Wood-Block Printing | Page 3

will always be the standards for reference; and on their
study must machine craft be 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 the
experiments 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.

CONTENTS
CHAPTER I
PAGE
Introduction and Description of the Origins of Wood-block
Printing--Its Uses for Personal Artistic Expression, for Reproduction of
Decorative Designs, and as a Fundamental Training for Student of
Printed Decoration 1
CHAPTER II
General Description of the Operation of Printing from a Set of Blocks 9
CHAPTER III

Description of the Materials and Tools required for Block Cutting 17
CHAPTER IV
Block Cutting and the Planning of Blocks 23
CHAPTER V
Preparation of Paper, Ink, Colour, and Paste for Printing 47
CHAPTER VI
Detailed Method of Printing--The Printing Tools, Baren and Brushes
61
CHAPTER VII
Principles and Main Considerations in Designing Wood-block
Prints--Their Application to Modern Colour Printing 81
CHAPTER VIII
Co-operative Printing 89
APPENDIX
Prints and Collotype Plates 94
Books of Reference 129
INDEX 130

ILLUSTRATIONS
FIG. PAGE

1. PLAN OF WORK-TABLE 11
2. BLOCK MOUNTED WITH CROSS ENDS TO PREVENT
WARPING 18
3. DRAWING OF THE KNIFE 19
4. SIZES OF CHISELS 20
5. SHORT CHISEL IN SPLIT HANDLE 21
6. MALLET 21
7. POSITION OF THE HANDS IN USING THE KNIFE 30
8. ANOTHER POSITION OF THE HANDS IN USING THE KNIFE
31
9. KNIFE CUTS IN SECTION 33
10. DIAGRAM OF KNIFE CUTS 33
11. METHOD OF HOLDING GOUGE 35
12. CLEARING OF WOOD BETWEEN KNIFE CUTS 35
13. POSITION OF REGISTER MARKS 37
14. REGISTER MARKS 37
15. REGISTER MARKS (SECTION OF) 38
16. SECTION OF COLOUR-BLOCK 42
17. DRAWING OF SIZING OF PAPER 49
18. CORK OF INK-BOTTLE WITH WAD FOR PRESERVATIVE 56
19. METHOD OF RE-COVERING BAREN 64

20. DRAWING OF BRUSHES 66
21. MANNER OF HOLDING THE PAPER 70
22. MANNER OF USING THE BAREN 72

COLLOTYPE PLATES
1. MEADOWSWEET. REPRODUCTION OF A WOOD-BLOCK
PRINT BY THE AUTHOR Frontispiece
2. KEY-BLOCK OF A PRINT DRAWN AND CUT BY THE
AUTHOR 5
3. THE BAREN, OR PRINTING PAD 12
4. COLOUR-BLOCK OF A PRINT OF WHICH THE KEY-BLOCK
IS SHOWN AT P. 5 23
5. IMPRESSION (NEARLY ACTUAL SIZE) OR A PORTION OF A
JAPANESE WOOD BLOCK SHOWING GREAT VARIETY IN THE
CHARACTER OF THE LINES AND SPOTS SUGGESTING FORM
26
6. REPRODUCTION OF AN IMPRESSION (REDUCED) OF THE
KEY-BLOCK OF A JAPANESE PRINT SHOWING ADMIRABLE
VARIETY IN THE MEANS USED TO SUGGEST FORM 33
7. PORTION OF DETAIL FROM A JAPANESE WOOD BLOCK 48

APPENDIX
PAGE
8. WOOD-BLOCK PRINT BY THE AUTHOR 95

9. FIRST PRINTING (Collotype reproduction) 98
10. SECOND PRINTING " " 100
11. THIRD PRINTING " " 102
12. FOURTH PRINTING " " 104
13. FIFTH PRINTING " " 105
14. SIXTH PRINTING " " 107
15. EIGHTH PRINTING " " 109
16. COLLOTYPE REPRODUCTION OF A COLOUR PRINT BY
HIROSHIGÉ 111
17. COLLOTYPE REPRODUCTION OF A PORTION OF THE
PRINT SHOWN ON THE PRECEDING PAGE, ACTUAL SIZE,
SHOWING THE TREATMENT OF THE FOLIAGE AND THE
EXPRESSIVE DRAWING OF THE TREE-TRUNK AND STEMS
114
18. COLLOTYPE REPRODUCTION OF ANOTHER PORTION OF
THE PRINT SHOWN ON P. 111 ACTUAL SIZE, SHOWING THE
EXPRESSIVE USE OF LINE IN THE DRAWING OF THE
DISTANT FORMS 116
19. COLLOTYPE REPRODUCTION OF A COLOUR PRINT BY
HIROSHIGÉ 118
20. COLLOTYPE REPRODUCTION OF A PORTION (ACTUAL
SIZE) OF THE PRINT ON THE PRECEDING PAGE, SHOWING
TREATMENT OF TREE FORMS AND DISTANCE