Sosaku-Hanga: 20th Century Creative Woodblock Printing
Sosaku-Hanga was a Japanese print movement that began in the beginning of the 20th century. Printmaking involved designing images raised from or etched/carved into wood blocks or printing plates. This was a common form of artwork in 19th century Japan for commercial works mostly, until the 20th century with the exposure to Western conventions and ideas. Sosaku-Hanga, or "creative prints," are woodblock prints that differed from the tradition Japanese prints at the time, with a pioneering approach and individual freedom print artists hadn't known prior. Shin-Hanga, another type of printmaking movement that is considered the sister movement of Sosaku-Hanga forming around the same time, retained some of the traditional steps and other elements in Japanese prints. Creative prints were Before Sosaku-Hanga, woodblock printing was a multiple-step, partnered creative process that involved a designer, carver, and printer. The prints were largely apart of the Shin-Hanga art