Detailed Method of Printing
Success in printing depends very much on care and orderliness. 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 possible. To see the
deft and unhurried work of a Japanese craftsman at printing is a great
lesson, and a reproach to Western clumsiness.
The positions indicated by the diagram on page 11 will be found to be
practical and convenient.
The special tools used in printing are the "baren" or printing pad,
which is the only instrument of pressure used, and the printing
brushes.
THE BAREN OR PRINTING PAD
As made by the Japanese, the baren is about five inches in diameter, and
consists of a circular board upon which a flat coil of cord or twisted
fibre is laid. This is held in place by a covering made of a strip of
bamboo-sheath, the two ends of which are twisted and brought together at
the back of the board so as to form a handle. The flat surface of the
bamboo-sheath is on the under side of the pad when the handle is
uppermost. The ribbed bamboo-sheath is impervious to the dampness of the
paper in printing, 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 sheet. The collotype reproduction facing page 12
shows the shape and character of the baren.
Japanese printing pads may be obtained from some of the artists'
colour-men, or from Japan through various agencies. They are by far the
best instrument for the purpose. A pad lasts a considerable time, and
when the bamboo sheath wears through may be re-covered as described
below. If the new bamboo sheath is unobtainable, the baren may be
re-covered by a sheet of vegetable parchment (of the kind used for
covering pots of jam), laid on when wet, and twisted and bound at the
end like the original bamboo covering. A baren used and re-covered when
worn will last for an indefinite time in this way.
TO RE-COVER A WORN BAREN WITH BAMBOO SHEATH
Damp the new leaf in water with a brush on both sides thoroughly.
Wipe dry both sides. Lay it on a flat surface and stretch wider with the
fingers on the inside, keeping the leaf flat with the palm of the hand.
Rub the inside of the leaf with something hard and smooth across the
width on both sides.
1. Cut AG, BG with leaf folded.
2. Place the round pad in position on the flat leaf.
3. Stretch the leaf to lap at sides EF.
4. Turn in EA and BF fold by fold, first one side and then the other.
5. Pull hard before beginning the other end.
[Illustration: FIG. 19.--Method of re-covering baren.]
6. Cut away CH, DH, holding down firmly the end done.
7. Twist up the ends tightly, pull over to the centre, and tie tightly
together; cut off ends.
8. Polish on board and oil slightly.
Twist the inside part of the baren occasionally to save wear by changing
its position within the sheath.
Several substitutes have been tried in place of the Japanese baren,
with coverings of leather, shark's skin, celluloid, and various other
materials, but these necessitate the use of a backing sheet to protect
the paper from their harsh surfaces.
An ingenious rubber of ribbed glass which works directly on the paper
has been devised by Mr. William Giles, who has produced beautiful
results by its means.
If one is using the Japanese baren, its surface needs to be kept very
slightly oiled to enable it to run freely over the damp paper. A pad of
paper with a drop of sweet oil suffices for this, and may lie on the
right of the printing block where the baren is put after each impression
is taken.
An even simpler method is that of the Japanese craftsman who rubs the
baren from time to time on the back of his head.
BRUSHES
Japanese printing brushes are sold by some artists' colour dealers, but
these are not essential, nor have they any practical superiority over
well-made Western brushes.
[Illustration: FIG. 20.--Drawing of brushes.]
An excellent type of brush is that made of black Siberian bear hair for
fine varnishing. These can be had from good brush-makers with the hair
fixed so that it will stand soaking in water. Drawings of the type of
brush are given above.
Three or four are sufficient; one broad brush, about three inches, for
large spaces, one two-inch, and two one-inch, will do nearly all that is
needed. Occasionally a smaller brush may be of use.
PRINTING
To begin printing, one takes first the key-block, laying it upon a wet
sheet of unsized paper, or upon wads of wet paper under each corner of
the block, which will keep it quite steady on the work-table. A batch
of sheets of printing paper, prepared and damped as described in Chapter
V, lies between boards just beyond the block. The pad lies close to the
block at the right on oily paper pinned to the table. To the right also
are a dish or plate on which a little ink is spread, the printing brush
(broad for the key-block), a saucer containing fresh paste, a bowl of
water, a small sponge, and a cloth. Nothing else is needed, and it is
best to keep the table clear of unnecessary pots or colour bottles.
When these things are ready one should see that the paper is in a good
state. It should be rather drier for a key-block than for other blocks,
as a fine line will print thickly if the paper is too damp and soft. In
fact, it can scarcely be too dry for the key-block, provided that it has
become perfectly smooth, and is still flexible enough for complete
contact with the block. But it must not be either dry or damp in
patches.
If the paper is all right, one lifts off the upper board and top damping
sheet, placing them on the left, ready to receive the sheets when
printed.
The key-block, if quite dry, must be moistened with a damp sponge and
then brushed over with the broad printing brush and ink. If a grey line
is wanted the brush should be dipped in a little of the paste and
scarcely touched with ink. For a pale grey line the key-block also must
be well washed before printing. Even if the line is to be black a little
paste should be used. This is best added after one has brushed the black
ink on to the block, not mixed with it beforehand. The ink and paste
are then broken together smoothly and completely over the whole surface
of the block. The last few brush strokes should be of the full length or
breadth of the block and be given lightly with the brush held upright.
The inking of the block must be thoroughly done, but with no more
brushing than is necessary to spread the colour equally. When properly
charged with ink the block should not be at all wet, but just covered
with a very thin and nearly dry film of ink and paste.
No time should be wasted in lifting the top sheet of printing paper on
to the block, placing first its right corner in the register notch, and
holding it there with the thumb, then the edge of the paper to the other
notch, to be held with the left thumb while the right hand is released
to take up the baren (fig. 21). Beginning at the left, the baren is
rubbed backwards and forwards, a full stroke each time, to the outside
limits of the block, with a moderate, even pressure, moving the stroke
in a zigzag towards the right end of the block (fig. 22). Once over
should be enough. A second rub makes heavy printing of the finer lines.
Then the paper is lifted from the block and placed on the board to the
left.
[Illustration: FIG. 21.--Manner of holding the paper.]
Particular attention must be given to the careful placing of the paper
home in the register notches, and to holding it there until the rubber
has gripped the paper on the block.
Sheet by sheet all the printing paper is passed in this way over the
key-block, and piled together. There is no fear of the ink offsetting or
marking the print placed above it. As the work proceeds the block will
give better and better impressions. Spoiled or defective impressions
should be put together at the top of the pile when it lies ready for the
next printing, for the first few impressions are always uncertain, and
it is well to use the defective prints as pioneers, so as not to spoil
good ones.
[Illustration: FIG. 22.--Manner of using the baren.]
When the block has been printed on the whole batch, the sheets should
be replaced at once between the boards before one prepares for the
colour impressions. Usually the paper will be too dry for colour by this
time: if this is so, the damping sheets should be moistened and put in
again as before; one to each three printing sheets. In a minute or two
they will have damped the paper sufficiently and must be taken out,
leaving the printing sheets to stand, between the boards, ready for the
first colour-block.
PRINTING FROM COLOUR-BLOCKS
In printing colour the paper may be slightly damper than it should be
for key-block impressions, and a heavier pressure is necessary on the
baren if the colour masses are large. If the baren is pressed lightly
the colour will not completely cover the paper, but will leave a dry,
granular texture. Occasionally this quality may be useful, but as a rule
a smooth, evenly printed surface is best. It will be found that smooth,
even printing is not obtained by loading the block with colour or paste,
but by using the least possible quantity of both, and nearly dry paper.
In beginning to print from a colour-block, care should be taken to
moisten the block fully before printing, or it will not yield the colour
from its surface; but the block must be wiped, and not used while
actually wet.
The printing proceeds exactly as in the case of the key-block, except
for the heavier use of the baren. The paste should be added after the
colour has been roughly brushed on to the block, and then the two are
smoothly brushed together. The Japanese printers put the paste on to the
block by means of a little stick kept in the dish of paste. Experience
will soon show the amount of paste needed. It is important neither to
add too much nor to stint the paste, as the colour when dry depends on
the paste for its quality. Too little paste gives a dead effect.
Some of the colours print more easily than others. With a sticky colour
it is well to wipe the block with a nearly dry sponge between each
impression, so that the wood gives up its colour more readily. In the
case of a very heavy colour such as vermilion a drop of glue and water
may help; but with practically all the colours that are generally used
the rice paste and careful printing are enough.
The amount of size in the paper is another important factor in the
printing of colour. If the paper is too lightly sized the fibres will
detach themselves and stick to the damp block. Or if too heavily sized
the paper will not take up the colour cleanly from the block, and will
look hard when dry. One very soon feels instinctively the right quality
and condition of the block, colour, and paper which are essential to
good printing; and to print well one must become sensitive to them.
PRINTING OF GRADATIONS
Beside the printing of flat masses of colour, one of the great resources
of block printing is in the power of delicate gradation in printing.
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 colour: then, by
squeezing the whole width of the brush broadly between the thumb and
forefinger so that most of the water is squeezed out, the brush is left
charged with a tint gradated from side to side. The brush is then dipped
lightly into paste along its whole edge, and brushed a few times to and
fro across the block where the gradation is needed. It is easy in this
way to print a very delicately gradated tint from full colour to white.
If the pale edge of the tint is to disappear, the block should be
moistened along the surface with a sponge where the colour is to cease.
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 cease. 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 white, or sometimes the plumage of birds is
printed with sudden gradations. In fact, the method may be developed in
all kinds of ways. Often it is an advantage to print a gradation and
then a flat tone over the gradation in a second printing.
OFFSETTING
No care need be taken to prevent "offsetting" of the colour while
printing. The prints may be piled on the top of each other immediately
as they are lifted from the block, without fear of offsetting or marking
each other. Only an excessive use of colour, or the leaving of heavy
ridges of colour at the edges of the block by careless brushing, will
sometimes mark the next print on the pile. As in printing the key-block,
it is well to hold the brush quite upright for the last strokes across
the block, and always to give a full stroke across the whole length or
width of the form to be coloured.
As soon as one colour-block has been printed, the next may be taken and
printed at once, without fear of the colour running, even though the
fresh colour touches the parts already printed.
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 print. There may sometimes be an advantage in not printing the
key-block first, though as a rule it should come first for the sake of
keeping the later blocks in proper register. If the key-block is not
printed one cannot see how the colour-blocks are fitting. 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-block, so that in such a case the sky should be printed first,
and then the key-block followed by the remaining colour-blocks.
At the end of a day's printing the prints may quite safely be left
standing together between the boards until the next day. For three days
the damp paper comes to no harm, except in hot weather, but on the
fourth day little red spots of mould begin to show and spread. It should
be remembered that freshly boiled paste is to be used each day.
DRYING OF PRINTS
When the prints are finished they should be put to dry as soon as
possible. If they are spread out and left exposed to the air they will
soon dry, but in drying will cockle, and cannot then be easily pressed
flat. It is better to have a number of mill-boards or absorbent "pulp"
boards rather larger than the prints, and to pile the prints and boards
alternately one by one, placing a weight on the top of the pile. The
absorbent boards will rapidly dry the prints and keep them quite flat.
Finished prints should be numbered for reference, and should, if printed
by the artist himself, also bear his signature --or some printed sign
to that effect. The number of prints obtainable from a set of blocks is
difficult to estimate. The Japanese printers are said to have made
editions of several thousands from single sets of blocks. The actual
wear in printing even of a fine line block is imperceptible, for the
pressure is very slight. Certainly hundreds of prints can be made
without any deterioration. But an artist who is both designing and
producing his own work will not be inclined to print large editions.[5]
[5] Further experience on this point is given in Chapter VIII on
Co-operative Printing.