The Art of Japanese Prints

Absolutely beautiful. As an artist I am always looking for inspiration and I have found it in the choice of prints and the treatment of these prints on trace paper and in metalic form.

I have a theory about how one learns without benefit of a structured environment and an instructor. The first book on any subject should be one that covers the topic briefly with accurate information using proper terminology and lots of pictures to convey meaning and hold one's interest. From there, the books should be more detailed until the scholarly texts are easy to read. I would recommend "The Art of Japanese Prints" by Nigel Cawthorne as a delightful first book on Japanese prints. Much information and terminology (i.e. all the proper terms for Japanese prints: surimona, hashira-e, kacho ya, bijin-ga, nishiki-e, kirazuri,etc.)is given in this 94 page book concerning traditional Japanese woodblock prints. There is not a two-page spread that does not have at least one color print. One can easily see why Japanese prints are so desirable.

The book is itself as beautifully put together as the prints which are its subject.