~~ Woodblock Printing Process Illustrated ~~

The Process of Wood-block Color Printing

 

 
Takamizawa Mokuhansha:
The Process of Wood-block Color Printing, Tokyo?, Takamizawa Mokuhansha (Woodblock Printer), small 18mo (4 x 5 7/8 in - 10.2 x 15 cm), not dated but believed to be ca 1950, paper over thick cardboard boards, paste on title label on front cover and paste on publisher's label on back cover, accordion fold-out style booklet with pages jointed at the outer edge, 11 attached pages, 22 pages total counting the pages attached to front cover (text) and the back cover (blank). This book illustrates the color woodblock printing process using an image of a woman holding an umbrella. The first page, which is attached to the front cover. contains a text section. This is followed by a page with the black and white key block (outline for the print). On pages following, the right page has the next color woodblock impression applied and the page to the left shows the cumulative state of the print. The woodblock progresses from the outline/key block through the application of 10 additional color woodblock impressions to the completed state of the print. In total, the book is created by using 11 woodblocks (key block and 10 color blocks).

The text page reads:

The Process of "Wood-block Color Print"

The order of printing is decided by the color and spaces, started from light color and from small spaces.

The exact placing of each color in the proper spaces, is secured by two guides raised on each block. At first, watered color is brashed on the block, then the face paper is placed on the block, and scrubbed with "Baren" (which is made of bamboo sheath) and these processes are repeated as to the number of blocks and kindes of color required.

 

Paste on Title Label

Paste on Publisher's Label

 

The Completed Woodblock

 


Text & Key Block

 
Books/Folios With Actual Color Woodblock Prints Illustrating the Process of Color Woodblock Printing:

  • 1907, Process of Wood-Cut Printing, The Shimbi Shoin, Tokyo, 127 pairs of prints.
  • 1907, Process of Wood-Cut Printing Explained, The Shimbi Shoin, Tokyo
  • c1916-c1920, Process of Wood-Cut Printing Explained, (Two Ladies in a Boat), The Shimbi Shoin, Tokyo, more information here.
  • c1920, Process of Wood-Cut Printing Explained (Lady Fishing), The Shimbi Shoin, Tokyo, more information here.
  • c1940, Process of Wood-block Printing, Nishinomiya & Hasegawa, Inc, Tokyo, more information here.
  • c1950, The Process of Wood-block Color Printing, Takamizawa Mokuhansha., Tokyo?, more information here.
  • c1950, Japanese Woodblock Prints, Uchida Wood Block Printing Co. Ltd, Kyoto, more information here.
  • c1950, The Process of Color-Block Printing (Fuji and Trees), S. Watanabe, Tokyo (Ginza), more information here.
  • c1950, The Process of Color-Block Printing (Fuji and Wave), S. Watanabe, Tokyo (Ginza), more information here.
  • c1953, Process of Wood-block Printing (Fuji and Wave), probably Nishinomiya/Hasegawa, Tokyo, more information here.
  • c1953, Process of Wood-block Printing (Winter Scene with Temple & Lantern), probably Nishinomiya/Hasegawa, Tokyo, more information here.
  • c1956, Process of Printing Wood Engravings, Unso-do Co., Kyoto, more information here.
  • c1963 The Process of Wood-block Color Printing, (Hiroshige's "Night Scene at Kambara"), H. Nakazawa., Tokyo, more information here.
  • c1970, Process Book of Woodblock Printing, Uchida Uchida Art Co., LTD., more information here.

 
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