A bit of layout critique: the layout transition between the first page and the second page is really rough. Reading naturally, my eye went from "Building on" straight to "the zinc key block", and then had to totally reorient on the next page, stumbling over the right column and the cherry block caption before finally finding my way back into the text.

You don't address the zinc key block until page 2, so why is the picture on page 1? Leading in with a picture of the cherry blocks (which will be more familiar to someone with a little background) might make more sense.

I really like the way you link the 'Tokyo Nights' series of prints together. I'd always passed over those designs before, but somehow knowing that they're part of a set triggers the collector impulse in me and makes them all more desirable. If I already had any of them, I bet this feeling to collect the rest would be even stronger.

If you're working in either Word or Pages on this, I'd be happy to have a go at that first page break. I did a bit of layout back in school on a zine and remember having fun with it.

Albert, thanks for the suggestions. I've re-worked the layout somewhat (I'm doing this all with InDesign) to make the flow a bit more natural, and replaced the online file.

Hi Dave, the pamphlet makes for great reading. Good luck with them!

Just a small typo on the second page: "Most viewers are surprised when the see the key block for the print." should be "Most viewers are surprised when they see the key block for the print."

Looks great!

Hi Dave!

That's a great idea indeed.

One suggestion: What about adding a QR code in the "featured print" section so that people could download the file on their phones and iPads/Tabs?

Slawik, I'm not sure what you mean. By the time that people have the pamphlet, reading the code wouldn't be of any use. Here in the shop, once we get a bunch of these done, we'll put up a chart or something on the wall with such codes, so that people here can scoop the pamphlets electronically if they would rather do that than take a paper copy ...

Digital pamphlets instead of paper copies is what I meant. Can't think to much about protecting our planet! ;)

I have a pencil signed copy of this print so it's great to now have some detail on the technical side of its production, such as the use of the zinc key block, the number of blocks and impressions needed.

My Toshi Yoshida collection is documented online so I often get asked about the prints but have little (if any) knowledge about them. Hopefully we'll get to hear about some of his other prints in upcoming editions.

Cheers.

I see that Shinjuku is listed in 'Yoshida Toshi: Nature, Art and Peace' as having required 18 colour blocks (9 double sided presumably) and 40 seperate impressions.

The pamphlet notes 7 double sided blocks and 57 impressions.

I assume the figures in the pamphlet came from Shinkichi Numabe? As the Yoshida printer he'd certainly be the one to know the correct ones.

Well, our block count is accurate - I myself took photos of the complete set of them. Some of them have 'double kento' - registration marks at both ends, so that they can be used flipped around. Perhaps this led Mr. Skibbe to adjust his count that way? (sample block)

As for the impression count, that can easily vary; it all depends on how you do the counting. I wasn't there last week to watch Numabe-san do the whole thing, but I did see him do some multiple impressions on a single pass. When there are small areas separated by enough distance, you can prepare three (say) brushes and bowls of pigment, and (working quickly) brush all three areas first, then lay the paper down to print all three together. One impression, or three? Numabe-san says 'three' when I asked him to give me a total … Perhaps Komatsu-san said 'one' to Mr. Skibbe ...

Hi Dave,

This is great! I look forward to acquire the print and use this documentation for my website in French....

And congratulations for the mention in Lonely Planet. This will certainly bring in some traffic.

Best wishes.......Serge