Hokusai was one of Japan’s greatest woodblock printers during the Edo period (1603-1868). He created a series of woodblock prints (Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji) that influenced other artist around the world, including van Gogh, Monet, and Degas, just to name a few. Unlike other types of block printing (ex: Albrecht Dürer), Japanese woodblock printing (called ukiyo-e), was done more like today’s silkscreening. Multiple blocks, each inked with a different color are used to “stack” the different colors on top of each other to create a final print. In today’s world, we can just create layers on software like Photoshop or acetate (clear plastic paper) and if one layer isn’t perfect, no biggie – we just throw it away. But these were all hand carved blocks, approximately 10-12 square inches, with intricate details. It was a slow and intense process, but in the end, once the blocks were done many copies of each work could be created, allowing for more of the general public to have access to art.
Wikipedia
Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji
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