Two methods of printing gold or silver (and other metallic pigments) on a woodblock print *ukiyo-e 浮世絵 : one requires surface burnishing togidashi 研出し, and the other does not.
1 The method without burnishing uses a color block that is coated with sizing *dōsa 礬水 or rice-paste himenori 姫糊 using a *tanpo たんぽ (a kind of small brush). Paper is laid onto the block and an impression made. After every few sheets are printed, gold or silver powder is sprinkled onto the glue while it is still wet. The paper is then held up vertically and tapped several times from behind with a fingernail to knock off the excess powder. When completely dry, it is brushed with a feather brush to remove any residue still remaining. Some printers leave it at this, but others put the print back on the original color block and rub the paper from behind to give it added luster.
2 The burnishing method often uses silver powder to suggest the glint of a sword or the sparkle of moonlight on waves. Three printing blocks are required: a paste block nori-ita 糊板, a metal foil block haku-ita 箔板, and a surface burnishing block shōmentogi-ita 正面研ぎ板. A tanpo brush is loaded with thick rice-paste, which is lightly applied to the paste block. The paper is then printed to give a paste print norizuri 糊摺. Next, metal powder is sprinkled onto the metal foil block using a metal foil brush and the paste print is laid on this block and printed again. Metal powder will only stick to the places where there is glue. When this foil print hakuzuri 箔摺 is dry, it is placed on the surface burnishing block and rubbed with a boar's tooth to give it additional luster. It is difficult to burnish gold as it has a tendency to flake away from the paper.