2008 Exhibition
Edinburgh College Of Art
Japanese Woodblock Printing

Japanese Woodblock Printing was introduced into Japan from China via Korea. The date is uncertain but could have been as early as the 10th century. Coloured Woodblock Printing began in the 17th century in Edo (modern day Tokyo) using carved wooden blocks and water based pigments. The Japanese developed the baren, a simple handpress, to transfer shoulder pressure to force the pigment right into the (washi) dampened, long fibred Japanese paper resulting in perfectly flat colour. European culture has altered the designs of the artwork now being produced but original methods are still in use.