Sosaku – Japanese Inking Brushes

Sosaku Japanese Brushes for Woodblock Printmaking

Choose an individual brush from Michihamono’s Japanese woodblock printing range. These options cover three different jobs: distributing colour on the block, preparing damp printing paper, and transferring colour from a mixing dish. Select the brush type you need from the options above; each selection is one brush.

Horsehair brushes for inking

The Sosaku Hakes come in 15mm, 20mm and 24mm sizes. Michihamono specifies horsehair with finely split, soft tips and a firm brush body. Choose a size according to the colour area you want to work on, and keep several widths nearby when a print combines compact shapes with broader areas.

The 60mm Sosaku brush offers a wider working size. Its horsehair tips have already received the manufacturer’s preparation, and the natural wooden block should be dried thoroughly after use. A broader brush can be useful when distributing colour or exploring gentle tonal transitions on a woodblock.

Prepare paper and transfer colour

The 125mm water brush has soft wool bristles and a poplar handle. It is used for dampening newspaper, between which printing paper can be placed to take up moisture. Keep it dedicated to clean water so pigment does not enter your paper-preparation stack.

The Hakobi carrying brush has nylon bristles. Use it to mix or dilute colour and place it onto the block, then distribute the colour with your Hake or block brush. Michihamono permits trimming the tip to your preferred size.

Choose the right option

• 15mm Hake: the narrowest Hake in this range.
• 20mm Hake: the middle Hake size.
• 24mm Hake: the widest Hake option.
• 60mm Sosaku brush: a broader inking tool.
• Water brush: paper preparation.
• Carrying brush: colour mixing and transfer.

Use test impressions to refine colour and moisture. Clean brushes after printing and allow them to dry. Michihamono recommends storing the horsehair brushes with their bristles facing down.