新水や空 演劇篇
A 1930 Japanese picture book (ehon) titled 新水や空 演劇篇, made by the artist Okamoto Ippei and published by Senshinsha in Japan for a general readership. Its pictures are simple woodblock-style line drawings with dark flat ink masses and short handwritten-style captions, showing stage-like scenes of costumed figures in kimono, a doorway, a shop front with signboards, and a crouching figure. A designer might take from them the bold contrast of black ink blocks against open white paper, and the economical way figures and props are outlined.
