How to carve a Kento Corner

Carving a Kento corner is the start in the path of the sublime art of Japanese woodblock printing, mokuhanga, to help with precise registration of the paper during printing. There are usually two Kento marks: the corner mark (kagi kento) and the side mark (hikitsuke kento). Here’s a step-by-step guide to carve a Kento corner (kagi kento): 🛠 What You’ll Need: Your woodblock (usually shina or cherry plywood) Sharp chisel or carving knife Pencil and ruler A template or print outline Patience and precision! 🔪 How to Carve the Kento Corner: 1. Mark the Kento Position On the bottom left corner of your block, draw a backwards L shape (┐). Typically, the vertical part of the L is about 1–1.5 cm wide, and the horizontal part is around 2–2.5 cm long. Make sure this aligns with where your paper will sit. 2. Score the Outline Use your knife to carefully score along the pencil lines. This helps avoid chipping when you remove the wood. 3. Remove the Wood Use a flat chisel or carving tool to gently remove the area inside the L shape. You only need to go a few millimeters deep—just enough to make a visible ledge for the corner of the paper to lock into. 4. Test the Fit Place your printing paper (or a mock sheet) against the corner to ensure it fits snugly but not tightly. It should rest neatly against the two ledges without shifting. 5. Optional: Carve the Side Mark A hikitsuke kento (a short horizontal line) can be carved on the right side of the block to support the other corner of the paper. 🧼 Tips: Always carve away from yourself. Keep your tools sharp. Practice on a scrap block first to get the feel of depth and angle. Visit me at: https://yvonnehering.com.au/ If you are interested in discovering ancient Japanese tradition of Mokuhanga you can participate in my workshops here: https://yvonnehering.com.au/workshops/ IG & FB: @Kentocorner