An overview of Japanese printmaking art and abstract tendencies

Base of printmaking, which is one of the artistic production methods is put down to discovery of paper in 105 B.C. first examples of printmaking, which has an artistic value today, had the aim of informing people and duplicating pictures. In this period, printmaking were used to duplicate theater artists?pictures in answer to a request of the public. Changes in life conditions changed the subjects in printmaking by time and examples from traditional Japanese printmaking could be seen. Japan followed a withdrawn policy but by time they opened up to the rest of the world and as an answer to this, Japanese arts were influenced by western culture and examples of abstract tendencies started to be seen in impressed artists?works. Japanese art, which is changed by effects of modern art tendencies took shape today and abstract tendencies were performed by new examples in name of Japanese art, for the printmaking to survive. The universality brought to traditional art by Japanese printmakers choosing abstract art, brought a contemporary interpretation to Japanese arts. Contemporary art continued to bloom with abstract art which gained a new dimension by usage of different methods individually or together. In the thesis work which is performed by the name ?An Overview of Japanese Printmaking Art and Abstract Tendencies?, Japanese printmaking history from the past to the present, effects of abstract art and abstract arts on Japanese printmaking, abstract inclined Japanese printmaker and their works are analyzed. This study is offered as a solution to the lack of sources in printmaking.