Sosaku – Japanese Hake Inking Brush – 15mm

Sosaku 15mm Hake Brush for Smaller Woodblock Areas

The Sosaku 15mm Hake is a horsehair inking brush from Michihamono’s woodblock printing range. Its narrow size makes it a useful choice when you want to work on a smaller colour area without using a much broader brush. Use it for preparing water-based colour on a carved block during mokuhanga printing.

Soft tips with a firm brush body

The horsehair has finely split tips, combining softness at the printing surface with a firm body behind them. This construction helps the brush retain and spread colour. The 15mm option is the smallest Hake in this range, so it provides a compact alternative to the 20mm and 24mm brushes when selecting tools for your design.

Build a practical colour routine

Keep one brush for each colour family where possible. This reduces the need to clean between every layer and helps you avoid carrying a previous pigment into a lighter mixture. Place a small amount of prepared colour on the block, then work it over the intended printing area before taking a proof.

Use the proof to judge coverage rather than adding a large amount of colour at once. Adjust moisture and pigment in small steps, and note the combination that gives the effect you want. A separate carrying brush can be useful for transferring colour from the mixing dish while the Hake distributes it on the block.

Specifications and care

• Brush size: 15mm.
• Bristles: horsehair.
• Manufacturer: Michihamono.
• Manufacturer code: 82004200.
• Supplied as one individual Hake brush.

Clean the brush after printing so pigment does not dry in the hairs. Allow it to dry thoroughly before storage; Michihamono recommends storing the brush with the bristles facing down after use. Add this smaller Hake alongside a wider brush when your prints contain both compact colour shapes and broad areas.