file which includes the original        
illustrations4       ,see #bjaie-;h4htm 
or #bjaie-;h4zip3                       
7https3_/_/www4gutenberg4org_/dirs_/#b_/
j_/a_/i_/bjaie_/bjaie-;h_/#bjaie-;h4htm7
       or                               
7https3_/_/www4gutenberg4org_/dirs_/#b_/
j_/a_/i_/bjaie_/bjaie-;h4zip7           
,transcriber's note3                    
,inconsistency in spelling and          
hyphenation is as in the original4      
,the ,artistic ,crafts ,series of       
,technical ,handbooks ,edited ,by ,w4   
,r4 ,lethaby  ,,wood-,,block ,,printing 
,a ,description of the ,craft of        
,woodcutting  ,colour ,printing ,based  
on the ,japanese ,practice  by  ,f4     
,,morley ,,fletcher  ,with ,drawings and
 ,illustrations by the ,author and ,a4  
,w4 ,seaby4 ,also ,collotype            
,reproductions of ,various ,examples of 
,printing1 and an ,original ,print      
,designed and ,cut by the ,author       
,printed by ,hand on ,japanese ,taper   
,illustration3 ,meadowsweet4 ,collotype 

reproduction of a woodblock print by the
 ,author4 7,frontispiece47    ,london   
,sir ,isaac ,pitman  ,sons1 ,ltd4       
,parker ,street1 ,kingsway1 ,w4,c4#b    
,bath1 ,melbourne1 ,toronto1 ,new ,york 
,printed ,by ,sir ,isaac ,pitman  ,sons1
 ,ltd4 ,bath1 ,england     ,,editor',s  
,,preface   ,in issuing these volumes of
 a series of ,handbooks on the ,artistic
 ,crafts1 it will be well to state what 
are our general aims4  ,in the first    
place1 we wish to provide trustworthy   
text-books of workshop practice1 from   
the points of view of experts who have  
critically examined the methods current 
in the shops1 and putting aside vain    
survivals1 are prepared to say what is  
good workmanship1 and to set up a       
standard of quality in the crafts which 
are more especially associated with     
design4 ,secondly1 in doing this1 we    
hope to treat design itself as an       
essential part of good workmanship4     
,during the last century most of the    
arts1 save painting and sculpture of an 

academic kind1 were little considered1  
and there was a tendency to look on     
design as a mere matter of appearance4  
,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         
production4 ,with the critical attention
 given to the crafts by ,ruskin and     
,morris1 it came to be seen that it was 
impossible to detach design from craft  
in this way1 and that1 in the widest    
sense1 true design is an inseparable    
element of good quality1 involving as it
 does the selection of good and suitable
 material1 contrivance for special      
purpose1 expert workmanship1 proper     
finish1 and so on1 far more than mere   
ornament1 and indeed1 that ornamentation
 itself was rather an exuberance of fine
 workmanship than a matter of merely    
abstract lines4 ,workmanship when       
separated by too wide a gulf from fresh 
thought--that is1 from                  

design--inevitably decays1 and1 on the  
other hand1 ornamentation1 divorced from
 workmanship1 is necessarily unreal1 and
 quickly falls into affectation4 ,proper
 ornamentation may be defined as a      
language addressed to the eye2 it is    
pleasant thought expressed in the speech
 of the tool4  ,in the third place1 we  
would have this series put artistic     
craftsmanship before people as          
furnishing reasonable occupations for   
those who would gain a livelihood4      
,although within the bounds of academic 
art1 the competition1 of its kind1 is so
 acute that only a very few per cent4   
can fairly hope to succeed as painters  
and sculptors2 yet1 as artistic         
craftsmen1 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 success4  ,in 
the blending of hand-work and thought in
 such arts as we propose to deal with1  
happy careers may be found as far       

removed from the dreary routine of hack 
labour as from the terrible uncertainty 
of academic art4 ,it is desirable in    
every way that men of good education    
should be brought back into the         
productive crafts3 there are more than  
enough of us in the city1 and it is     
probable that more consideration will be
 given in this century than in the last 
to ,design and ,workmanship4         99 
99       99       99       99  ,there   
are two common ways of studying old and 
foreign arts--the way of the connoisseur
 and the way of the craftsman4 ,the     
collector may value such arts for their 
strangeness and scarcity1 while the     
artist finds in them stimulus in his own
 work and hints for new developments4   
,the following account of               
colour-printing from wood-blocks is     
based on a study of the methods which   
were lately only practised in ,japan1   
but which at an earlier time were to    
some degree in use in ,europe also4 ,the
 main principles of the art1 indeed1    

were well known in the ,west long before
 colour prints were produced in ,japan1 
and there is some reason to suppose that
 the ,japanese may have founded their   
methods in imitating the prints taken   
from ,europe by missionaries4 ,major    
,strange says3 ,the ,european art of    
chiaroscuro engraving is in all         
essentials identical with that of       
,japanese colour-printing4444 ,it seems1
 therefore1 not vain to point out that  
the accidental sight of one of the      
,italian colour-prints may have         
suggested the process to the ,japanese4 
,the ,italians aimed more at expressing 
relief and the ,japanese at flat colour 
arrangements2 the former used oily      
colours1 and the latter fair distemper  
tints2 these are the chief differences4 
,both in the ,west and the ,east the    
design was cut on the plank surface of  
the wood with a knife2 not across the   
grain with a graver1 as is done in most 
modern wood engraving1 although large   
plank woodcuts were produced by ,walter 

,crane and ,herkomer1 about thirty years
 ago1 as posters4  ,the old woodcuts of 
the fifteenth century were produced as  
pictures as well as for the illustration
 of books2 frequently they were of      
considerable size4 ,often1 too1 they    
were coloured by stencil plates or      
freely by hand4  ,at the same time the  
printing in colour of letters and other 
simple devices in books from wood-blocks
 was done1 and a book printed at ,st4   
,albans in #adhf has many coats of arms 
printed in this way2 some of the shields
 having two or three different          
colours4#a  ,about the year #aejj a     
method of printing woodcuts in several  
flat tones was invented in ,germany and 
practised by ,lucas ,cranach and others4
 ,a fine print of ,adam and ,eve by     
,hans ,baldung in the ,victoria and     
,albert ,museum has1 besides the bold   
black drawing1 an over-tint printed in  
warm brown out of which sharp high      
lights are cut2 the print is thus in    
three tones4  #a ,see ,r4 ,m4 ,burch1   

,colour ,printing1 #aijj4  ,ugo da      
,carpo 7c4 #adhj-aecj7 working in       
,venice1 introduced this new type of    
tone woodcut into ,italy2 indeed1 he    
claimed to be the inventor of the       
method4 ,this was called chiaroscuro1 a 
name still given to it1 and was1 in     
fact1 a simple form of our modern chromo
 printing4 ,his woodcuts are in a       
simple1 vigorous style2 one of them     
after ,raphael's ,death of ,ananias1    
printed in brown1 has a depth and       
brilliancy which may remind us of the   
mezzo-tints of ,turner's ,liber         
,studiorum4 ,this is proudly signed1    
,per ,ugo da ,carpo1 and some copies are
 said to be dated #aeah4  ,andrea       
,andreani 7c4 #aefj-afbc71 a better     
known but not a better artist1 produced 
a great number of these tone woodcuts4  
,several prints after ,mantegna's       
,triumphs of ,caesar have a special     
charm from the beauty of the originals2 
they are printed in three tints of grey 
besides the drawing2 the palest of these

 tints covers the surface1 except for   
high lights cut out of it4 ,a fine print
 of a ,holy ,family1 about #aex#ah      
inches1 has a middle tone of fair blue  
and a shadow tint of full rich green4   
,copies of two immense woodcuts at the  
,victoria and ,albert ,museum1 of       
,biblical subjects1 seem to have been   
seems to cramp the hand and injure the  
eyes of all but the most gifted         
draughtsmen4 ,it is desirable to        
cultivate the ability to seize and      
record the map-form of any object       
rapidly and correctly4 ,some practice in
 elementary colour-printing would       
certainly be of general usefulness1 and 
simpler exercises may be contrived by   
cutting out with scissors and laying    
down shapes in black or coloured papers 
unaided by any pattern4  ,finally1 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 abeyance1 and that it   

too may have another day4               
,w4 ,r4 ,,lethaby4   ,september #aiaf4  
,,author',s ,,note   ,this little book  
gives an account of one of the primitive
 crafts1 in the practice of which only  
the simplest tools and materials are    
used4 ,their method of use may serve as 
a means of expression for               
artist-craftsmen1 or may be studied in  
preparation for1 or as a guide towards1 
more elaborate work in printing1 of     
which the main principles may be seen   
most clearly in their application in the
 primitive craft4  ,in these days the   
need for reference to primitive         
handicrafts has not ceased with the     
advent of the machine4 ,the best        
achievements of hand-work will always be
 the standards for reference2 and on    
their study must machine craft be based4
 ,the machine can only increase the     
power and scale of the crafts that have 
already been perfected by hand-work4    
,their principles1 and the art of their 
design1 do not alter under the machine4 

,if the machine disregards these its    
work becomes base4 ,and it is under the 
simple conditions of a handicraft that  
the principles of an art can be most    
clearly experienced4  ,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 craftsmanship1 and
 shows the influence of their study4    
,the series of which this book is a part
 stands for the principles and the      
spirit of the classic examples4 ,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   
writer4 ,if the book contributes even a 
little toward the usefulness of the     
series the experiments which are        
recorded here will have been well worth 
while4  ,to my friend ,mr4 ,j4 ,d4      
,batten is due all the credit of the    
initial work4 ,he began the search for a

 pure style of colour-printing1 and most
 generously supported and encouraged my 
own experiments in the ,japanese method4
  ,to my old colleague ,mr4 ,a4 ,w4     
,seaby ,i would also express my         
indebtedness for his kind help and      
advice4                                 
,f4 ,m4 ,f4    ,,edinburgh ,,college    
,,of ,,art1       ,september #aiaf4     
,,contents     ,,chapter ,i             
,,page    ,introduction and ,description
 of the ,origins of   ,wood-block       
,printing--,its ,uses for ,personal     
,artistic ,expression1 for ,reproduction
 of   ,decorative ,designs1 and as a    
,fundamental   ,training for ,student of
 ,printed ,decoration                   
#a     ,,chapter ,,ii    ,general       
,description of the ,operation of       
,printing   from a ,set of ,blocks      
#i     ,,chapter ,,iii    ,description  
of the ,materials and ,tools required   
for ,block ,cutting                     
#ag     ,,chapter ,,iv    ,block        
,cutting and the ,planning of ,blocks   

#bc     ,,chapter ,v    ,preparation of 
,paper1 ,ink1 ,colour1 and ,paste for   
,printing                               
#dg     ,,chapter ,,vi    ,detailed     
,method of ,printing--,the ,printing    
,tools1 ,baren and ,brushes             
#fa     ,,chapter ,,vii    ,principles  
and ,main ,considerations in ,designing 
,wood-block ,prints--,their ,application
 to   ,modern ,colour ,printing         
#ha     ,,chapter ,,viii                
,co-operative ,printing                 
#hi     ,,appendix    ,prints and       
,collotype ,plates                      
#id    ,books of ,reference             
#abi    ,,index                         
#acj       ,,illustrations     ,,fig4   
,,page    #a4 ,,plan ,,of ,,work-,,table
                                        
#aa    #b4 ,,block ,,mounted ,,with     
,,cross ,,ends ,,to   ,,prevent         
,,warping                               
#ah    #c4 ,,drawing ,,of ,,the ,,knife 
#ai    #d4 ,,sizes ,,of ,,chisels       
#bj    #e4 ,,short ,,chisel ,,in ,,split

 ,,handle                            #ba
    #f4 ,,mallet                        
#ba    #g4 ,,position ,,of ,,the ,,hands
 ,,in ,,using ,,the   ,,knife           
#cj    #h4 ,,another ,,position ,,of    
,,the ,,hands ,,in ,,using ,,the ,,knife
        #ca    #i4 ,,knife ,,cuts ,,in  
,,section                               
#cc    #aj4 ,,diagram ,,of ,,knife      
,,cuts                                  
#cc    #aa4 ,,method ,,of ,,holding     
,,gouge                                 
#ce    #ab4 ,,clearing ,,of ,,wood      
,,between ,,knife ,,cuts                
#ce    #ac4 ,,position ,,of ,,register  
,,marks                             #cg 
#ad4 ,,register ,,marks                 
#cg    #ae4 ,,register ,,marks          
7,,section ,,of7                        
#ch    #af4 ,,section ,,of              
,,colour-,,block                        
#db    #ag4 ,,drawing ,,of ,,sizing ,,of
 ,,paper                             #di
    #ah4 ,,cork ,,of ,,ink-,,bottle     
,,with ,,wad ,,for ,,preservative       

#ef    #ai4 ,,method ,,of               
,,re-,,covering ,,baren                 
#fd    #bj4 ,,drawing ,,of ,,brushes    
#ff    #ba4 ,,manner ,,of ,,holding     
,,the ,,paper                           
#gj    #bb4 ,,manner ,,of ,,using ,,the 
,,baren                              #gb
     ,,collotype ,,plates     #a4       
,,meadowsweet4 ,,reproduction ,,of ,a   
,,wood-,,block      ,,print ,,by ,,the  
,,author                                
,frontispiece    #b4 ,,key-,,block ,,of 
,a ,,print ,,drawn ,,and ,,cut      ,,by
 ,,the ,,author                         
#e    #c4 ,,the ,,baren1 ,,or ,,printing
 ,,pad                              #ab 
#d4 ,,colour-,,block ,,of ,a ,,print    
,,of ,,which ,,the      ,,key-,,block   
,,is ,,shown ,,at ,p4 #e                
#bc    #e4 ,,impression 7,,nearly       
,,actual ,,size7 ,,or ,a      ,,portion 
,,of ,a ,,japanese ,,wood ,,block       
,,showing ,,great ,,variety ,,in ,,the  
,,character ,,of ,,the ,,lines ,,and    
,,spots      ,,suggesting ,,form        

#bf    #f4 ,,reproduction ,,of ,,an     
,,impression 7,,reduced7      ,,of ,,the
 ,,key-,,block ,,of ,a ,,japanese       
,,print      ,,showing ,,admirable      
,,variety ,,in ,,the      ,,means ,,used
 ,,to ,,suggest ,,form                  
#cc    #g4 ,,portion ,,of ,,detail      
,,from ,a ,,japanese      ,,wood ,,block
                                        
#dh     ,,appendix                      
,,page    #h4 ,,wood-,,block ,,print    
,,by ,,the ,,author                     
#ie    #i4 ,,first ,,printing           
7,collotype reproduction7               
#ih    #aj4 ,,second ,,printing         
#ajj    #aa4 ,,third ,,printing         
#ajb    #ab4 ,,fourth ,,printing        
#ajd    #ac4 ,,fifth ,,printing         
#aje    #ad4 ,,sixth ,,printing         
#ajg    #ae4 ,,eighth ,,printing        
#aji    #af4 ,,collotype ,,reproduction 
,,of ,a ,,colour       ,,print ,,by     
,,hiroshige                             
#aaa    #ag4 ,,collotype ,,reproduction 
,,of ,a ,,portion       ,,of ,,the      

,,print ,,shown ,,on ,,the ,,preceding  
,,page1 ,,actual ,,size1 ,,showing ,,the
 ,,treatment       ,,of ,,the ,,foliage 
,,and ,,the ,,expressive       ,,drawing
 ,,of ,,the ,,tree-,,trunk ,,and ,,stems
                    #aad    #ah4        
,,collotype ,,reproduction ,,of         
,,another       ,,portion ,,of ,,the    
,,print ,,shown ,,on ,p4 #aaa           
,,actual ,,size1 ,,showing ,,the        
,,expressive       ,,use ,,of ,,line    
,,in ,,the ,,drawing ,,of ,,the         
,,distant ,,forms                       
#aaf    #ai4 ,,collotype ,,reproduction 
,,of ,a ,,colour       ,,print ,,by     
,,hiroshige                             
#aah    #bj4 ,,collotype ,,reproduction 
,,of ,a ,,portion       7,,actual       
,,size7 ,,of ,,the ,,print ,,on ,,the   
,,preceding ,,page1 ,,showing           
,,treatment       ,,of ,,tree ,,forms   
,,and ,,distance                        
#abj    #ba4 ,,collotype ,,reproduction 
,,of ,a ,,colour       ,,print ,,by     
,,hiroshige                             

#aba    #bb4 ,,collotype ,,reproduction 
,,of ,a ,,portion1       ,,actual       
,,size1 ,,of ,,the ,,print ,,on ,,the   
,,preceding ,,page1 ,,showing           
,,treatment       ,,of ,,tree ,,and     
,,blossom                               
#abc    #bc4 ,,the ,,tiger4 ,,collotype 
,,reproduction       ,,of ,a ,,colour   
,,print ,,by ,j4 ,d4 ,,batten           
#abe    #bd4 ,,lapwings4 ,,collotype    
,,reproduction ,,of       ,a ,,colour   
,,print ,,by ,a4 ,w4 ,,seaby            
#abg       ,,errata     ,page           
#fb4--;,for bamboo-sheath read bamboo   
leaf4        #fc4--;,in last paragraph1 
delete the inside of4                   
#fd4--,third line from bottom1 after    
occasionally             insert when    
printing4     ,,wood-,,block ,,printing 
,,by ,,the  ,,japanese ,,method         
,,chapter ,i   ,,introductory           
,introduction and ,description of the   
,origins of ,wood-block ,printing2      
its uses for personal artistic          
expression1 for reproduction of         

decorative designs1 and as a fundamental
 training for students of      printed  
decoration4  ,the few wood-block prints 
shown from time to time by the ,society 
of ,graver ,printers in ,colour1 and the
 occasional appearance of a wood-block  
print in the ,graver ,section of the    
,international ,society's ,exhibitions1 
or in those of the ,society of ,arts and
 ,crafts1 are the outcome of the        
experiments of a small group of ,english
 artists in making prints by the        
,japanese method1 or by methods based on
 the ,japanese practice4  ,my interest  
was first drawn in #ahig to experiments 
that were being made by ,mr4 ,j4 ,d4    
,batten1 who for two years previously   
had attempted1 and partially succeeded  
in making1 a print from wood and metal  
blocks with colour mixed with glycerine 
and dextrine1 the glycerine being       
afterwards removed by washing the prints
 in alcohol4 ,as the ,japanese method   
seemed to promise greater advantages and
 simplicity1 we began experiments       

together1 using as our text-book the    
pamphlet by ,t4 ,tokuno1 published by   
the ,smithsonian ,institution1          
,washington1 and the dextrine and       
glycerine method was soon abandoned4    
,the edition of prints1 however1 of ,eve
 and the ,serpent designed by ,j4 ,d4   
,batten1 printed by myself and published
 at that time1 was produced partly by   
the earlier method and partly in the    
simpler ,japanese way4  ,familiar as    
everyone is with ,japanese prints1 it is
 not generally known that they are      
produced by means of an extremely simple
 craft4 ,no machinery is required1 but  
only a few tools for cutting the designs
 on the surface of the planks of cherry 
wood from which the impressions are     
taken4 ,no press is used1 but a round   
flat pad1 which is rubbed on the back of
 the print as it lies on the blocks4    
,the colours are mixed with water and   
paste made from rice flour4 ,the details
 of the craft and photographs of the    
tools were given in full in the         

,smithsonian ,institution pamphlet      
already mentioned4  ,it is slow and     
unsatisfactory work1 however1 learning  
manipulation from a book1 and several   
technical difficulties that seemed      
insurmountable were made clear by the   
chance discovery in ,london of a        
,japanese printseller who1 although not 
a printer1 was sufficiently familiar    
with the work to give some invaluable   
hints and demonstrations4  ,further     
encouragement was given to the work by  
the institution1 a little later1 of a   
class in wood-cuts in colour under my   
charge1 at the ,l4,c4,c4 ,central       
,school of ,arts and ,crafts1 which for 
several years became the chief centre of
 the movement4  ,such are the bare      
historical facts of the development in  
our country of this craft imported from 
the ,far ,east4  ,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 reproduction1   

which modern mechanical methods have    
long superseded1 even in the land of its
 invention2 and that to study so limited
 a mode of expression would be hardly of
 any practical value to an artist4      
,moreover1 the craft is under the       
disadvantage that all the stages of the 
work1 from making the first design to   
taking the final impressions1 must be   
done by the artist himself--work which  
includes the delicate cutting of line   
and planning of colour blocks1 and the  
preparation of colour and paper4 ,in    
,japan there were trained craftsmen     
expert in each of these branches of the 
craft1 and each carried out his part    
under the supervision of the artist4 ,no
 part but the design was done by him4   
,so that the very character of the work 
has an essential difference4 ,under our 
present conditions the artist must      
undertake the whole craft1 with all its 
detail4  ,illustration3 ,plate          
,,ii4--,key-block of the print shown on 
the frontispiece4  7,the portion of wood

 lying outside the points of the mass of
 foliage is left standing to support the
 paper1 but is not inked in printing47  
7,to face page #e47  ,simple as the     
process is1 there is1 from first to     
last1 a long labour involved in         
planning1 cutting and printing1 before a
 satisfactory batch of prints is        
produced4 ,after several attempts in    
delegating printing to well-trained     
pupils ,i have found it impossible to   
obtain the best results by that means1  
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 craftsmen4  ,a larger 
demand for the prints might bring about 
a commercial development of the work1   
and the consequent employment of trained
 craftsmen or craftswomen1 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 work4  ,the  
actual value of wood-block prints for   

use as decoration is a matter of        
personal taste and experience4  ,in my  
own opinion there is an element that    
always remains foreign in the prints of 
the ,japanese masters1 yet ,i know of no
 other kind of art that has the same    
telling value on a wall1 or the same    
decorative charm in modern domestic     
rooms as the wood-block print4 ,a single
 print well placed in a room of quiet   
colour will enrich and dominate a whole 
wall4  ,the modern vogue still favours  
more expensive although less decorative 
forms of art1 or works of reproduction  
without colour1 yet here is an art      
available to all who care for expressive
 design and colour1 and within the means
 of the large public to whom the cost of
 pictures is prohibitive4 ,in its       
possibility as a decorative means of    
expression well suited to our modern    
needs and uses1 and in the particular   
charm that colour has when printed from 
wood on a paper that is beautiful       
already by its own quality1 there is no 

doubt of the scope and opportunity      
offered by this art4  ,but as with new  
wine and old bottles1 a new condition of
 simplicity in furniture and of pure    
colour in decoration must first be      
established4 ,a wood-block print will   
not tell well amid a wilderness of      
bric-a-brac or on a gaudy wall-paper4   
,from another and quite different point 
of view1 the art of block-cutting and   
colour-printing has1 however1 a special 
and important value4 ,to any student of 
pictorial art1 especially to any who may
 wish to design for modern printed      
decoration1 no work gives such          
instruction in economy of design1 in the
 resources of line and its expressive   
development1 and in the use and         
behaviour of colour4 ,this has been the 
expressed opinion of many who have      
undertaken a course of wood-block       
printing for this object alone4  ,the   
same opinion is emphatically stated by  
,professor ,emil ,orlik1 whose prints   
are well known in modern exhibitions4   

,on the occasion of a visit to the      
,kunstgewerbeschule of ,berlin1 ,i found
 him conducting a class for designers   
for printed decoration1 in which the    
,japanese craft of block-printing was   
made the basis of their training4 ,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 depend1 yet
 which cannot be learnt except by       
recourse to simpler conditions and more 
narrow limitations before dealing with  
the greater scope of the machine4  ,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 expression1 there is no
 doubt of its effect and usefulness in  
training students to design with economy
 and simplicity for modern printing     
processes4     ,,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 result4 ,for this reason 
it is often an advantage to begin at the
 end4  ,to see a few impressions taken  
from a set of blocks in colour printing1
 or to print them oneself1 gives the    
best possible idea of the quality and   
essential character of print-making4 ,so
 also in describing the work it will    
perhaps tend to make the various stages 
clearer if the final act of printing is 
first explained4  ,the most striking    
characteristic of this craft is the     
primitive simplicity of the act of      
printing4 ,no press is required1 and no 
machinery4  ,a block is laid flat on the
 table with its cut surface uppermost1  
and is kept steady by a small wad of    
damp paper placed under each corner4 ,a 
pile of paper slightly damped ready for 
printing lies within reach just beyond  
the wood-block1 so that the printer may 
easily lift the paper sheet by sheet on 
to the block as it is required4  ,it is 

the practice in ,japan to work squatting
 on the floor1 with the blocks and tools
 also on the floor in front of the      
craftsman4 ,our own habit of working at 
a table is less simple1 but has some    
advantages4 ,one practice or habit of   
the ,japanese is1 however1 to be        
followed with particular care4 ,no      
description can give quite fully the    
sense of extreme orderliness and careful
 deliberation of their work4 ,everything
 is placed where it will be most        
convenient for use1 and this orderliness
 is preserved throughout the day's work4
 ,their shapely tools and vessels are   
handled with a deftness that shames our 
clumsy ways1 and everything that they   
use is kept quite clean4 ,this skilful  
orderliness is essential to fine        
craftmanship1 and is a sign of mastery4 
,the arrangement of tools and vessels on
 a work-table may be as the accompanying
 plan shows3  ,illustration3 ,,fig4     
#a4--,plan of work-table4    ,a4 ,block4
   ,b4 ,sheets of damped paper lying on 

a board4   ,c4 ,second board lifted from
 ,b4   ,d4 ,brushes lying on a strip of 
wood4   ,e4 ,white plate or dish        
containing colour4   ,f4 ,saucer        
containing paste of rice-flour4   ,g4   
,baren1 or printing pad1 lying on a     
sheet of paper   slightly oiled with    
sweet oil and tacked to   the table4    
,h4 ,deep bowl of water and brush for   
moistening   the damping sheets4   ,i4  
,saucer of water for use in printing4   
,j4 ,sponge4  ,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 done4 ,if
 the block ,a is quite dry1 it is       
thoroughly moistened with a damp sponge 
and wiped4 ,the colour from a saucer1   
,e1 is then brushed over the printing   
surface thinly1 and a trace of paste    
taken from ,f is also brushed into the  
colour4 7,this is best done after the   
colour is roughly spread on the block47 
,the brush is laid down in its place1   

,d1 and the top sheet of paper from the 
pile is immediately lifted to its       
register marks 7notches to keep the     
paper in its place7 on the block4 ,the  
manner of holding the paper is shown on 
page #gj4 ,this must be done deftly1 and
 it is important to waste no time1 as   
the colour would soon dry on the exposed
 block and print badly4  ,pressure is   
then applied to the back of the paper as
 it lies on the wet block4 ,this is done
 by a round pad called the baren by the 
,japanese4 ,it is made of a coil of cord
 covered by bamboo sheath as shown later
 on page #fb4 ,the pad is rubbed by hand
 with considerable pressure1 moving     
transversely forwards and backwards     
across the block1 working from the left 
to the right4 ,once all over the block  
should be enough4 ,the paper is then    
lifted off and laid face upwards on the 
board at ,c4 ,the block is then         
re-charged with colour for another      
impression1 and the whole operation     
repeated as many times as there are     

sheets to be printed4  ,illustration3   
,plate ,,iii4 ,the ,baren1 or printing  
pad4  7,the pad is actually #e inches in
 diameter47  7,to face page #ab47  ,when
 this is done all the sheets will have  
received a single impression1 which may 
be either a patch of colour or an       
impression in line of part of the design
 of the print4 ,the block ,a is then    
removed1 cleaned1 and put away2 and the 
block for the second impression put in  
its place4  ,it is usual to print the   
line or key-block of a design first1 as 
one is then able to detect faulty       
registering or imperfect fitting of the 
blocks and to correct them at once4 ,but
 there are cases in which a gradated    
tone1 such as a sky1 may need to be     
printed before the line block4  ,the    
complete design of a print may require  
several blocks for colour as well as the
 key block which prints the line4 ,the  
impressions from all these blocks may be
 printed one after another without      
waiting for the colour on the paper to  

dry4  ,as soon as the batch of damped   
sheets has been passed over the first   
block1 the sheets are replaced at ,b    
between boards1 and1 if necessary1      
damped again by means of damping sheets 
7as described later in ,chapter ,v7     
ready for the next impression1 which may
 be proceeded with at once without fear 
of the colour running4 ,it is a         
remarkable fact that patches of wet     
colour which touch one another do not   
run if properly printed4  ,for the      
second printing fresh colour is prepared
 and clean paste1 and the printing      
proceeds as already described1 care     
being taken to watch the proper         
registering or fitting of each          
impression to its place in the design4  
,there are many niceties and details to 
be observed in the printing of both line
 and colour blocks4 ,these are given in 
special chapters following4 ,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 described4     ,,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 ,england4 ,the 
,canadian cherry wood1 which is more    
easily obtained than ,english cherry1 is
 of too open a grain to be of use4 ,the 
more slowly grown ,english wood has a   
closer grain and is the best for all the
 purposes of block cutting and printing4
 ,well-seasoned planks should be        
obtained and kept ready for cutting up  
as may be required4  ,when a set of     
blocks is to be cut for a given design1 
the size of the printing surface of each
 block should be made equal to the size 
of the design plus #a inch or1 for large
 prints1 #a-a_/b inch in addition long  
ways1 and #a_/d or #a_/b inch crossways4
 ,the thickness of the plank need not be
 more than #e_/h or #c_/d inch4 ,it is  

best for the protection of the surfaces 
of the printing blocks and to prevent   
warping1 also for convenience in storing
 and handling them1 to fix across each  
end a piece of wood slightly thicker    
than the plank itself4 ,these cross-ends
 should be mounted as shown in fig4 #b4 
,illustration3 ,,fig4 #b4--;,block      
mounted with cross ends to prevent      
warping4  ,both surfaces of the plank   
should be planed smooth and then        
finished with a steel scraper1 but not  
touched with sand-paper4  ,it is        
understood that the face of the plank is
 used for the printing surface1 and not 
the end of the grain as in blocks for   
modern wood engraving4  ,the tools      
needed for cutting the blocks are the   
following3  #a4 ,,the ,,knife           
,illustration3 ,,fig4 #c4--;,drawing of 
the knife4  ,with this knife the most   
important and delicate work is done4    
,all the lines of the key-block as well 
as the boundaries of the colour masses  
are cut with it1 before the removal of  

intervening spaces4  ,the blade lies in 
a slot and is held tight by the tapered 
ferrule4 ,this can be pulled off by hand
 and the blade lengthened by pulling it 
forward in the slot4  #b4 ,,chisels     
,these are used for removing the wood   
between the cut lines or colour masses1 
and should be ordinary carvers' chisels 
of the following sizes3  ,illustration3 
,,fig4 #d4--,sizes of chisels4  except  
those under ,no4 #i1 which are          
short-handled chisels for small work4   
,the ,japanese toolmakers fit these     
small chisels into a split handle as    
shown in fig4 #e4 ,the blade is held    
tightly in its place by the tapered     
ferrule when the handle is closed1 or   
can be lengthened by opening the handle 
and pulling forward the blade in its    
slot4 ,in this way the blade can be used
 down to its last inch4  #c4 ,,mallet   
,this is needed for driving the larger  
chisels4  ,illustration3 ,,fig4         
#e4--,short chisel in split handle4     
,illustration3 ,,fig4 #f4--,mallet4     

,these are all the tools that are needed
 for block cutting4 ,for keeping them in
 order it is well to have oilstones of  
three grades3  #a4 ,a carborundum stone 
for rapidly re-covering the shape of a  
chipped or blunt tool4  #b4 ,a good     
ordinary oil stone4  #c4 ,a hard stone  
for keeping a fine edge on the knife in 
cutting line blocks4 ,the ,american     
,washita stone is good for this purpose4
  ,illustration3 ,plate ,,iv4 ,colour   
block of a print of which the key-block 
is shown on page #e4  7,to face page    
#bc47     ,,chapter ,,iv        ,block  
,cutting and the ,planning of ,blocks   
,the cutting of a line block needs      
patience and care and skill1 but it is  
not the most difficult part of print    
making1 nor is it so hopeless an        
enterprise as it seems at first to one  
who has not tried to use the            
block-cutter's knife4  ,in ,japan this  
work is a highly specialised craft1     
never undertaken by the artist himself1 
but carried out by skilled craftsmen who

 only do this part of the work of making
 colour prints4 ,even the clearing of   
the spaces between the cut lines is done
 by assistant craftsmen or craftswomen4 
,the exquisite perfection of the cutting
 of the lines in the finest of the      
,japanese prints1 as1 for instance1 the 
profile of a face in a design by        
,outamaro1 has required the special     
training and tradition of generations of
 craftsmen4  ,the knife1 however1 is not
 a difficult weapon to an artist who has
 hands and a trained sense of form4 ,in 
carrying out his own work1 moreover1 he 
may express a quality that is of greater
 value even than technical perfection4  
,at present we have no craftsmen ready  
for this work--nor could our designs be 
safely trusted to the interpretation of 
,japanese block-cutters4 ,until we train
 craftsmen among ourselves we must      
therefore continue to cut our own       
blocks4   ,,cutting  ,a set of blocks   
consists of a key-block and several     
colour blocks4 ,the block that must be  

cut first is that which prints the line 
or key of the design4 ,by means of      
impressions from this key-block the     
various other blocks for printing the   
coloured portions of the design are cut4
 ,the key-block is the most important of
 the set of blocks and contains the     
essential part of the design4  ,a       
drawing of that part of the design which
 is to be cut on the key-block should   
first be made4 ,this is done on the     
thinnest of ,japanese tissue paper in   
black indelible ink4 ,the drawing is    
then pasted face downward on the        
prepared first block with good starch   
paste4 ,it is best to lay the drawing   
flat on its back upon a pad of a few    
sheets of paper of about the same size1 
and to rub the paste on the surface of  
the block1 not on the paper4 ,the block 
is now laid down firmly with its pasted 
side on the drawing1 which at once      
adheres to the block4 ,next turn the    
block over and lay a dry sheet of paper 
over the damp drawing so as to protect  

it1 and with the baren1 or printing     
rubber1 rub the drawing flat1 and well  
on to the block all over4  ,the drawing 
should then be allowed to dry thoroughly
 on the block4  ,with regard to the     
design of the key block1 it is a common 
mistake to treat this as a drawing only 
of outlines of the forms of the print4  
,much modern so-called decorative       
printing has been weak in this respect4 
,a flat1 characterless line1 with no    
more expression than a bent gaspipe1 is 
often printed round the forms of a      
design1 followed by printings of flat   
colour1 the whole resulting in a        
travesty of flat decorative treatment4  
,the key design should be a skeleton of 
all the forms of a print1 expressing    
much more than mere exterior boundaries4
 ,it may so suggest form that although  
the colour be printed by a flat tint the
 result is not flat4 ,when one is       
unconscious of any flatness in the final
 effect1 though the result is obtained  
by flat printing1 then the proper use of

 flat treatment has been made4 ,the     
affectation of flatness in inferior     
colour printing and poster work is due  
to a misapprehension of the true        
principle of flat treatment4            
,illustration3 ,plate ,v4 ,impression   
7nearly actual size7 of a portion of a  
,japanese wood block showing great      
variety in the character of the lines   
and spots suggesting form4  7,to face   
page #bf47  ,as an illustration of the  
great variety of form that may be       
expressed by the key-block1 a           
reproduction is given 7page #cc7 of an  
impression from a ,japanese key-block4  
,it will be seen that the lines and     
spots express much more than boundaries 
of form4 ,in the case of the lighter    
tree foliage the boundaries are left to 
be determined entirely by the subsequent
 colour blocks1 and only the interior   
form or character of the foliage is     
suggested4 ,the quality or kind of line1
 too1 varies with the thing expressed1  
whether tree1 rock1 sea1 or the little  

ship4 ,the design1 too1 is in itself    
beautiful and gives the essential form  
of the entire print4  ,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   
lines1 spots1 and masses of one uniform 
tint of black or grey4 ,the development 
of this kind of expressive drawing is   
most important to the designer of       
printed decoration1 whether by wood     
blocks1 or lithography1 or any other    
printing process4  ,other good types of 
drawing for the purposes of key-blocks  
in wood are given on ,plate ,v facing   
page #bf and ,plate ,,xvi p4 iii in     
,appendix4  ,when the key-block with its
 design pasted upon it is thoroughly    
dry1 a little sweet oil should be rubbed
 with the finger at that part where the 
cutting is to begin1 so as to make the  
paper transparent and the black line    
quite clear4  ,in order to keep the     
block from moving on the work-table1    

there should be fixed one or two strips 
of wood screwed down1 to act as stops in
 case the block tends to slip1 but the  
block should lie freely on the table1 so
 that it may be easily turned round     
during the cutting when necessary4 ,one 
should1 however1 learn to use the       
cutting knife in all directions1 and to 
move the block as little as possible4   
,the knife is held and guided by the    
right hand1 but is pushed along by the  
middle finger of the left hand placed at
 the back of the blade1 close down near 
the point4 ,the left hand should be     
generally flat on the work-table1 palm  
down1 and the nail of the middle finger 
must be kept short4 ,this position is   
shown 7fig4 #g7 on p4 #cj4  ,the flat   
side of the knife should always be      
against the line to be cut4  ,sometimes 
it is convenient to drive the knife from
 right to left1 but in this case the    
pressure is given by the right hand1 and
 the left middle finger is used to check
 and steady the knife1 the finger being 

pressed against the knife just above the
 cutting edge4  ,a good position for    
cutting a long straight line towards    
oneself on the block is shown below     
7fig4 #h74 ,the left hand is on its     
side1 and the middle finger is hooked   
round and pulls the knife while the     
right hand guides it4  ,in all cases the
 middle finger of the left hand pushes  
or steadies the knife1 or acts as a     
fulcrum4  ,illustration3 ,,fig4         
#g4--,position of the hands in using the
 knife4  ,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 blade1 where it loses
 its control4 ,the finger should be as  
close down to the wood as possible1     
where its control is most effective4 ,a 
small piece of india-rubber tubing round
 the knife blade helps to protect the   
finger4  ,illustration3 ,,fig4          
#h4--;,another position of the hands in 
using the knife4  ,with practice the    
knife soon becomes an easy and a very   

precise tool1 capable of great          
expressiveness in drawing4 ,bear in mind
 that both sides of a line are drawn by 
the knife4 ,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 prints4 ,the line may be 
of varying form1 changing from          
silhouette to pure line as may best     
serve to express the design4 ,it should 
never be a mere diagram4  ,illustration3
 ,plate ,,vi4 ,reproduction of an       
impression 7reduced7 of the key-block of
 a ,japanese print showing admirable    
variety in the means used to suggest    
form4  7,to face page #cc47  ,the actual
 cutting proceeds as follows3 ,starting 
at some point where the surface of the  
key-block design has been oiled and made
 distinct1 a shallow cut is made along  
one side of any form in the design1 with
 the knife held slanting so that the cut
 slants away from the edge of the form4 
,a second outer parallel cut is then    

made with the knife held slanting in the
 opposite direction from the first1 so  
that the two cuts together make a       
,v-shaped trench all along the line of  
the form4 ,the little strip of wood cut 
out should detach itself as the second  
cut is made1 and should not need any    
picking out or further cutting if the   
first two cuts are cleanly made4 ,this  
shallow ,v-shaped trench is continued   
all round the masses and along both     
sides of all the lines of the design4   
,no clearing of the intervening spaces  
should be attempted until this is done4 
,it will be seen at once that the       
,v-shaped cuts give great strength to   
the printing lines1 so that a quite fine
 line between two cuts may have a       
strong1 broad base 7fig4 #i74 ,the depth
 of the cut would be slightly shallower 
than that shown in this diagram4 ,in    
cutting fine line work a cut is first   
made a little beyond the line1 then the 
cut is made on the line itself 7fig4    
#aj74  ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #i4--,knife

 cuts in section4  ,illustration3 ,,fig4
 #aj4--;,diagram of knife cuts4  ,where 
a very fine line is to be cut1          
especially if it is on a curve1 the     
outer cut of the ,v trench should be    
made first1 and then that which touches 
the line3 there is thus less disturbance
 of the wood1 and less danger of        
injuring the edge of the line4  ,when   
the ,v cut has been made outside all the
 lines1 one proceeds to clear the       
intervening spaces between the lines of 
the design by taking tool ,no4 #a 7fig4 
#e74 ,the large spaces should be cleared
 first4 ,the safest and quickest way is 
to make a small gouge cut with ,no4 #a  
round all the large spaces close up to  
the first cut1 then1 with one of the    
shallower chisels1 ,nos4 #e1 #f1 or #g  
7fig4 #e71 and the mallet1 clear out the
 wood between the gouge cuts4  ,for all 
shallow cuts where the mallet is not    
needed1 the ,japanese hold the chisels  
as shown in fig4 #aa4 ,with practice    
this will be found a very convenient and

 steady grip for the right hand4 ,it has
 also the advantage that the chisel can 
be held against the centre of the body  
and exactly under one's eyes4  ,in the  
diagram 7fig4 #ab71 if the wood from ,a 
to ,a#a is to be cleared away1 gouge    
cuts are made at b and b#a1 then the    
space between b and b#a may be quickly  
cleared without risk to the edge of the 
form at ,a4 ,when this rough work is    
done the little ridge between ,a and b  
may be cleared with small round or flat 
tools1 as is most convenient4 ,but this 
final clearing should not be done until 
all the large spaces are roughed out4   
,illustration3 ,,fig4 #aa4--,method of  
holding gouge4  ,illustration3 ,,fig4   
#ab4--;,clearing of wood between knife  
cuts4  ,the depth to which the spaces   
must be cleared will depend on their    
width1 as1 in printing1 the paper will  
sag more deeply in a wide space than in 
a narrow one4 ,in spaces of half an inch
 the depth of the first ,v-cuts is      
sufficient1 but the proportionate depth 

is about that of the diagram above4 ,the
 small spaces are cleared by means of   
small flat or round chisels without the 
mallet or the preliminary gouge cut3    
this is only needed where a large space 
has to be cleared4  ,there remain now   
only the placing and cutting of the two 
register marks or notches for           
controlling the position of the paper in
 printing4  ,these are placed relatively
 to the design as shown in fig4 #ac4    
,the corner of the print fits into the  
notch at ,a1 and one edge of the print  
lies against the straight notch at ,b4  
,the register marks may be even closer  
to the space covered by the design1 but 
must not actually touch it1 as some     
margin of paper is necessary in         
printing3 they should also be cut always
 on the long side of the printing block4
 ,it will be seen from the drawing on   
page #gj that these register marks      
correspond to the position of the thumb 
of each hand in laying the paper on the 
block for printing4  ,illustration3     

,,fig4 #ac4--,position of register      
marks4  ,illustration3 ,,fig4           
#ad4--,register marks4  ,the corner     
mark1 ,,abc1 is made by cutting from ,a 
to ,b and ,b to ,c1 with the knife held 
perpendicularly1 and its flat side      
against the line1 then the shaded       
portion is cut with a flat chisel1      
sloping from the surface of the block at
 ,,ac to a depth of about #a_/af inch   
along ,,ab and ,,bc4 ,the straight      
notch1 ,,ef1 is similarly cut1 first    
with a perpendicular knife along ,,ef1  
and then the shaded portion is chiselled
 sloping down to the line ,,ef4         
,illustration3 ,,fig4 #ae4--,register   
marks 7section of74  ,in section the two
 register marks would be as above4  ,the
 register marks must be smoothly and    
evenly cut so that the paper1 in        
printing1 may slide easily home to its  
exact place4  ,when the design of the   
key-block and the two register marks    
have been cut and cleared1 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 water4  
,the block is then finished and ready   
for use4 ,the key-block1 however1 is    
only one of the set of blocks required  
for a print in colour1 but the colour   
blocks are simpler and require1 as a    
rule1 far less labour4  ,the colour     
blocks are planned and established by   
means of impressions taken from the     
key-block4 ,for this purpose the        
register marks are inked#b for printing 
as well as the design on the block1 and 
the impressions must include both4      
,these impressions are taken on thin    
,japanese paper1 but not necessarily the
 thinnest tissue4 ,if the thinnest is   
used1 it should be pasted at the corners
 to a sheet of stiffer paper for        
convenience in handling4  #b ,the       
preparation of the ink for printing is  
described on p4 #ed4  ,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 required4 ,these should        
obviously be as few as possible4  ,it is
 not necessary to provide an entire     
block for each patch of colour1 but only
 the extent of surface required for each
 coloured portion of the print1 as well 
as for its pair of register marks4      
,patches of different colour that are   
not adjacent to one another on the      
design of the print may be cut on the   
same block1 provided they are not too   
close for free colouring of the block in
 printing4 ,each block also may be cut  
on both sides1 so that there is         
considerable scope for economy in the   
arranging and planning of the colour    
blocks4  ,when the arrangement of the   
plan of colour has been simplified as   
far as possible1 a new block is prepared
 as described above1 and a sheet of thin
 ,japanese paper 7unsized7 is cut large 
enough to cover the print design and its
 register marks4 ,the clean surface of  
the new block is covered thinly with    
starch paste well rubbed into the grain1

 and while this is still wet an         
impression on the sheet of thin         
,japanese paper is taken of the entire  
key-block1 including its register marks 
in black1 and laid before it is dry face
 downward on the pasted surface of the  
new block4 ,this should be done as      
already described on page #be4 ,it      
should be rubbed flat with the printing 
pad and left to dry4  ,this operation   
requires careful handling1 but it should
 be done easily and methodically1       
without any hurry4  ,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 each4 ,it is advisable  
to paste down a freshly taken           
impression1 each time1 while the ink is 
still moist1 for if these are allowed to
 dry1 the shrinking of the paper causes 
errors of register4  ,when these new    
blocks are dry1 the patch of colour to  
be cut on each surface should be clearly
 indicated by a thin wash of diluted ink

 or colour1 but not so as to hide the   
printed key line4  ,the blocks may then 
be cut4 ,a ,v-shaped cut is made round  
each form1 as in the case of the        
key-block1 and the clearing proceeds in 
the same way1 but it is only necessary  
to clear a space of about an inch round 
each form3 the rest of the wood should  
be left standing4 ,a section of the     
printing surface of a colour block would
 be as follows3  ,illustration3 ,,fig4  
#af4--,section of colour-block4 ,a4     
,colour mass4 ,b4 ,depression4 ,c4      
,surface of ,plank4  ,when the register 
marks corresponding to these colour     
forms have also been cut1 and the paper 
washed off the blocks1 the clear spaces 
may be used for pasting down new key    
impressions for the smaller colour      
patches and their corresponding register
 marks4 ,in this way one side of a      
colour plank may contain several        
different colour forms and sets of      
register marks4 ,as a rule the different
 colour patches would be printed        

separately1 though in some cases two    
colours may be printed at one impression
 if they are small and have the same    
register marks4  ,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 wood1 otherwise this     
edge1 if at all sharp1 will mark the    
print4  ,for any particulars about which
 one may be in doubt1 the sets of blocks
 at ,south ,kensington ,museum or in the
 ,print ,room at the ,british ,museum   
are available for examination4 ,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 notches4  ,in nearly all cases 
the ,japanese blocks were made of cherry
 wood1 but planks of box are said to    
have been occasionally used for very    
fine work4   ,,errors ,,of ,,register   
,however exactly the register marks may 

be cut in a new set of blocks1 very     
puzzling errors occasionally arise while
 printing1 especially if the planks are 
of thin wood4  ,some of the blocks are  
necessarily printed drier than others4  
,for instance1 the key-block is printed 
with a very small amount of ink and     
paste4 ,other blocks may be even drier1 
such as the blocks which print small    
forms or details in a design4 ,the      
blocks1 however1 which are used for     
large masses of colour1 or for gradated 
tones1 are moistened over the whole or a
 large part of the surface of the block1
 and if the wood is thin1 and not well  
mounted across the ends1 the block soon 
expands sufficiently to throw the       
register out4 ,if the block is not      
mounted across the ends there will also 
be a tendency to warp1 and this will add
 to the errors of register4 ,but if the 
blocks are of fairly thick wood1 and    
well mounted1 the register will remain  
very exact indeed4  ,usually the        
key-block is printed first4 ,if the     

subsequent blocks are not in exact      
register the error is noticeable at     
once1 and slight adjustments may be made
 for its correction4 ,but in cases where
 the key-block is printed last 7as      
sometimes is necessary7 each colour     
block must be tested before a batch of  
prints is passed over it4 ,for this     
purpose the first few prints of every   
batch should receive a faint impression 
of the key-block1 so that the register  
of the colour impression may be verified
 before proceeding with the whole batch4
  ,if these precautions are taken1 and  
the entire set of blocks kept as nearly 
as possible in the same conditions of   
dryness or moisture1 all difficulties of
 register in printing will be easily    
overcome4  ,when cutting a new set of   
blocks there is another possible source 
of error which needs to be carefully    
guarded against4 ,most of the work in   
designing a new print is necessarily    
spent in planning and cutting the       
key-block1 which may occupy a           

considerable time1 especially if other  
work has to be carried on as well4 ,if  
new wood is used1 or wood that has not  
been seasoned long indoors1 it will dry 
and contract considerably across the    
grain before the work is finished4      
,then1 if newer planks are prepared and 
cut up for the colour blocks1 and       
impressions from the key-block are      
pasted down on them for cutting1 it will
 be found that1 as the newer wood of the
 colour-blocks goes on drying1 it will  
shrink out of register1 and the colour  
impressions will not fit the line       
perfectly4 ,it is easy to fall into this
 difficulty1 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 condition4     ,,chapter ,v        
,preparation of ,paper1 ,ink1 ,colour1  
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 printing4 ,it is in 
itself a very remarkable material1 and  
is used in ,japan for a great variety of
 purposes1 on account of the strength   
and toughness due to its long silky     
fibre4  ,paper of good quality for      
printing may be obtained directly from  
,japan1 or through trading agents       
dealing with ,japan4 ,a case of five    
reams would be the smallest quantity    
obtainable directly1 but it is by far   
the cheapest and most satisfactory way  
of buying it4 ,in smaller quantities the
 paper is obtainable through many of the
 dealers in artists' materials4 ,several
 kinds of this paper are made1 but      
unsized sheets of a quality similar to  
the print on page #ie1 and a thin       
,japanese tissue paper are the two kinds
 required for printing in colour4  ,in  
its unsized state the paper is too      
absorbent for use1 and it should be     
sized freshly as needed for work4 ,this 
is done by brushing a thin solution of  

gelatine over the smooth surface of the 
sheets of paper4  ,a drawing-board      
rather larger than the sheets of paper1 
placed as shown in fig4 #ag1 with its   
lower edge resting on a basin of warm   
size1 will be found a convenient        
arrangement4  ,illustration3 ,plate     
,,vii4 ,impression of a portion of      
detail from a ,japanese woodblock 7very 
nearly actual size74  7,to face page    
#dh47  ,the sheet gelatine sold by      
grocers for cooking makes an excellent  
size4 ,six of the thin sheets to a pint 
of water is a good strength4#c ,the     
gelatine is dissolved in hot water1 but 
should not be boiled1 as that partially 
destroys the size4 ,when dissolved1 a   
little powdered alum is also stirred in1
 about as much as will lie on a shilling
 to a pint of water4 ,the addition of   
the alum is important1 as it acts as a  
mordant and helps to make a better      
colour impression4  #c ,see also p4 #ge4
  ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #ag4--;,drawing 
of sizing of paper4  ,in applying the   

size to the paper a four-inch broad flat
 paste brush is used4 ,the paper is laid
 on the slanting board and the size     
brushed backward and forward across the 
paper from the upper end downward4 ,care
 must be taken not to make creases in   
the paper1 as these become permanent4   
,to avoid this the lower end of the     
sheet may be held with the left hand and
 raised when necessary as the brush     
passes downwards4 ,the waste size will  
run down to the basin1 but the paper    
need not be flooded1 nor should its     
surface be brushed unnecessarily1 but it
 must be fully and evenly charged with  
size4 ,the sheet is then picked up by   
the two upper corners 7which may        
conveniently be kept unsized7 and pinned
 at each corner over a cord stretched   
across the workroom4 ,the sheets are    
left hanging until they are dry4 ,the   
,japanese lay the paper on the cord1    
letting the two halves of the sheet hang
 down equally on either side4  ,the     
process of sizing and drying the sheets 

of paper is illustrated in a print shown
 in the collection at the ,south        
,kensington ,museum4  ,when the paper is
 quite dry it is taken down1 and if     
required at once for printing should be 
cut up into sheets of the size required1
 with sufficient margin allowed to reach
 the register marks4 ,it is best to cut 
a gauge or pattern in cardboard for use 
in cutting the sheets to a uniform size4
  ,a few sheets of unsized paper are    
needed as damping sheets1 one being used
 to every three printing sheets4 ,the   
damping sheets should be cut at least an
 inch wider and longer than the printing
 sheets4 ,two wooden boards are also    
required4 ,the sheets of printing paper 
are kept between these while damping    
before work4  ,to prepare for work1 a   
damping sheet is taken and brushed over 
evenly with water with a broad brush    
7like that used for sizing74 ,the sheet 
must not be soaked1 but made thoroughly 
moist1 evenly all over4 ,it is then laid
 on one of the two boards1 and on it1   

with the printing side 7the smoother    
side7 downward1 are laid three of the   
sized sheets of printing paper4 ,on     
these another moist damping sheet is    
laid1 and again three dry sheets of     
printing paper1 face downwards1 and so  
on alternately to the number of sheets  
of the batch to be printed4 ,a board is 
placed on the top of the pile4  ,the    
number of prints to be attempted at one 
printing will vary with the kind of work
 and with the printer's experience4 ,the
 printing may be continued during three 
days1 but if the paper is kept damp     
longer1 there is danger of mould and    
spotting4 ,with work requiring delicate 
gradation of colour and many separate   
block impressions twenty or thirty      
sheets will be found sufficient for     
three days' hard work4 ,the professional
 printers of ,japan1 however1 print     
batches of two hundred and three hundred
 prints at a time1 but in that case the 
work must become largely mechanical4#d  
#d ,see ,chapter ,,xiii for further     

experience on this point4  ,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 time4 ,the damping sheets1
 all but the top and bottom ones1 should
 then be removed and the printing sheets
 left together between the boards for   
some time before printing4 ,an hour     
improves their condition very much1 the 
moisture spreading equally throughout   
the batch of sheets4 ,before printing   
they should be quite flat and soft1 but 
scarcely moist to the touch4 ,if the    
sheets are new1 they may even be left   
standing all night after the first      
damping1 and will be in perfect         
condition for printing in the morning   
without further damping4 ,no weight     
should be placed on the boards4         
,although no paper has hitherto been    
found that will take so perfect an      
impression from colour-blocks as the    
long-fibred ,japanese paper1 yet it     
should be the aim of all craftsmen to   

become independent of foreign materials 
as far as possible4 ,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 damp4    
,if a short-fibred paper is made without
 size1 it comes to pieces when it is    
damped for printing4 ,but the amount of 
absorbency required is not so great as  
to preclude the use of size altogether4 
,it is a problem which our paper-makers 
could surely solve4 ,a soft1 slightly   
absorbent1 white paper is required4 ,at 
present nothing has been produced to    
take the place of the long mulberry     
fibre of the ,japanese1 which prints    
perfectly1 but it is far from being pure
 white in colour4 ,a white paper would  
have a great advantage in printing high 
and delicate colour schemes4   ,,ink    
,next in importance is the preparation  
of the ink for printing the key-block or
 any black or grey parts of a design4   

,as a rule the key-block is printed     
black1 more or less diluted with paste2 
indeed the key-block is often printed   
very faintly by means of paste only just
 tinged with a trace of black4  ,the use
 of colour for the key-block is treated 
in ,chapter ,,vii4 ,the ink is prepared 
as follows4 ,take a stick of solid      
,chinese ink of good quality1 and break 
it with a hammer into fragments2 put    
these to soak in a pot with water for   
three or four days4 7,the quality of the
 sticks of ,chinese ink varies greatly4 
,the cheap sticks make a coarse and     
gritty ink which does not print well47  
,day by day pour off the water1 adding  
fresh1 so that the glue that soaks out  
of the softened black fragments is      
removed4 ,three days is usually long    
enough for this4 ,if left too long the  
whole mass goes bad and is spoiled4     
,when the black mass is soft and clean  
drain off the water and rub the ink     
smooth in a dish with a bone palette    
knife4 ,it is then ready for use1 but   

would rapidly go bad if not used up at  
once1 so that a preservative is         
necessary to keep a stock of ink in good
 condition4 ,an effective method is to  
put the ink at once into a well-corked1 
wide-mouthed bottle4 ,to the under side 
of the cork is nailed a little wad of   
unsized paper soaked with creosote4 ,by 
this means ink can be kept in perfect   
condition for weeks or months4 ,a drop  
of fresh creosote should occasionally be
 put on the wad fixed to the cork4      
,illustration3 ,,fig4 #ah4--;,cork of   
ink-bottle with wad for preservative4   
,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 way1 but this is very   
laborious1 and is only worth while if   
one needs a small quantity of a glossy  
black1 for which the rubbed-down ink    
containing all its glue is the best4    
,,colour  ,any colour that can be       
obtained in a fine dry powder may be    
used in wood-block printing4 ,some      

artists have succeeded in using ordinary
 water colours sold in tubes1 by mixing 
the colour with the rice paste before   
printing2 but the best results are      
obtained by the use of pure1 finely     
ground dry colour mixed only with water1
 the rice paste being added actually on 
the block4  ,most of the artists' colour
 merchants supply colour by weight in   
the form of dry powder3 any colour that 
is commonly used in oil or water-colour 
painting may be obtained in this state4 
,a stock of useful colours should be    
kept in wide-necked bottles4  ,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   
dishes4 ,small bone paper knives are    
useful for taking colour from the       
bottles4  ,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          
impressions1 and to fill these with a   
quantity of each tint1 the colour or    
colours being mixed smoothly with water 
to the consistency of stiff cream4      
,some colours will be found to print    
more smoothly and easily than others4   
,yellow ochre1 for instance1 prints with
 perfect smoothness and ease1 while     
heavier or more gritty colours tend to  
separate and are more difficult4 ,in the
 case of a very heavy colour such as    
vermilion1 a drop of glue solution will 
keep the colour smooth for printing1 and
 less paste is necessary4 ,but most     
colours will give good impressions by   
means of rice paste alone4 ,it is       
essential1 however1 that only very      
finely ground colours of good quality   
should be used4   ,,paste  ,a paste must
 be used with the colour in order to    
hold it on to the surface of the paper  
and to give brilliancy4 ,the colour1 if 
printed without paste1 would dry to     
powder again4 ,the paste also preserves 

the matt quality which is characteristic
 of the ,japanese prints4  ,finely      
ground rice flour may be obtained from  
grocery dealers4 ,an excellent ,french  
preparation of rice sold in packets as  
,creme de ,riz is perfect for the       
purpose of making paste for printing4   
,it should be carefully made as follows3
 ,while half a pint of water is put to  
boil in a saucepan over a small spirit  
lamp or gas burner1 mix in a cup about  
two teaspoonfuls of rice flour with     
water1 added little by little until a   
smooth cream is made with no lumps in   
it4 ,a bone spoon is good for this      
purpose4 ,pour this mixture into the    
boiling water in the saucepan all at    
once1 and stir well till it boils again1
 after which it should be left simmering
 over a small flame for five minutes4   
,when the paste has cooled it should be 
smooth and almost fluid enough to pour3 
not stiff like a pudding4  ,while       
printing1 a little paste is put out in a
 saucer and replenished from time to    

time4  ,fresh paste should be made every
 day4     ,,chapter ,,vi                
,detailed ,method of ,printing          
,success in printing depends very much  
on care and orderliness4 ,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 possible4 ,to see the deft and      
unhurried work of a ,japanese craftsman 
at printing is a great lesson1 and a    
reproach to ,western clumsiness4  ,the  
positions indicated by the diagram on   
page #aa will be found to be practical  
and convenient4  ,the special tools used
 in printing are the baren or printing  
pad1 which is the only instrument of    
pressure used1 and the printing brushes4
   ,,the ,,baren ,,or ,,printing ,,pad  
,as made by the ,japanese1 the baren is 
about five inches in diameter1 and      
consists of a circular board upon which 
a flat coil of cord or twisted fibre is 
laid4 ,this is held in place by a       
covering made of a strip of             

bamboo-sheath1 the two ends of which are
 twisted and brought together at the    
back of the board so as to form a       
handle4 ,the flat surface of the        
bamboo-sheath is on the under side of   
the pad when the handle is uppermost4   
,the ribbed bamboo-sheath is impervious 
to the dampness of the paper in         
printing1 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 sheet4   
,the collotype reproduction facing page 
#ab shows the shape and character of the
 baren4  ,japanese printing pads may be 
obtained from some of the artists'      
colour-men1 or from ,japan through      
various agencies4 ,they are by far the  
best instrument for the purpose4 ,a pad 
lasts a considerable time1 and when the 
bamboo sheath wears through may be      
re-covered as described below4 ,if the  
new bamboo sheath is unobtainable1 the  
baren may be re-covered by a sheet of   
vegetable parchment 7of the kind used   

for covering pots of jam71 laid on when 
wet1 and twisted and bound at the end   
like the original bamboo covering4 ,a   
baren used and re-covered when worn will
 last for an indefinite time in this    
way4   ,,to ,,re-,,cover ,a ,,worn      
,,baren ,,with ,,bamboo ,,sheath  ,damp 
the new leaf in water with a brush on   
both sides thoroughly4  ,wipe dry both  
sides4 ,lay it on a flat surface and    
stretch wider with the fingers on the   
inside1 keeping the leaf flat with the  
palm of the hand4  ,rub the inside of   
the leaf with something hard and smooth 
across the width on both sides4  #a4    
,cut ,,ag1 ,,bg with leaf folded4  #b4  
,place the round pad in position on the 
flat leaf4  #c4 ,stretch the leaf to lap
 at sides ,,ef4  #d4 ,turn in ,,ea and  
,,bf fold by fold1 first one side and   
then the other4  #e4 ,pull hard before  
beginning the other end4  ,illustration3
 ,,fig4 #ai4--,method of re-covering    
baren4  #f4 ,cut away ,,ch1 ,,dh1       
holding down firmly the end done4  #g4  

,twist up the ends tightly1 pull over to
 the centre1 and tie tightly together2  
cut off ends4  #h4 ,polish on board and 
oil slightly4  ,twist the inside part of
 the baren occasionally to save wear by 
changing its position within the sheath4
  ,several substitutes have been tried  
in place of the ,japanese baren1 with   
coverings of leather1 shark's skin1     
celluloid1 and various other materials1 
but these necessitate the use of a      
backing sheet to protect the paper from 
their harsh surfaces4  ,an ingenious    
rubber of ribbed glass which works      
directly on the paper has been devised  
by ,mr4 ,william ,giles1 who has        
produced beautiful results by its means4
  ,if one is using the ,japanese baren1 
its surface needs to be kept very       
slightly oiled to enable it to run      
freely over the damp paper4 ,a pad of   
paper with a drop of sweet oil suffices 
for this1 and may lie on the right of   
the printing block where the baren is   
put after each impression is taken4  ,an

 even simpler method is that of the     
,japanese craftsman who rubs the baren  
from time to time on the back of his    
head4   ,,brushes  ,japanese printing   
brushes are sold by some artists' colour
 dealers1 but these are not essential1  
nor have they any practical superiority 
over well-made ,western brushes4        
,illustration3 ,,fig4 #bj4--;,drawing of
 brushes4  ,an excellent type of brush  
is that made of black ,siberian bear    
hair for fine varnishing4 ,these can be 
had from good brush-makers with the hair
 fixed so that it will stand soaking in 
water4 ,drawings of the type of brush   
are given above4  ,three or four are    
sufficient2 one broad brush1 about three
 inches1 for large spaces1 one two-inch1
 and two one-inch1 will do nearly all   
that is needed4 ,occasionally a smaller 
brush may be of use4   ,,printing  ,to  
begin printing1 one takes first the     
key-block1 laying it upon a wet sheet of
 unsized paper1 or upon wads of wet     
paper under each corner of the block1   

which will keep it quite steady on the  
work-table4 ,a batch of sheets of       
printing paper1 prepared and damped as  
described in ,chapter ,v1 lies between  
boards just beyond the block4 ,the pad  
lies close to the block at the right on 
oily paper pinned to the table4 ,to the 
right also are a dish or plate on which 
a little ink is spread1 the printing    
brush 7broad for the key-block71 a      
saucer containing fresh paste1 a bowl of
 water1 a small sponge1 and a cloth4    
,nothing else is needed1 and it is best 
to keep the table clear of unnecessary  
pots or colour bottles4  ,when these    
things are ready one should see that the
 paper is in a good state4 ,it should be
 rather drier for a key-block than for  
other blocks1 as a fine line will print 
thickly if the paper is too damp and    
soft4 ,in fact1 it can scarcely be too  
dry for the key-block1 provided that it 
has become perfectly smooth1 and is     
still flexible enough for complete      
contact with the block4 ,but it must not

 be either dry or damp in patches4  ,if 
the paper is all right1 one lifts off   
the upper board and top damping sheet1  
placing them on the left1 ready to      
receive the sheets when printed4  ,the  
key-block1 if quite dry1 must be        
moistened with a damp sponge and then   
brushed over with the broad printing    
brush and ink4 ,if a grey line is wanted
 the brush should be dipped in a little 
of the paste and scarcely touched with  
ink4 ,for a pale grey line the key-block
 also must be well washed before        
printing4 ,even if the line is to be    
black a little paste should be used4    
,this is best added after one has       
brushed the black ink on to the block1  
not mixed with it beforehand4 ,the ink  
and paste are then broken together      
smoothly and completely over the whole  
surface of the block4 ,the last few     
brush strokes should be of the full     
length or breadth of the block and be   
given lightly with the brush held       
upright4 ,the inking of the block must  

be thoroughly done1 but with no more    
brushing than is necessary to spread the
 colour equally4 ,when properly charged 
with ink the block should not be at all 
wet1 but just covered with a very thin  
and nearly dry film of ink and paste4   
,no time should be wasted in lifting the
 top sheet of printing paper on to the  
block1 placing first its right corner in
 the register notch1 and holding it     
there with the thumb1 then the edge of  
the paper to the other notch1 to be held
 with the left thumb while the right    
hand is released to take up the baren   
7fig4 #ba74 ,beginning at the left1 the 
baren is rubbed backwards and forwards1 
a full stroke each time1 to the outside 
limits of the block1 with a moderate1   
even pressure1 moving the stroke in a   
zigzag towards the right end of the     
block 7fig4 #bb74 ,once over should be  
enough4 ,a second rub makes heavy       
printing of the finer lines4 ,then the  
paper is lifted from the block and      
placed on the board to the left4        

,illustration3 ,,fig4 #ba4--,manner of  
holding the paper4  ,particular         
attention must be given to the careful  
placing of the paper home in the        
register notches1 and to holding it     
there until the rubber has gripped the  
paper on the block4  ,sheet by sheet all
 the printing paper is passed in this   
way over the key-block1 and piled       
together4 ,there is no fear of the ink  
offsetting or marking the print placed  
above it4 ,as the work proceeds the     
block will give better and better       
impressions4 ,spoiled or defective      
impressions should be put together at   
the top of the pile when it lies ready  
for the next printing1 for the first few
 impressions are always uncertain1 and  
it is well to use the defective prints  
as pioneers1 so as not to spoil good    
ones4  ,illustration3 ,,fig4            
#bb4--,manner of using the baren4  ,when
 the block has been printed on the whole
 batch1 the sheets should be replaced at
 once between the boards before one     

prepares for the colour impressions4    
,usually the paper will be too dry for  
colour by this time3 if this is so1 the 
damping sheets should be moistened and  
put in again as before2 one to each     
three printing sheets4 ,in a minute or  
two they will have damped the paper     
sufficiently and must be taken out1     
leaving the printing sheets to stand1   
between the boards1 ready for the first 
colour-block4   ,,printing ,,from       
,,colour-,,blocks  ,in printing colour  
the paper may be slightly damper than it
 should be for key-block impressions1   
and a heavier pressure is necessary on  
the baren if the colour masses are      
large4 ,if the baren is pressed lightly 
the colour will not completely cover the
 paper1 but will leave a dry1 granular  
texture4 ,occasionally this quality may 
be useful1 but as a rule a smooth1      
evenly printed surface is best4 ,it will
 be found that smooth1 even printing is 
not obtained by loading the block with  
colour or paste1 but by using the least 

possible quantity of both1 and nearly   
dry paper4  ,in beginning to print from 
a colour-block1 care should be taken to 
moisten the block fully before printing1
 or it will not yield the colour from   
its surface2 but the block must be      
wiped1 and not used while actually wet4 
,the printing proceeds exactly as in the
 case of the key-block1 except for the  
heavier use of the baren4 ,the paste    
should be added after the colour has    
been roughly brushed on to the block1   
and then the two are smoothly brushed   
together4 ,the ,japanese printers put   
the paste on to the block by means of a 
little stick kept in the dish of paste4 
,experience will soon show the amount of
 paste needed4 ,it is important neither 
to add too much nor to stint the paste1 
as the colour when dry depends on the   
paste for its quality4 ,too little paste
 gives a dead effect4  ,some of the     
colours print more easily than others4  
,with a sticky colour it is well to wipe
 the block with a nearly dry sponge     

between each impression1 so that the    
wood gives up its colour more readily4  
,in the case of a very heavy colour such
 as vermilion a drop of glue and water  
may help2 but with practically all the  
colours that are generally used the rice
 paste and careful printing are enough4 
,the amount of size in the paper is     
another important factor in the printing
 of colour4 ,if the paper is too lightly
 sized the fibres will detach themselves
 and stick to the damp block4 ,or if too
 heavily sized the paper will not take  
up the colour cleanly from the block1   
and will look hard when dry4 ,one very  
soon feels instinctively the right      
quality and condition of the block1     
colour1 and paper which are essential to
 good printing2 and to print well one   
must become sensitive to them4          
,,printing ,,of ,,gradations  ,beside   
the printing of flat masses of colour1  
one of the great resources of block     
printing is in the power of delicate    
gradation in printing4 ,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 colour3 then1  
by squeezing the whole width of the     
brush broadly between the thumb and     
forefinger so that most of the water is 
squeezed out1 the brush is left charged 
with a tint gradated from side to side4 
,the brush is then dipped lightly into  
paste along its whole edge1 and brushed 
a few times to and fro across the block 
where the gradation is needed4 ,it is   
easy in this way to print a very        
delicately gradated tint from full      
colour to white4 ,if the pale edge of   
the tint is to disappear1 the block     
should be moistened along the surface   
with a sponge where the colour is to    
cease4  ,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 
cease4 ,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 white1 or sometimes the     
plumage of birds is printed with sudden 
gradations4 ,in fact1 the method may be 
developed in all kinds of ways4 ,often  
it is an advantage to print a gradation 
and then a flat tone over the gradation 
in a second printing4   ,,offsetting    
,no care need be taken to prevent       
offsetting of the colour while printing4
 ,the prints may be piled on the top of 
each other immediately as they are      
lifted from the block1 without fear of  
offsetting or marking each other4 ,only 
an excessive use of colour1 or the      
leaving of heavy ridges of colour at the
 edges of the block by careless         
brushing1 will sometimes mark the next  
print on the pile4 ,as in printing the  
key-block1 it is well to hold the brush 
quite upright for the last strokes      
across the block1 and always to give a  
full stroke across the whole length or  

width of the form to be coloured4  ,as  
soon as one colour-block has been       
printed1 the next may be taken and      
printed at once1 without fear of the    
colour running1 even though the fresh   
colour touches the parts already        
printed4  ,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 print4 ,there may sometimes be an   
advantage in not printing the key-block 
first1 though as a rule it should come  
first for the sake of keeping the later 
blocks in proper register4 ,if the      
key-block is not printed one cannot see 
how the colour-blocks are fitting4 ,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-block1 so that in such a case the   
sky should be printed first1 and then   
the key-block followed by the remaining 
colour-blocks4  ,at the end of a day's  

printing the prints may quite safely be 
left standing together between the      
boards until the next day4 ,for three   
days the damp paper comes to no harm1   
except in hot weather1 but on the fourth
 day little red spots of mould begin to 
show and spread4 ,it should be          
remembered that freshly boiled paste is 
to be used each day4   ,,drying ,,of    
,,prints  ,when the prints are finished 
they should be put to dry as soon as    
possible4 ,if they are spread out and   
left exposed to the air they will soon  
dry1 but in drying will cockle1 and     
cannot then be easily pressed flat4 ,it 
is better to have a number of           
mill-boards or absorbent pulp boards    
rather larger than the prints1 and to   
pile the prints and boards alternately  
one by one1 placing a weight on the top 
of the pile4 ,the absorbent boards will 
rapidly dry the prints and keep them    
quite flat4  ,finished prints should be 
numbered for reference1 and should1 if  
printed by the artist himself1 also bear

 his signature --or some printed sign to
 that effect4 ,the number of prints     
obtainable from a set of blocks is      
difficult to estimate4 ,the ,japanese   
printers are said to have made editions 
of several thousands from single sets of
 blocks4 ,the actual wear in printing   
even of a fine line block is            
imperceptible1 for the pressure is very 
slight4 ,certainly hundreds of prints   
can be made without any deterioration4  
,but an artist who is both designing and
 producing his own work will not be     
inclined to print large editions4#e  #e 
,further experience on this point is    
given in ,chapter ,,viii on             
,co-operative ,printing4     ,,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 print1 or to understand either the

 full resources that are available or   
the limits that are fixed4  ,in         
beginning it is well to undertake only a
 small design1 so that no great amount  
of material or time need be consumed in 
gaining the first experience1 but this  
small piece of work should be carried   
through to the end1 however defective it
 may become at any stage4 ,a small      
key-block and two or three colour       
patches may all be cut on the two sides 
of one plank for this purpose4  ,there  
is great diversity of opinion as to the 
conventions that are appropriate to the 
designing of colour prints4 ,in the work
 of the ,japanese masters the convention
 does not vary4 ,a descriptive black or 
grey line is used throughout the design1
 outlining all forms or used as flat    
spots or patches4 ,the line is not      
always uniform1 but is developed with   
great subtlety to suggest the character 
of the form expressed1 so that the      
subsequent flat mass of colour printed  
within the line appears to be modelled4 

,this treatment of the line is one of   
the great resources of the work1 and is 
special to this kind of design1 in which
 the line has to be cut with the knife  
on both sides1 and is for this reason   
capable of unusual development in its   
power of expressing form4 ,indeed the   
knife is the final instrument in the    
drawing of the design4  ,typical        
examples of key-block impressions are   
given on pages #bf and #cc3 they show   
the variety of character and quality    
possible in the lines and black masses  
of key-blocks4  ,the designing of a     
print depends most of all upon this     
development of line and black mass in   
the key-block4 ,the colour pattern of   
the print is held together by it1 and   
the form suggested4 ,in the ,japanese   
prints the key-block is invariably      
printed black or grey4 ,masses intended 
to be dense black in the finished print 
are printed first a flat grey by the    
key-block1 and are then printed a full  
black from a colour-block like any other

 patch of colour1 the double printing   
being necessary to give the intensity of
 the black4  ,although several modern   
prints have been designed on other      
principles1 and sometimes a coloured    
key-block is successfully used1 yet the 
convention adopted by the ,japanese is  
the simplest and most fundamental of    
all4 ,outside its safe limitations the  
technical difficulties are increased1   
and one is led to make compromises that 
strain the proper resources of block    
printing and are of doubtful advantage4 
,the temptation to use colour with the  
key-block comes when one attempts to use
 the key-block for rendering light and  
shadow4 ,its use by the ,japanese       
masters was generally for the           
descriptive expression of the contours  
of objects1 ignoring entirely their     
shadows1 or any effects of light and    
shade1 unless a shadow happened         
occasionally to be an important part of 
the pattern of the design4 ,generally1  
as in nearly all the landscape prints by

 ,hiroshige1 the line is descriptive or 
suggestive of essential form1 not of    
effects in light and shade4  ,if the    
key-block is used for light and shade1  
the question of relative tones and      
values of shadows arises1 and these will
 be falsified unless a key-block is made
 for each separate plane or part of the 
design1 and then there is danger of     
confusion or of compromises that are    
beyond the true scope of the work4  ,it 
is generally safest to print the        
key-block in a tone that blends with the
 general tone of the print1 and not to  
use it as a part of the colour pattern4 
,it serves mainly to control the form1  
leaving the colour-blocks to give the   
colour pattern4 ,there are cases1 of    
course1 where no rule holds good1 and   
sometimes a design may successfully omit
 the key-block altogether1 using only a 
few silhouettes of colour1 one of which 
controls the main form of the print1 and
 serves as key-block4 ,frequently1 also1
 the key-block may be used to give the  

interior form or character of part of a 
design1 leaving the shape of a          
colour-block to express the outside     
shape or contour2 as in the spots       
suggesting foliage in the print on page 
#aad4 ,the shapes of the tree forms are 
partly left to the colour-block to      
complete1 the key only giving the       
suggestion of the general broken        
character of the foliage1 not the       
outside limits of the branches4 ,the    
outer shape of a tree or branch is      
rarely expressed by an enclosing line in
 any of the ,japanese prints4 ,the      
key-block is often used to describe     
interior form when a silhouette of      
colour is all that is needed for the    
contour4 ,the expressive rendering of   
the rough surface of tree trunks and of 
forms of rock1 or the articulation of   
plants and the suggestion of objects in 
atmospheric distance or mist1 should be 
studied in good prints by the ,japanese 
masters4 ,in printed work by modern     
masters--as1 for example1 the work of   

the great ,french designers of poster   
advertisements--much may be learnt in   
the use and development of expressive   
line4  ,the ,japanese system of training
 is well described in a book by ,henry  
,p4 ,bowie on ,the ,laws of ,japanese   
,painting1 in which many useful         
suggestions are given with reference to 
graphic brush drawing and the suggestive
 use of line and brush marks4  ,as part 
of the training of a designer for modern
 decorative printing1 the experience and
 sense of economy that are to be gained 
from the study of wood-block printing   
are very great4 ,perhaps no work goes so
 directly to the essentials of the art  
of decorative designing for printed work
 of all kinds4 ,the wood blocks not only
 compel economy of design1 but also lead
 one to it4  ,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  
students4 ,the same problems that arise 

in all decoration may be dealt with by  
their means on a small scale1 but under 
conditions that are essentially         
instructive4 ,colour schemes may be     
studied and worked out with entire      
freedom by printing and reprinting until
 a problem is thoroughly solved4 ,a     
colour design may be studied and worked 
out as fully by means of a small set of 
blocks1 and with more freedom for       
experiment and alteration than is       
possible by the usual methods of study1 
such as painting and repainting on paper
 or canvas or wall2 for the form being  
once established by the blocks1 the     
colour may be reconstructed again and   
again without limit4  ,the craft has    
thus not only its special interest as a 
means of personal expression1 but also a
 more general use as a means of training
 and preparation for the wider scope and
 almost unlimited resources of modern   
printing4 ,the best use of those        
resources will be made by artists who   
have been trained under simpler         

conditions1 and have found their way    
gradually to an understanding of the    
secrets of aesthetic economy in         
printing4 ,one of the many paths to that
 experience is by way of the craft of   
the wood-block printer4     ,,chapter   
,,viii        ,co-operative ,printing   
,a print is shown at the end of this    
book 7page #ie7 as an example of a first
 experiment in co-operative printing4   
,an actual print was needed to          
illustrate the method of block printing1
 and the number required was too great  
for a single printer to undertake4 ,so  
the work was divided between four       
printers 7of whom the writer was one71  
working together4 ,each of us had been  
accustomed to print our own prints in   
small batches of a dozen or two at a    
time1 giving individual care to each    
print4 ,the printing of #bjjj prints to 
a fixed type was a very different       
matter1 and proved an instructive and   
valuable experience4 ,it was found that 
the printing of a large number of       

successive impressions gave one an      
increasingly delicate control of a      
block1 and a high percentage of perfect 
impressions4 ,after the initial         
experiments and practice1 the failures  
in the later batches of the print were  
reduced to only #d or #e per cent4 of   
the completed prints4 ,the work was done
 in batches of #bej prints1 each print  
receiving eight impressions1 as shown on
 pages #ih to #aji4 ,each of the four   
printers took charge of a particular    
series of the blocks1 which were printed
 in a regular order4 ,it was found most 
convenient to print the key-block last  
of all1 as the heavy blacks in it were  
inclined to offset under the pressure of
 the baren and slightly soil the        
colour-blocks1 if the key-block was     
printed first1 as is usually the        
practice4  ,the colour-blocks were      
printed in the order in which they are  
placed in the ,appendix4  ,the best     
quality of work was done on nearly dry  
paper4 ,the damping sheets were placed  

among the new paper at the end of the   
day's work and removed after ten or     
fifteen minutes1 the printing paper then
 was left standing over night between   
boards1 ready for work in the morning1  
and was not damped again until after    
receiving several impressions4 ,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 minutes4  ,as one printer finished  
the impressions from one of his blocks1 
the batch of papers was passed on to the
 others1 each in turn4 ,in this way     
three batches of #bej were printed      
without haste in one week1 working eight
 hours a day for five and a half days4  
,the chief difficulty experienced was in
 keeping to the exact colour and quality
 of the type print1 each printer being  
inclined to vary according to individual
 preferences4 ,to counteract this       
tendency1 it is necessary for one       
individual to watch and control the     
others in these respects4  ,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 printing4 ,obviously the best  
results will always be obtained by the  
individual printing of his own work by  
an artist4 ,this can only be done1      
however1 in comparatively small numbers1
 yet the blocks are capable of printing 
very large quantities without           
deterioration4 ,the set of blocks used  
for the example given here showed very  
little deterioration after #djjj        
impressions had been taken4 ,the        
key-block was less worn than any1 the   
pressure being very slight for this     
block1 and the ink perfectly smooth4    
,the impression of which a reproduction 
is given on page #aji was taken after   
#djjj had been printed from the         
key-block4 ,block ,no4 #b was much more 
worn by the gritty nature of the burnt  
sienna used in its printing4 ,it would  

be an easy matter1 however1 to replace  
any particular colour-block that might  
show signs of wear in a long course of  
printing4  ,other examples given in the 
,appendix show qualities and methods of 
treatment that are instructive or       
suggestive4  ,no4 #f is the key         
impression of a ,japanese print in which
 an admirable variety of resource is    
shown by its design2 the character of   
each kind of form being rendered by such
 simple yet so expressive indications4  
,it is instructive to study the means by
 which this is done1 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 printed4  ,plate ,,xvi is a       
reproduction of a print by ,hiroshige   
and shows the suggestive use of the     
key-block in rendering tree forms4      
,plates ,,xvii and ,,xviii show in      
greater detail this kind of treatment4  

,plates ,,xxiii-,,xxiv are key-blocks of
 modern print designs4     ,,appendix   
,an original print in colour1 designed  
and cut by the author and printed by    
hand on ,japanese paper1 followed by    
collotype reproductions showing the     
separate impressions of the colour      
blocks used for this print1 and other   
collotype reproductions of various      
examples of printing and design4        
----------------------------------------
------------------------------- ,the    
particulars given in ,chapter ,,viii on 
co-operative printing refer    specially
 to the original print included in the  
first edition4 ,in this  edition an     
entirely new print is shown1 and only   
#a1jjj copies of it are being published4
                                        
----------------------------------------
-------------------------------         
,illustration3 ,plate ,,viii4--,an      
original ,print designed and cut by the 
,author1 printed by hand on ,japanese   
paper4   ,plates originally printed in  

collotype are now produced in half-tone 
,illustration3 ,plate ,,ix4--,first     
printing4 ,key block4 ,black4           
,illustration3 ,plate ,x4--,second      
printing4 ,dull ,red4 ,printed lightly  
at the top4  ,illustration3 ,plate      
,,xi4--,third printing4 ,deep ,blue4    
,strong at the bottom1 paler at the top4
  ,illustration3 ,plate ,,xii4--,fifth  
printing4 ,bright ,orange4  7,the fourth
 printing1 not shown1 is a similar small
 block1 printing a faint tone over the  
road in the foreground47  ,illustration3
 ,plate ,,xiii4--,sixth printing4       
,indian ,red4 ,gradation4               
,illustration3 ,plate ,,xiv4--,seventh  
printing4 ,green4 ,printed flat4        
,illustration3 ,plate ,,xv4--,eighth    
printing4 ,bluish green4 ,gradation4    
,illustration3 ,plate                   
,,xvi4--,reproduction of a colour print 
by ,hiroshige4  ,illustration3 ,plate   
,,xvii4--,reproduction of a portion of  
the print shown on the preceding page1  
actual size1 showing the treatment of   

the foliage and the expressive drawing  
of the tree trunk and stems4            
,illustration3 ,plate                   
,,xviii4--,reproduction of another      
portion of the print shown on page #aaa 
7actual size71 showing the expressive   
use of line in the drawing of the       
distant forms4  ,illustration3 ,plate   
,,xix4--,reproduction of a colour print 
by ,hiroshige4  ,illustration3 ,plate   
,,xx4--,reproduction of a portion       
7actual size7 of the print on the       
preceding page1 showing treatment of    
tree forms and distance4  ,illustration3
 ,plate ,,xxi4--,reproduction of a      
colour print by ,hiroshige4             
,illustration3 ,plate                   
,,xxii4--,reproduction of a portion     
7actual size7 of the print on the       
preceding page1 showing treatment of    
tree and blossom4  ,illustration3 ,plate
 ,,xxiii4--,the ,tiger4 ,reproduction of
 a colour print by ,j4 ,d4 ,batten4     
,illustration3 ,plate                   
,,xxiv4--,lapwings4 ,reproduction of a  

colour print by ,a4 ,w4 ,seaby4         
,,books ,,of ,,reference   ,tools and   
,materials illustrating the ,japanese   
,method of ,colour ,printing4 ,a        
descriptive catalogue of a collection   
exhibited in the ,victoria and ,albert  
,museum1 ,london4 ,price ,twopence4     
,victoria and ,albert ,museum           
,catalogues4 #aiac4  ,the ,colour       
,prints of ,japan4 ,by ,edward ,f4      
,strange4 ,the ,langham ,series of ,art 
,monographs4 ,london4  ,japanese ,colour
 ,prints4 ,by ,edward ,f4 ,strange4     
7#crd ,edition47 ,victoria and ,albert  
,museum ,handbooks4 ,london4  ,japanese 
,wood ,engravings4 ,by ,william         
,anderson1 ,f4 ,r4 ,c4 ,s4 ,london1     
,seeley  ,co41 ,ltd4 ,new ,york1        
,macmillan  ,co4 #ahie4  ,japanese      
,wood-cutting and ,wood-cut ,printing4  
,by ,t4 ,tokuno4 ,edited and annotated  
by ,s4 ,r4 ,kochler4 ,report of the     
,smithsonian ,institution1 ,washington1 
for the year ending ,june #cj1 #ahib4   
,issued in pamphlet form by the         

,u4,s4,a4 ,national ,museum1            
,washington4 #ahic4   ,other works      
containing descriptions and references  
to the craft of wood-block printing in  
the ,art ,library at the ,victoria and  
,albert ,museum1 ,london1 are the       
following3--  ,the ,industries of       
,japan4 ,by ,j4 ,j4 ,rein4 7,paper1 pp4 
#chi47 ,london4 #ahhi4  ,bungei ,ruisan1
 ,by ,yoshino ,sakakibara4 ,essays on   
,japanese literature1 with additional   
chapters describing the manufacture of  
paper and the processes of printing and 
engraving4 7,the ,museum copy has ,,ms4 
translations of the portion relating to 
engraving47 ,tokyo4 #ahgh4     ,,index  
,alum1 #ej    ,andreani1 ,andrea1 xi    
,baldung1 ,hans1 x    ,bamboo-sheath1   
#fb    ,baren1 #aa1 #fa1 #fb    ,baren1 
manner of using1 #gb    ,baren1 to      
re-cover1 #fc1 #fd    ,baren1 to        
re-cover 7diagram71 #fd    ,batches1    
size of1 #hi    ,batten1 ,j4 ,d41 #b    
,block cutting1 materials1 #ag          
,blocks1 cutting of1 #ag1 #bc           

,blocks1 mounting of1 #ah    ,blocks1   
planning of1 #bc    ,books of reference1
 #abi    ,bowie1 ,henry ,p41 #hf        
,british ,museum ,print ,room1 #dc      
,brushes1 #fe    ,brushes1 drawing of1  
#ff     ,carborundum stone1 #ba         
,cherry wood1 #ag    ,chiaroscuro1 x    
,chinese ink1 #ee    ,chisel1 grip of1  
#cd1 #ce    ,chisels1 #bj    ,clearing  
of spaces1 #cc    ,clearing of wood     
between knife cuts1 #ce    ,colour1 #ef 
,colour block1 diagram of section1 #db  
,colour blocks1 plan of1 #ci    ,colour 
blocks1 planning1 #dj1 #da    ,colour   
blocks1 printing from1 #gc    ,colour   
design1 #hg    ,commercial development1 
#e    ,conventions of design1 #hb       
,co-operative printing1 #hi    ,craft in
 ,japan1 #fa    ,craftsmen1 training of1
 #bd    ,cranach1 ,lucas1 x    ,crane1  
,walter1 ix    ,creasote1 #ef           
,cutting1 #be     ,da ,carpo1 ,ugo1 x   
,damping1 #ad    ,damping sheets1 #ea   
,design1 #bg    ,design1 conventions in1
 #hb    ,designing1 #ha    ,designing   

wood-block prints1 principles of1 #ha   
,design of key-block1 #bf    ,diagram of
 knife cuts1 #cc    ,drying of colour1  
#gg    ,drying of prints1 #gi           
,errors of register1 #dc    ,eve and the
 ,serpent1 print of1 #b     ,flat       
treatment1 #bf1 #bg    ,foliage1 #he    
,gelatine1 #dh    ,giles1 ,william1 #fe 
,glue solution with colour1 #eh1 #ge    
,gouge1 method of holding1 #ce          
,gradations1 printing of1 #ge    ,grip  
of chisel1 #cd1 #ce     ,hands1 position
 of1 in cutting1 #cj1 #ca    ,herkomer1 
ix    ,hiroshige1 #hd     ,impressions1 
possible number of1 #ib    ,ink1 #ed    
,inking of block1 #fi    ,ink1          
preservative for1 #ef    ,italian       
woodcuts1 ix     ,jackson1 ,t4 ,b41 xii 
,japan1 craft in1 #d1 #bc    ,japanese  
blocks1 #dc    ,japanese craftsmen1 #fa 
,japanese drawing1 #bg    ,japanese     
key-block1 #cc    ,japanese ,painting1  
,the ,laws of1 #hf    ,japanese paper1  
#ed    ,japanese printers1 #eb1 #hj     
,japanese prints1 #hc     ,key-block1   

#be1 #bg1 #hd1 #he    ,key-block        
impressions1 #e1 #bf1 #cc    ,knife1 #ai
    ,knife1 drawing of1 #ai    ,knife1  
use of1 #bd    ,knife cuts1 diagram of1 
#cc     ,laws of ,japanese ,painting1   
#hf    ,light and shade1 #he    ,line   
block1 cutting of1 #cb    ,line1        
development of1 #cb    ,line of         
key-block1 #bf     ,mallet1 #ba         
,mallet1 drawing of1 #ba    ,mantegna1  
xi    ,millboards for drying1 #gi       
,modern prints1 #hc    ,mordant1 alum   
as1 #ej    ,mould1 #gi    ,mulberry     
fibre1 #dg    ,museums1 sets of blocks  
at1 #dc     ,number of impressions1 #ib 
,offsetting1 #ga1 #gg    ,oilstones1 #ba
    ,orlik1 ,prof4 ,emil1 #g            
,outamaro1 #bd     ,pad1 #fa    ,paper1 
#dg    ,paper1 damping of1 #ea          
,paper1 manner of holding1 #gj          
,paper1 mould in1 #gi    ,paper1 need of
 white1 #ed    ,paper1 sizing of1 #dh   
,paper1 sizing of 7drawing71 #di        
,paste1 #eh    ,paste1 amount used in   
printing1 #gd    ,paste1 preparation of1

 #ei    ,plank1 preparation of1 #ah     
,planning of blocks1 #bd    ,position of
 hands1 #cj1 #ca    ,posters1 #hf1 #hg  
,printing1 #fg    ,printing1            
co-operative1 #hi    ,printing1 detailed
 method of1 #fa    ,printing from colour
 blocks1 #gc    ,printing1 general      
description of1 #i    ,printing of      
gradations1 #ge1 #gf1 #gg    ,printing  
pad1 #fb    ,prints1 designing1 #ha     
,prints1 drying of1 #gi     ,register1  
#ga1 #gh    ,register1 errors of1 #da1  
#dc    ,register marks1 #cf1 #cg1 #db   
,register marks1 position of1 #cg       
,register marks1 section of1 #ch        
,rice flour1 #ei    ,rice paste1 #eh    
,rubber1 glass1 #fe    ,rubber1         
printing1 #fa     ,shadows1 treatment   
of1 #he    ,shallow cuts1 #cd           
,shrinking of paper1 #da    ,siberian   
bear hair brushes1 #ff    ,size1 amount 
of1 in paper1 #ge    ,size1 excess of1  
#ge    ,sizing of paper1 #dh1 #di       
,smithsonian ,institution pamphlet1 #b  
,south ,kensington ,museum1 #dc         

,spots in paper1 #gi     ,table1 plan   
of1 #aa    ,tokuno1 ,t41 #b    ,tools   
for block-cutting1 #ai    ,training of  
designers1 #hf    ,treatment of form1   
#ic    ,tree-forms1 #he1 #ic            
,variety of line1 #hb1 #hc     ,washita 
oilstone1 #bb    ,wood1 #ag             
,woodcuts1 ,italian1 ix4    ,work-table1
 plan of1 #aa          99       99      
99       99       99     ,,artists      
,,interested ,,in ,,the   33 33         
,,permanence ,,of  33 33   ,,their      
,,wood ,,block ,,prints    ,,now ,,use  
,,the ,,cambridge ,,colours ,,only1     
,,because    7#a7 ,only ,pigments of the
 ,,highest ,,order ,,of ,,permanence are
 included in   the ,cambridge ,palette  
7#b7 ,all the ,pigments may be ,,safely 
,,mixed ,,together without danger of    
their acting injuriously on each other  
7#c7 ,all the ,pigments are ,,pure and  
free from injurious impurities          
,,sole ,,makers   ,,madderton  ,,co41   
,,ltd41 ,loughton1 ,essex               
7,,established #ahia7       ,,england   

,,telegrams              ,,telephone    
,,madderton1 ,,loughton1 ,,essex        
#fc ,,loughton          99       99     
99       99       99     ,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 ,f4 ,morley ,fletcher1 ,esq4         
,,list ,,free ,,on ,,application    ,a4 
,w4 ,,penrose  ,,co41 ,,ltd4   #aji     
,farringdon ,road1 ,london1 ,e4,c4#a4   
,printed by ,sir ,isaac ,pitman  ,sons1 
,ltd41 ,bath1 ,england