A traditional Japanese baren, perfect for rubbing and pressing paper for woodblock printing. This Japanese Sosaku Sumi Baren is an all around printing tool and has a fine inner core which is best used for lines and more detailed prints. This tool provides a flat surface to distribute pressure onto the paper to transfer woodblock relief prints to the paper, creating beautiful, traditional Japanese artworks.Product Data:• Cover/Rubbing Surface & Handle - Bamboo Sheath• Inner Core - Paper Strings with Varnish• Backing Disk - ABS PlasticApproximate Dimension:• Diameter - 130mmTo use this Michihamono Mokuhanga Sosaku Sumi Japanese Baren Woodblock Relief Print 130mm, simply hold the handle properly by inserting your fingers (except for the thumb) through the handle, and the heel part of the hand is touching the back of the baren. In this way, you can put more pressure on the baren. Start rubbing from the corner of the paper to make sure the paper is perfectly aligned to the woodblock relief, and move the baren in a small, circular motion and gradually increasing motion until the whole area of the paper is pressed to the woodblock relief.Add a drop of oil to the rubbing surface of the baren before using. This will make the baren move smoothly around the paper and will lengthen the baren's life.