Hokusai’s Method

For artists, designers, and tattooers building stronger drawing judgment, Hokusai’s Method is more than a beautiful book. It’s a serious reference for studying how a master thinks on paper—line, rhythm, simplification, and invention—across thousands of small decisions.

An omnibus edition collecting fifteen volumes of Hokusai’s dedicated drawing manuals, also known as e-tehon. While Hokusai is best known for prints like The Great Wave off Kanagawa, he produced hundreds of printed books during his lifetime—many of them made specifically to teach, share, and preserve his drawing practice.

Hokusai’s Method faithfully reproduces every page from these manuals, featuring 800+ illustrations created between 1812 and 1848. You’ll find playful exercises, songs and poems used as prompts, pictures composed of letterforms (a surprisingly modern approach to visual language), designs intended for craftsmen, and even depictions of movement and dance.

This title is especially useful if you want to:

• Study how Hokusai builds forms with economy and clarity
• Develop a stronger sense of line, rhythm, and visual shorthand
• Use historic reference to expand your visual vocabulary for drawing and composition

Book details

• Title: Hokusai’s Method
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Pages: 896
• Size: 212 × 152 × 60 mm (8.3 × 6.0 × 2.4 inches)