The Project Gutenberg eBook ofWood-Block PrintingThis ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this ebook or online atwww.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this eBook.Title: Wood-Block PrintingAuthor: F. Morley FletcherRelease date: December 26, 2006 [eBook #20195]Most recently updated: May 12, 2010Language: EnglishCredits: E-text prepared by David Clarke, Janet Blenkinship, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WOOD-BLOCK PRINTING ***
This ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this ebook or online atwww.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this eBook.
Title: Wood-Block PrintingAuthor: F. Morley FletcherRelease date: December 26, 2006 [eBook #20195]Most recently updated: May 12, 2010Language: EnglishCredits: E-text prepared by David Clarke, Janet Blenkinship, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team
Title: Wood-Block Printing
Author: F. Morley Fletcher
Author: F. Morley Fletcher
Release date: December 26, 2006 [eBook #20195]Most recently updated: May 12, 2010
Language: English
Credits: E-text prepared by David Clarke, Janet Blenkinship, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team
*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WOOD-BLOCK PRINTING ***
E-text prepared by David Clarke, Janet Blenkinship,and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team(http://www.pgdp.net/c/)
Transcriber's Note: Inconsistency in spelling and hyphenation is as in the original.
CONFUCIUS
LONDONSIR ISAAC PITMAN & SONS, LTD.PARKER STREET, KINGSWAY, W.C.2BATH, MELBOURNE, TORONTO, NEW YORKPrinted bySir Isaac Pitman & Sons, Ltd.Bath, England
In issuing these volumes of a series of Handbooks on the Artistic Crafts, it will be well to state what are our general aims.
In the first place, we wish to provide trustworthy text-books of workshop practice, from the points of view of experts who have critically examined the methods current in the shops, and putting aside vain survivals, are prepared to say what is good workmanship, and to set up a standard of quality in the crafts which are more especially associated with design. Secondly, in doing this, we hope to treat design itself as an essential part of good workmanship. During the last centurymost of the arts, save painting and sculpture of an academic kind, were little considered, and there was a tendency to look on "design" as a mere matter ofappearance. Such "ornamentation" as there was was usually obtained by following in a mechanical way a drawing provided by an artist who often knew little of the technical processes involved in production. With the critical attention given to the crafts by Ruskin and Morris, it came to be seen that it was impossible to detach design from craft in this way, and that, in the widest sense, true design is an inseparable element of good quality, involving as it does the selection of good and suitable material, contrivance for special purpose, expert workmanship, proper finish, and so on, far more than mere ornament, and indeed, that ornamentation itself was rather an exuberance of fine workmanship than a matter of merely abstract lines. Workmanship when separated by too wide a gulf from fresh thought—that is, from design—inevitably decays, and, on the other hand, ornamentation,divorced from workmanship, is necessarily unreal, and quickly falls into affectation. Proper ornamentation may be defined as a language addressed to the eye; it is pleasant thought expressed in the speech of the tool.
In the third place, we would have this series put artistic craftsmanship before people as furnishing reasonable occupations for those who would gain a livelihood. Although within the bounds of academic art, the competition, of its kind, is so acute that only a very few per cent. can fairly hope to succeed as painters and sculptors; yet, as artistic craftsmen, there is every probability that nearly every one who would pass through a sufficient period of apprenticeship to workmanship and design would reach a measure of success.
In the blending of hand-work and thought in such arts as we propose to deal with, happy careers may be found as far removed from the dreary routine of hack labour as from the terrible uncertainty of academic art. It is desirablein every way that men of good education should be brought back into the productive crafts: there are more than enough of us "in the city," and it is probable that more consideration will be given in this century than in the last to Design and Workmanship.
There are two common ways of studying old and foreign arts—the way of the connoisseur and the way of the craftsman. The collector may value such arts for their strangeness and scarcity, while the artist finds in them stimulus in his own work and hints for new developments.
The following account of colour-printing from wood-blocks is based on a study of the methods which were lately only practised in Japan, but which at an earlier time were to some degree in use in Europe also. The main principles of the art, indeed, were well known in the West long before colour prints were produced in Japan, and there is some reason to suppose that theJapanese may have founded their methods in imitating the prints taken from Europe by missionaries. Major Strange says: "The European art ofchiaroscuroengraving is in all essentials identical with that of Japanese colour-printing.... It seems, therefore, not vain to point out that the accidental sight of one of the Italian colour-prints may have suggested the process to the Japanese." The Italians aimed more at expressing "relief" and the Japanese at flat colour arrangements; the former used oily colours, and the latter fair distemper tints; these are the chief differences. Both in the West and the East the design was cut on the plank surface of the wood with a knife; not across the grain with a graver, as is done in most modern wood engraving, although large plank woodcuts were produced by Walter Crane and Herkomer, about thirty years ago, as posters.
The old woodcuts of the fifteenth century were produced as pictures as well as for the illustration of books;frequently they were of considerable size. Often, too, they were coloured by stencil plates or freely by hand.
At the same time the printing in colour of letters and other simple devices in books from wood-blocks was done, and a book printed at St. Albans in 1486 has many coats of arms printed in this way; some of the shields having two or three different colours.[1]
About the year 1500 a method of printing woodcuts in several flat tones was invented in Germany and practised by Lucas Cranach and others. A fine print of Adam and Eve by Hans Baldung in the Victoria and Albert Museum has, besides the bold black "drawing," an over-tint printed in warm brown out of which sharp high lights are cut; the print is thus in three tones.
Ugo da Carpo (c.1480-1530) working in Venice, introduced this new type of tone woodcut into Italy; indeed, he claimed to be the inventor of the method. "This was calledchiaroscuro, a namestill given to it, and was, in fact, a simple form of our modern chromo printing." His woodcuts are in a simple, vigorous style; one of them after Raphael's "Death of Ananias," printed in brown, has a depth and brilliancy which may remind us of the mezzo-tints of Turner'sLiber Studiorum. This is proudly signed, "Per Ugo da Carpo," and some copies are said to be dated 1518.
Andrea Andreani (c.1560-1623), a better known but not a better artist, produced a great number of these tone woodcuts. Several prints after Mantegna's "Triumphs of Caesar" have a special charm from the beauty of the originals; they are printed in three tints of grey besides the "drawing"; the palest of these tints covers the surface, except for high lights cut out of it. A fine print of a Holy Family, about 15×18 inches, has a middle tone of fair blue and a shadow tint of full rich green. Copies of two immense woodcuts at the Victoria and Albert Museum, of Biblical subjects, seem to have beenseems to cramp the hand and injure the eyes of all but the most gifted draughtsmen. It is desirable to cultivate the ability to seize and record the "map-form" of any object rapidly and correctly. Some practice in elementary colour-printing would certainly be of general usefulness, and simpler exercises may be contrived by cutting out with scissors and laying down shapes in black or coloured papers unaided by any pattern.
Finally, the hope may be expressed that the beautiful art of wood-cutting as developed in Western Europe and brought to such perfection only a generation ago is only temporarily in abeyance, and that it too may have another day.
W. R. LETHABY.
September 1916.
[1]See R. M. Burch,Colour Printing, 1900.
[1]See R. M. Burch,Colour Printing, 1900.
This little book gives an account of one of the primitive crafts, in the practice of which only the simplest tools and materials are used. Their method of use may serve as a means of expression for artist-craftsmen, or may be studied in preparation for, or as a guide towards, more elaborate work in printing, of which the main principles may be seen most clearly in their application in the primitive craft.
In these days the need for reference to primitive handicrafts has not ceased with the advent of the machine. The best achievements of hand-work will always be the standards for reference; and on their study must machine craftbe based. The machine can only increase the power and scale of the crafts that have already been perfected by hand-work. Their principles, and the art of their design, do not alter under the machine. If the machine disregards these its work becomes base. And it is under the simple conditions of a handicraft that the principles of an art can be most clearly experienced.
The best of all the wonderful and excellent work that is produced to-day by machinery is that which bears evidence in itself of its derivation from arts under the pure conditions of classic craftsmanship, and shows the influence of their study.
The series of which this book is a part stands for the principles and the spirit of the classic examples. To be associated with those fellow-craftsmen who have been privileged to work for the Series is itself an honour of high estimation in the mind of the present writer. If the book contributes even a little toward the usefulness of the series theexperiments which are recorded here will have been well worth while.
To my friend Mr. J. D. Batten is due all the credit of the initial work. He began the search for a pure style of colour-printing, and most generously supported and encouraged my own experiments in the Japanese method.
To my old colleague Mr. A. W. Seaby I would also express my indebtedness for his kind help and advice.
F. M. F.
Edinburgh College of Art,September 1916.
CHAPTER IPAGEIntroduction and Description of the Origins ofWood-block Printing—Its Uses for PersonalArtistic Expression, for Reproduction ofDecorative Designs, and as a FundamentalTraining for Student of Printed Decoration1CHAPTER IIGeneral Description of the Operation of Printingfrom a Set of Blocks9CHAPTER IIIDescription of the Materials and Tools requiredfor Block Cutting17CHAPTER IVBlock Cutting and the Planning of Blocks23CHAPTER VPreparation of Paper, Ink, Colour, and Paste forPrinting47CHAPTER VIDetailed Method of Printing—The PrintingTools, Baren and Brushes61CHAPTER VIIPrinciples and Main Considerations in DesigningWood-block Prints—Their Application toModern Colour Printing81CHAPTER VIIICo-operative Printing89APPENDIXPrints and Collotype Plates94Books of Reference129INDEX130
PAGE1.Plan of Work-table112.Block Mounted with Cross Ends to prevent Warping183.Drawing of the Knife194.Sizes of Chisels205.Short Chisel in Split Handle216.Mallet217.Position of the Hands in using the Knife308.Another Position of the Hands in using the Knife319.Knife Cuts in Section3310.Diagram of Knife Cuts3311.Method of Holding Gouge3512.Clearing of Wood between Knife Cuts3513.Position of Register Marks3714.Register Marks3715.Register Marks (Section of)3816.Section of Colour-block4217.Drawing of Sizing of Paper4918.Cork of Ink-bottle with Wad for Preservative5619.Method of Re-covering Baren6420.Drawing of Brushes6621.Manner of Holding the Paper7022.Manner of using the Baren72
PAGE1.Meadowsweet. Reproduction of a Wood-blockPrint by the AuthorFrontispiece2.Key-block of a Print Drawn and Cutby the Author53.The Baren, or Printing Pad124.Colour-block of a Print of which the Key-block is shown atp.5235.Impression (nearly actual size) or a portion of a Japanese Wood Block showinggreat Variety in the Character of the Lines and Spots suggesting Form266.Reproduction of an Impression (reduced) of the Key-block of a Japanese Printshowing admirable Variety in the Means used to suggest Form337.Portion of Detail from a Japanese Wood Block48
PAGE8.Wood-block Printby the Author959.First Printing(Collotype reproduction)9810.Second Printing"10011.Third Printing"10212.Fourth Printing"10413.Fifth Printing"10514.Sixth Printing"10715.Eighth Printing"109
16.Collotype Reproduction of a Colour Print by Hiroshigé11117.Collotype Reproduction of a Portion of the Print shown on the precedingPage, actual Size, showing the Treatment of the Foliage and the ExpressiveDrawing of the Tree-trunk and Stems11418.Collotype Reproduction of another Portion of the Print shown onp.111Actual Size, showing the Expressive Use of Line in the Drawing of the distant Forms11619.Collotype Reproduction of a Colour Print by Hiroshigé11820.Collotype Reproduction of a Portion (actual Size) of the Print on thePreceding Page, showing Treatment of Tree Forms and Distance12021.Collotype Reproduction of a Colour Print by Hiroshigé12122.Collotype Reproduction of a Portion, actual Size, of the Print on thepreceding Page, showing Treatment of Tree and Blossom12323.The Tiger. Collotype Reproduction of a Colour Print by J. D. Batten12524.Lapwings. Collotype Reproduction of a Colour Print by A. W. Seaby127
Page62.—For "bamboo-sheath" read "bamboo leaf".Page63.—In last paragraph, delete "the inside of".Page64.—Third line from bottom, after "occasionally" insert "when printing".
Introduction and Description of theOrigins of Wood-block Printing; its uses for personal artistic expression,for reproduction of decorative designs, and as a fundamental training for students of printed decoration.
The few wood-block prints shown from time to time by the Society of Graver Printers in Colour, and the occasional appearance of a wood-block print in the Graver Section of the International Society's Exhibitions, or in those of the Society of Arts and Crafts, are the outcome of the experiments of a smallgroup of English artists in making prints by the Japanese method, or by methods based on the Japanese practice.
My interest was first drawn in 1897 to experiments that were being made by Mr. J. D. Batten, who for two years previously had attempted, and partially succeeded in making, a print from wood and metal blocks with colour mixed with glycerine and dextrine, the glycerine being afterwards removed by washing the prints in alcohol. As the Japanese method seemed to promise greater advantages and simplicity, we began experiments together, using as our text-book the pamphlet by T. Tokuno, published by the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, and the dextrine and glycerine method was soon abandoned. The edition of prints, however, of Eve and the Serpent designed by J. D. Batten, printed by myself and published at that time, was produced partly by the earlier method and partly in the simpler Japanese way.
Familiar as everyone is with Japanese prints, it is not generally known thatthey are produced by means of an extremely simple craft. No machinery is required, but only a few tools for cutting the designs on the surface of the planks of cherry wood from which the impressions are taken. No press is used, but a round flat pad, which is rubbed on the back of the print as it lies on the blocks. The colours are mixed with water and paste made from rice flour. The details of the craft and photographs of the tools were given in full in the Smithsonian Institution pamphlet already mentioned.
It is slow and unsatisfactory work, however, learning manipulation from a book, and several technical difficulties that seemed insurmountable were made clear by the chance discovery in London of a Japanese printseller who, although not a printer, was sufficiently familiar with the work to give some invaluable hints and demonstrations.
Further encouragement was given to the work by the institution, a little later, of a class in wood-cuts in colour undermy charge, at the L.C.C. Central School of Arts and Crafts, which for several years became the chief centre of the movement.
Such are the bare historical facts of the development in our country of this craft imported from the Far East.
On a merely superficial acquaintance the Japanese craft of block-printing may appear to be no more than a primitive though delicate form of colour reproduction, which modern mechanical methods have long superseded, even in the land of its invention; and that to study so limited a mode of expression would be hardly of any practical value to an artist. Moreover, the craft is under the disadvantage that all the stages of the work, from making the first design to taking the final impressions, must be done by the artist himself—work which includes the delicate cutting of line and planning of colour blocks, and the preparation of colour and paper. In Japan there were trained craftsmen expert in each of these branches of the craft, and each carriedout his part under the supervision of the artist. No part but the design was done by him. So that the very character of the work has an essential difference. Under our present conditions the artist must undertake the whole craft, with all its detail.
Plate II
Simple as the process is, there is, from first to last, a long labour involved in planning, cutting and printing, before a satisfactory batch of prints is produced. After several attempts in delegating printing to well-trained pupils I have found it impossible to obtain the best results by that means, but the cutting of the colour-blocks and the clearing of the key-block after the first cutting of the line may well be done by assistant craftsmen.
A larger demand for the prints might bring about a commercial development of the work, and the consequent employment of trained craftsmen or craftswomen, but the result would be a different one from that which has been obtained by the artists who arewilling to undertake the whole production of their work.
The actual value of wood-block prints for use as decoration is a matter of personal taste and experience.
In my own opinion there is an element that always remains foreign in the prints of the Japanese masters, yet I know of no other kind of art that has the same telling value on a wall, or the same decorative charm in modern domestic rooms as the wood-block print. A single print well placed in a room of quiet colour will enrich and dominate a whole wall.
The modern vogue still favours more expensive although less decorative forms of art, or works of reproduction without colour, yet here is an art available to all who care for expressive design and colour, and within the means of the large public to whom the cost of pictures is prohibitive. In its possibility as a decorative means of expression well suited to our modern needs and uses, and in the particularcharm that colour has when printed from wood on a paper that is beautiful already by its own quality, there is no doubt of the scope and opportunity offered by this art.
But as with new wine and old bottles, a new condition of simplicity in furniture and of pure colour in decoration must first be established. A wood-block print will not tell well amid a wilderness of bric-à-brac or on a gaudy wall-paper.
From another and quite different point of view, the art of block-cutting and colour-printing has, however, a special and important value. To any student of pictorial art, especially to any who may wish to design for modern printed decoration, no work gives such instruction in economy of design, in the resources of line and its expressive development, and in the use and behaviour of colour. This has been the expressed opinion of many who have undertaken a course of wood-block printing for this object alone.
The same opinion is emphaticallystated by Professor Emil Orlik, whose prints are well known in modern exhibitions. On the occasion of a visit to the Kunstgewerbeschule of Berlin, I found him conducting a class for designers for printed decoration, in which the Japanese craft of block-printing was made the basis of their training. He held to the view that the primitive craft teaches the students the very economy and simplicity upon which the successful use of the great modern resources of colour-printing depend, yet which cannot be learnt except by recourse to simpler conditions and more narrow limitations before dealing with the greater scope of the machine.
My own experience also convinces me that whatever may be the ultimate value of the Eastern craft to our artists as a mode of personal expression, there is no doubt of its effect and usefulness in training students to design with economy and simplicity for modern printing processes.
The early stages of any craft are more interesting when we are familiar with the final result. For this reason it is often an advantage to begin at the end.
To see a few impressions taken from a set of blocks in colour printing, or to print them oneself, gives the best possible idea of the quality and essential character of print-making. So also in describing the work it will perhaps tend to make the various stages clearer if the final act of printing is first explained.
The most striking characteristic of this craft is the primitive simplicity ofthe act of printing. No press is required, and no machinery.
A block is laid flat on the table with its cut surface uppermost, and is kept steady by a small wad of damp paper placed under each corner. A pile of paper slightly damped ready for printing lies within reach just beyond the wood-block, so that the printer may easily lift the paper sheet by sheet on to the block as it is required.
It is the practice in Japan to work squatting on the floor, with the blocks and tools also on the floor in front of the craftsman. Our own habit of working at a table is less simple, but has some advantages. One practice or habit of the Japanese is, however, to be followed with particular care. No description can give quite fully the sense of extreme orderliness and careful deliberation of their work. Everything is placed where it will be most convenient for use, and this orderliness is preserved throughout the day's work. Their shapely tools and vessels arehandled with a deftness that shames our clumsy ways, and everything that they use is kept quite clean. This skilful orderliness is essential to fine craftmanship, and is a sign of mastery.
The arrangement of tools and vessels on a work-table may be as the accompanying plan shows:
Plan of work-table
Fig.1.—Plan of work-table.