These prints are a group of woodcuts, printed in the traditional Japanese technique of carving a master
block. Originally the master artist would do the
carving and turn the actual printing over to his
apprentices to apply color and complete the edition.
I use handmade Japanese papers made from kozo.
The printing process is much the same as the
ancient techniques. Having no studio of young apprentices at my command, I myself use a rubbing
pad made of tough bamboo wrapped over a hard
disk to apply
pressure to the surface of the block to finish the job. These prints
are "relief prints"