Japanese woodblock printing

Woodblock printing is letterpress printing using wood as the printing medium, and is considered to be the oldest printing method in the world. In Japan, it extensively developed during the Edo period (1603 to 1867 ), and multicoloured prints represented by nishiki-e ( ukiyo-e) and a wide variety of printed books were born. This movement eventually became the backbone of the publishing culture. Woodblock printing requires the expertise from different fields, from painters, carvers, to printers, each working in their specialized area to create the finished piece of art. Since the Meiji era(1868 to 1912 ), machine printing has become the mainstream, but the texture and expression unique to woodblock printing have resurged in value in recent years.

Divisionary Works had been appreciated in Japanese traditional art and crafts. Artisans in each particular skill were specialized and they cooperated with each other and created a work. Woodblock printing “ Ukiyoe” was one of them. There are at least three processes required by different craftmen.

Painter; While the number of colours is limited, elaborate compositions and expressions result in dynamic woodblock prints. Kitagawa Utamaro and Katsushika Hokusai are famous artists who create such sketches.

Carver; The carver is in charge of carving woodblocks based on the original sketches. Using more than 10 types of chisel ( a tool that has a long metal blade with a sharp edge at the end) , the texture of the lines drawn with a brush is reproduced on the prints. It is a delicate work requiring high concentration, and it takes about 10 years to become an accomplished craftman.

Printer; Recreating colours true to the original painting, fine-tuning details by using tools or adjusting hand pressure, and maintaining quality are things printers must achieve based on their skills and experience as craftman.