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Wood cut

Wood cut
Wood cut
Wood cut
About the image medium
Name
Wood cut
Notes
This is a technique also known as woodblock printing and was used in China for many centuries to print books. It involves the carving of a wooden block so that an image stands out in relief which is then inked and pressed against paper, either mechanically or by hand. Japanese Ukiyo-e prints of the Edo period (1620s to 1860s) were produced in a three-stage process: first the artist would paint a design with ink, then his assistant would carve the design onto wooden blocks, one for each of the colours. Finally coloured ink would be applied to the blocks to enable a print to be produced from the design, with up to 200 copies made at one time. As the technique developed a wider range of colours was used.
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