Woodblock prints

Japanese woodblock prints are called hanga. This is composed of two kanji, han meaning 'a printing block" and ga meaning "picture." The process of traditional woodblock printing involved three different people: (1) the artist who draws the prints and decides on the color scheme for each one, (2) the publisher who commissions the work, and (3) the carver who cuts the prints out of either cherry or pear wood. The process started with a black-ink block and followed through with successive color blocks, ultimately producing a finished print. The Edo period artists produced a hanshita-e (underdrawing) in accordance with the plan of the publisher who commissioned the work. It was then submitted to the censor, who was either a representative of a wholesale dealer, or in later times, a government official. Once approval was obtained, the carver prepared the blocks, and the printers produced the prints.