How a stencil is made
- Sheets of washi are bonded with kakishibu. Kakishibu is a fermented persimmon tannin that turns the paper brown and tough.
- A cutter carves the pattern through the layers.
- A fine silk net holds the loose pieces in place.
- Rice paste goes through the holes onto the cloth, the cloth is dyed, and the paste washes out to leave the pattern white.
Four ways to cut
| Cut | How |
|---|---|
| Kiribori | A semicircular blade turned against the paper punches round holes. A square centimetre holds up to about a hundred of them. |
| Tsukibori | The knife is pushed away from the cutter through every layer at once. This cut makes free lines and curves. |
| Dōgubori | Punches ground to a shape press out the same flower or diamond again and again. |
| Shimabori | Stripes are cut along a ruler, and each stripe is traced three times with a small blade. |
The type family
The typeface took the name because it is made by cutting. Its curves are squared, its terminals are cut level, and its K is cut from a square. The About page has the story and a stencil you can cut with your own word.