April Vollmer has recently published an excellent book " Japanese Woodblock Print Workshop" which is an well written guide to the art and craft of mokuhanga from history to technique and inspiration.Mokuhanga means 'woodblock print' in Japanese.A few people were asking about how I inked and printed a new print that I’ve started, so I’m posting a quick description of my newest “jig-thingie”. Mokuhanga Washi Collection / Paper Assortment Gozen (no longer made / this is the last of the inventory)Ĭlick on the product name to learn more about the paper (opens a new window) Here is a list of some of the papers ordered most often for woodblock printmaking. Sample Reference Page and 8.If you’re not familiar with shin-hangaor ‘new prints’ from the 1920’s, 30’s and 40’s, there was a group of artists that were assembled by Shōzaburō Watanabe. Of these artists, the most notable being Shinsui Ito, Kawase Hasui, and Hiroshi Yoshida. The last two are my main influences- they both were originally painters and brought a western-style flavor to landscapes. “To emulate their paintings shin-hanga artists used ukiyo-e (by then a long-dead period) style woodblock printing techniques which were hybridized by introducing multiple layering and other innovative techniques. This allowed for a ‘mini-renaissance’ for woodblock.” I hope that people like Paul Binnie (London), Matt Brown (NH), Leon Loughridge (CO), Yours Truly and others can give some life back to the movement- should we call it “ Western shin-hanga“?Įither way, I have posted several process print series from Hiroshi Yoshida in which there were obvious wiping one such image from his “Kagurazaka Dori” shows both techniques: Keyblock for Hiroshi Yoshida’s “ Kagurazaka Dori” in which the lights are wiped of ink. The red areas on the left are using the same keyblock, but a mask is used for selective printing. This dovetails with the previously- wiped areas on the previously-printed keyblock impression to create a sense of glowing through the depiction of glare.Ībove you can see the masked areas (indicated by the red glow of the lights) using the keyblock below the wiped areas in the earlier-printed brown keyblock above. Here is a video of me using similar techniques. In case the video doesn’t load, here’s the Youtube link.ĭuring the video I mention that I’ve wondered how such technically complex shin-hanga prints were made using such a small number of blocks. Blocks are very often used multiple times for different colors, but they are generally separated by some space to avoid inking the wrong area. By using a mask, the printer could isolate areas without this concern. Wiping also allows for dual duty as you can see in one of my prints “Sunfish Pond, NJ” #8 from The Appalachian Trail Complete Prints series. The green on the lake reflections is produced by the same medium green block as the trees, but before printing, I wiped the reflection areas which gives a hint of color rather that the full value. Sunfish Pond, NJ showing wiping in reflections The same is done with the orangy cloud color. In addition, I add a little paste at the wiping area and leave it out of the main part in order to create “ goma” or blotchy printing to emulate the texture of rocks.Īll of these effects are vastly different than the usual ukiyo-e techniques and, to some degree, resemble the act of painting on the blocks- something that is very difficult to be consistent. Bake(hanga or maru): traditional Japanese printing brushes made of horse or hog hair.Franconia Notch, NH- wiping, mask, and gomaĪt the risk of sounding ‘cocky’, I think that I’m getting there! Here’s my finished proof featured in the video- #13 another one from The Appalachian Trail Complete Prints series. Ōban: a print size about 15½ by 10½ inches (39 by 26.5 cm).Nori: Paste to keep pigment in suspension made of rice, potato or tapioca.Nishiki-e: Multi-coloured woodblock printing.Moku hanga:Japanese for woodblock prints.Ita-bokashi: "block shading" a technique for producing gradation achieved by sanding or abrading the edges of the carving.Hanshita: The drawings used as a guide to later carving.Keyblock: Roughly, line blocks often containing color.Chūban: a print size about 7 by 10 inches (18 by 25 cm).Bokashi: A graduated color impression often seen in traditional ukiyo-e print backgrounds.Beta ban: A flat, consistent color block.Baren-suji: Impression marks made with a baren- intentional or not.Baren: The traditional printmaking "pad" that is used by manually pressing the inked block.Hanga bake have long handles, maru (round) bake resemble shoe brushes.
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