattern. It serves mainly to control the form, leaving the +colour-blocks to give the colour pattern. There are cases, of course, +where no rule holds good, and sometimes a design may successfully omit +the key-block altogether, using only a few silhouettes of colour, one of +which controls the main form of the print, and serves as key-block. +Frequently, also, the key-block may be used to give the interior form or +character of part of a design, leaving the shape of a colour-block to +express the outside shape or contour; as in the spots suggesting foliage +in the print on page 114. The shapes of the tree forms are partly left +to the colour-block to complete, the key only giving the suggestion of +the general broken character of the foliage, not the outside limits of +the branches. The outer shape of a tree or branch is rarely expressed by +an enclosing line in any of the Japanese prints. The key-block is often +used to describe interior form when a silhouette of colour is all that +is needed for the contour. The expressive rendering of the rough surface +of tree trunks and of forms of rock, or the articulation of plants and +the suggestion of objects in atmospheric distance or mist, should be +studied in good prints by the Japanese masters. In printed work by +modern masters--as, for example, the work of the great French designers +of poster advertisements--much may be learnt in the use and development +of expressive line. + +The Japanese system of training is well described in a book by Henry P. +Bowie on "The Laws of Japanese Painting," in which many useful +suggestions are given with reference to graphic brush drawing and the +suggestive use of line and brush marks. + +As part of the training of a designer for modern decorative printing, +the experience and sense of economy that are to be gained from the study +of wood-block printing are very great. Perhaps no work goes so directly +to the essentials of the art of decorative designing for printed work +of all kinds. The wood blocks not only compel economy of design, but +also lead one to it. + +Even as a means of general training in the elements of decorative +pictorial composition the wood blocks have great possibilities as an +adjunct to the courses of work followed by art students. The same +problems that arise in all decoration may be dealt with by their means +on a small scale, but under conditions that are essentially instructive. +Colour schemes may be studied and worked out with entire freedom by +printing and reprinting until a problem is thoroughly solved. A colour +design may be studied and worked out as fully by means of a small set of +blocks, and with more freedom for experiment and alteration than is +possible by the usual methods of study, such as painting and repainting +on paper or canvas or wall; for the form being once established by the +blocks, the colour may be reconstructed again and again without limit. + +The craft has thus not only its special interest as a means of personal +expression, but also a more general use as a means of training and +preparation for the wider scope and almost unlimited resources of modern +printing. The best use of those resources will be made by artists who +have been trained under simpler conditions, and have found their way +gradually to an understanding of the secrets of aesthetic economy in +printing. One of the many paths to that experience is by way of the +craft of the wood-block printer. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + + + Co-operative Printing + +A print is shown at the end of this book (page 95) as an example of a +first experiment in co-operative printing. An actual print was needed to +illustrate the method of block printing, and the number required was too +great for a single printer to undertake. So the work was divided between +four printers (of whom the writer was one), working together. Each of us +had been accustomed to print our own prints in small batches of a dozen +or two at a time, giving individual care to each print. The printing of +2000 prints to a fixed type was a very different matter, and proved an +instructive and valuable experience. It was found that the printing of a +large number of successive impressions gave one an increasingly +delicate control of a block, and a high percentage of perfect +impressions. After the initial experiments and practice, the failures in +the later batches of the print were reduced to only 4 or 5 per cent. of +the completed prints. The work was done in batches of 250 prints, each +print receiving eight impressions, as shown on pages 98 to 109. Each of +the four printers took charge of a particular series of the blocks, +which were printed in a regular order. It was found most convenient to +print the key-block last of all, as the heavy blacks in it were inclined +to offset under the pressure of the baren and slightly soil the +colour-blocks, if the key-block was printed first, as is usually the +practice. + +The colour-blocks were printed in the order in which they are placed in +the Appendix. + +The best quality of work was done on nearly dry paper. The damping +sheets were placed among the new paper at the end of the day's work and +removed after ten or fifteen minutes, the printing paper then was left +standing over night between boards, ready for work in the morning, and +was not damped again until after receiving several impressions. Then it +was very slightly damped again by means of a damping sheet to every ten +or twelve prints placed there for a very few minutes. + +As one printer finished the impressions from one of his blocks, the +batch of papers was passed on to the others, each in turn. In this way +three batches of 250 were printed without haste in one week, working +eight hours a day for five and a half days. + +The chief difficulty experienced was in keeping to the exact colour and +quality of the type print, each printer being inclined to vary according +to individual preferences. To counteract this tendency, it is necessary +for one individual to watch and control the others in these respects. + +Otherwise the work proceeded easily and made very clear the +possibilities of the craft for the printing of large numbers of prints +for special purposes where the qualities required are not obtainable by +machine printing. Obviously the best results will always be obtained by +the individual printing of his own work by an artist. This can only be +done, however, in comparatively small numbers, yet the blocks are +capable of printing very large quantities without deterioration. The set +of blocks used for the example given here showed very little +deterioration after 4000 impressions had been taken. The key-block was +less worn than any, the pressure being very slight for this block, and +the ink perfectly smooth. The impression of which a reproduction is +given on page 109 was taken after 4000 had been printed from the +key-block. Block No. 2 was much more worn by the gritty nature of the +burnt sienna used in its printing. It would be an easy matter, however, +to replace any particular colour-block that might show signs of wear in +a long course of printing. + +Other examples given in the Appendix show qualities and methods of +treatment that are instructive or suggestive. + +No. 6 is the key impression of a Japanese print in which an admirable +variety of resource is shown by its design; the character of each kind +of form being rendered by such simple yet so expressive indications. It +is instructive to study the means by which this is done, and to notice +how interior form is sometimes suggested by groups of spots or black +marks of varied shape while the indication of the external form is left +entirely to the shape of the colour-block subsequently to be printed. + +Plate XVI is a reproduction of a print by Hiroshige and shows the +suggestive use of the key-block in rendering tree forms. Plates XVII and +XVIII show in greater detail this kind of treatment. + +Plates XXIII-XXIV are key-blocks of modern print designs. + + + + +APPENDIX + + +An original print in colour, designed and cut by the author and printed +by hand on Japanese paper, followed by collotype reproductions showing +the separate impressions of the colour blocks used for this print, and +other collotype reproductions of various examples of printing and +design. + + ++-----------------------------------------------------------------------+ +|The particulars given in Chapter VIII on co-operative printing refer | +|specially to the original print included in the first edition. In this | +|edition an entirely new print is shown, and only 1,000 copies of it are| +|being published. | ++-----------------------------------------------------------------------+ + + + +[Illustration: Plate VIII.--An original Print designed and cut by the +Author, printed by hand on Japanese paper.] + + +Plates originally printed in collotype are now produced in half-tone + +[Illustration: Plate IX.--First printing. Key block. Black.] + +[Illustration: Plate X.--Second printing. Dull Red. Printed lightly at +the top.] + +[Illustration: Plate XI.--Third printing. Deep Blue. Strong at the +bottom, paler at the top.] + +[Illustration: Plate XII.--Fifth printing. Bright Orange. + +(The fourth printing, not shown, is a similar small block, printing a +faint tone over the road in the foreground.)] + +[Illustration: Plate XIII.--Sixth printing. Indian Red. Gradation.] + +[Illustration: Plate XIV.--Seventh printing. Green. Printed flat.] + +[Illustration: Plate XV.--Eighth printing. Bluish green. Gradation.] + +[Illustration: Plate XVI.--Reproduction of a colour print by +Hiroshige.] + +[Illustration: Plate XVII.--Reproduction of a portion of the print shown +on the preceding page, actual size, showing the treatment of the foliage +and the expressive drawing of the tree trunk and stems.] + +[Illustration: Plate XVIII.--Reproduction of another portion of the +print shown on page 111 (actual size), showing the expressive use of +line in the drawing of the distant forms.] + +[Illustration: Plate XIX.--Reproduction of a colour print by +Hiroshige.] + +[Illustration: Plate XX.--Reproduction of a portion (actual size) of the +print on the preceding page, showing treatment of tree forms and +distance.] + +[Illustration: Plate XXI.--Reproduction of a colour print by +Hiroshige.] + +[Illustration: Plate XXII.--Reproduction of a portion (actual size) of +the print on the preceding page, showing treatment of tree and +blossom.] + +[Illustration: Plate XXIII.--The Tiger. Reproduction of a colour print +by J. D. Batten.] + +[Illustration: Plate XXIV.--Lapwings. Reproduction of a colour print by +A. W. Seaby.] + + + + +BOOKS OF REFERENCE + + +"Tools and Materials illustrating the Japanese Method of Colour +Printing." A descriptive catalogue of a collection exhibited in the +Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Price Twopence. Victoria and Albert +Museum Catalogues. 1913. + +"The Colour Prints of Japan." By Edward F. Strange. The Langham Series +of Art Monographs. London. + +"Japanese Colour Prints." By Edward F. Strange. (3rd Edition.) Victoria +and Albert Museum Handbooks. London. + +"Japanese Wood Engravings." By William Anderson, F. R. C. S. London, +Seeley & Co., Ltd. New York, Macmillan & Co. 1895. + +"Japanese Wood-cutting and Wood-cut Printing." By T. Tokuno. Edited and +annotated by S. R. Kochler. Report of the Smithsonian Institution, +Washington, for the year ending June 30, 1892. Issued in pamphlet form +by the U.S.A. National Museum, Washington. 1893. + + +Other works containing descriptions and references to the craft of +wood-block printing in the Art Library at the Victoria and Albert +Museum, London, are the following:-- + +"The Industries of Japan." By J. J. Rein. (Paper, pp. 389.) London. +1889. + +"Bungei Ruisan," By Yoshino Sakakibara. Essays on Japanese literature, +with additional chapters describing the manufacture of paper and the +processes of printing and engraving. (The Museum copy has MS. +translations of the portion relating to engraving.) Tokyo. 1878. + + + + +INDEX + + + Alum, 50 + + Andreani, Andrea, xi + + + Baldung, Hans, x + + Bamboo-sheath, 62 + + Baren, 11, 61, 62 + + Baren, manner of using, 72 + + Baren, to re-cover, 63, 64 + + Baren, to re-cover (diagram), 64 + + Batches, size of, 89 + + Batten, J. D., 2 + + Block cutting, materials, 17 + + Blocks, cutting of, 17, 23 + + Blocks, mounting of, 18 + + Blocks, planning of, 23 + + Books of reference, 129 + + Bowie, Henry P., 86 + + British Museum Print Room, 43 + + Brushes, 65 + + Brushes, drawing of, 66 + + + Carborundum stone, 21 + + Cherry wood, 17 + + Chiaroscuro, x + + Chinese ink, 55 + + Chisel, grip of, 34, 35 + + Chisels, 20 + + Clearing of spaces, 33 + + Clearing of wood between knife cuts, 35 + + Colour, 56 + + Colour block, diagram of section, 42 + + Colour blocks, plan of, 39 + + Colour blocks, planning, 40, 41 + + Colour blocks, printing from, 73 + + Colour design, 87 + + Commercial development, 5 + + Conventions of design, 82 + + Co-operative printing, 89 + + Craft in Japan, 61 + + Craftsmen, training of, 24 + + Cranach, Lucas, x + + Crane, Walter, ix + + Creasote, 56 + + Cutting, 25 + + + Da Carpo, Ugo, x + + Damping, 14 + + Damping sheets, 51 + + Design, 27 + + Design, conventions in, 82 + + Designing, 81 + + Designing wood-block prints, principles of, 81 + + Design of key-block, 26 + + Diagram of knife cuts, 33 + + Drying of colour, 77 + + Drying of prints, 79 + + + Errors of register, 43 + + Eve and the Serpent, print of, 2 + + + Flat treatment, 26, 27 + + Foliage, 85 + + + Gelatine, 48 + + Giles, William, 65 + + Glue solution with colour, 58, 75 + + Gouge, method of holding, 35 + + Gradations, printing of, 75 + + Grip of chisel, 34, 35 + + + Hands, position of, in cutting, 30, 31 + + Herkomer, ix + + Hiroshige, 84 + + + Impressions, possible number of, 92 + + Ink, 54 + + Inking of block, 69 + + Ink, preservative for, 56 + + Italian woodcuts, ix + + + Jackson, T. B., xii + + Japan, craft in, 4, 23 + + Japanese blocks, 43 + + Japanese craftsmen, 61 + + Japanese drawing, 27 + + Japanese key-block, 33 + + "Japanese Painting, The Laws of," 86 + + Japanese paper, 54 + + Japanese printers, 52, 80 + + Japanese prints, 83 + + + Key-block, 25, 27, 84, 85 + + Key-block impressions, 5, 26, 33 + + Knife, 19 + + Knife, drawing of, 19 + + Knife, use of, 24 + + Knife cuts, diagram of, 33 + + + "Laws of Japanese Painting," 86 + + Light and shade, 85 + + Line block, cutting of, 32 + + Line, development of, 32 + + Line of key-block, 26 + + + Mallet, 21 + + Mallet, drawing of, 21 + + Mantegna, xi + + Millboards for drying, 79 + + Modern prints, 83 + + Mordant, alum as, 50 + + Mould, 79 + + Mulberry fibre, 47 + + Museums, sets of blocks at, 43 + + + Number of impressions, 92 + + + Offsetting, 71, 77 + + Oilstones, 21 + + Orlik, Prof. Emil, 7 + + Outamaro, 24 + + + Pad, 61 + + Paper, 47 + + Paper, damping of, 51 + + Paper, manner of holding, 70 + + Paper, mould in, 79 + + Paper, need of white, 54 + + Paper, sizing of, 48 + + Paper, sizing of (drawing), 49 + + Paste, 58 + + Paste, amount used in printing, 74 + + Paste, preparation of, 59 + + Plank, preparation of, 18 + + Planning of blocks, 24 + + Position of hands, 30, 31 + + Posters, 86, 87 + + Printing, 67 + + Printing, co-operative, 89 + + Printing, detailed method of, 61 + + Printing from colour blocks, 73 + + Printing, general description of, 9 + + Printing of gradations, 75, 76, 77 + + Printing pad, 62 + + Prints, designing, 81 + + Prints, drying of, 79 + + + Register, 71, 78 + + Register, errors of, 41, 43 + + Register marks, 36, 37, 42 + + Register marks, position of, 37 + + Register marks, section of, 38 + + Rice flour, 59 + + Rice paste, 58 + + Rubber, glass, 65 + + Rubber, printing, 61 + + + Shadows, treatment of, 85 + + Shallow cuts, 34 + + Shrinking of paper, 41 + + Siberian bear hair brushes, 66 + + Size, amount of, in paper, 75 + + Size, excess of, 75 + + Sizing of paper, 48, 49 + + Smithsonian Institution pamphlet, 2 + + South Kensington Museum, 43 + + Spots in paper, 79 + + + Table, plan of, 11 + + Tokuno, T., 2 + + Tools for block-cutting, 19 + + Training of designers, 86 + + Treatment of form, 93 + + Tree-forms, 85, 93 + + + Variety of line, 82, 83 + + + Washita oilstone, 22 + + Wood, 17 + + Woodcuts, Italian, ix. + + Work-table, plan of, 11 + + + * * * * * + + + ARTISTS INTERESTED IN THE + :: :: PERMANENCE OF :: :: + THEIR WOOD BLOCK PRINTS + + NOW USE THE CAMBRIDGE COLOURS ONLY, BECAUSE + + (1) Only Pigments of the HIGHEST ORDER OF PERMANENCE are included in + the Cambridge Palette + + (2) All the Pigments may be SAFELY MIXED TOGETHER without danger of + their acting injuriously on each other + + (3) All the Pigments are PURE and free from injurious impurities + + + + SOLE MAKERS + MADDERTON & CO., LTD., Loughton, Essex + (ESTABLISHED 1891) ENGLAND + TELEGRAMS TELEPHONE + "MADDERTON, LOUGHTON," ESSEX 63 LOUGHTON + + + * * * * * + + + All Tools and Materials for + JAPANESE WOODBLOCK + CUTTING AND PRINTING + as described in this book are stocked by + + PENROSE'S + + including several new forms of Tools and Brushes + approved by F. Morley Fletcher, Esq. + + _LIST FREE ON APPLICATION_ + + A. W. PENROSE & CO., LTD. + 109 Farringdon Road, London, E.C.1. + + +Printed by Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons, Ltd., Bath, England + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WOOD-BLOCK PRINTING*** + + +******* This file should be named 20195.txt or 20195.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/0/1/9/20195 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. 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