#Gluing down moku hanga full#

Join us as The Kindcraft looks at the history, the tools, and the extraordinary techniques of this quintessentially Japanese heritage craft. It also reflected a change in artistic thinking: Woodblock printing, which had been originally reserved for Buddhist seals and images, began to portray everyday scenes of urban life - and burst from monochrome into vivid color palettes.Ĭontributor Laura Wheatley visited Takezasado, a woodblock printing studio in Kyoto which is both continuing and, itself, redefining the tradition of Ukiyo-e. The style of art called Ukiyo-e (literally “Pictures of the Floating World”) which emerged from that cultural redefinition produced some of Japan’s most notable artwork. Instead of restraint, it encouraged an embrace of life’s many pleasures while one could. But the other was playful, worldly - sometimes hedonistic. “ Ukiyo” is a Japanese phrase that describes the transitory nature of existence but which, by the beginning of the 17th century, had developed two distinct interpretations: Its original meaning was steeped in Buddhism, a call to devote one’s life to spiritual matters. ~Ukiyo Monogatari (‘Tales of the Floating World’)

#Gluing down moku hanga full#

The broad maru bake is for inking larger areas of the block.“ Living only for the moment, turning our full attention to the pleasures of the moon, the snow, the cherry blossoms, and the maple leaves singing songs, drinking wine, diverting ourselves in just floating, floating caring not a whit for the pauperism staring us in the face, refusing to be disheartened, like a gourd floating along with the river current: This is what we call the floating world.” It is made from stiff hoghair tied into a bamboo handle. The long handled hanga bake, or printing brush, is designed for detailed inking. Clean after each session with mild soapy water and store with bristles pointing down. It will work best if soaked for 10 minutes or so before printing. You can do this by singeing the tips of the hairs on a hotplate or the bottom of a cast iron pan and then brushing over coarse sandpaper or silicon carbide paper. The maru bake needs to be conditioned before printing or the coarse cut ends of the hairs will create brush marks in the ink. It looks a bit like a shoe brush and is made of tightly packed and folded horsehair. The broad maru bake is for inking larger areas of the block. By brushing over the print area with circular movements you can ensure an even application of color. In addition, this method of applying ink allows for more expression by adjusting the amount of color on the block or by blending areas of pigment into paste for subtle graduations. The uneven surface of the block, and the mixing of paste and pigment on the block, make the brush a logical tool. When making Japanese style woodblock prints, inking is done with a brush rather than a roller. View all Artwork Presentation & Storage.