Media: watercolour woodblock printing
Red Sea
Posted in Notes on a Landscape
Sea I
Posted in Notes on a Landscape
Media: watercolour woodblock printing
Deep Loch
Posted in Sumi Landscape
Media: woodblock printing with sumi ink
Cry of the Seagull
Posted in Sumi Landscape
Media: woodblock printing with sumi ink
Dark Mountains
Posted in Sumi Landscape
Media: woodblock printing with sumi ink
Drifting Clouds
Posted in Sumi Landscape
Media: woodblock printing with sumi ink
Light Rain
Posted in Sumi Landscape
Media: woodblock printing with sumi ink
Rocky Shore
Posted in Sumi Landscape
Media: woodblock printing with sumi ink
1: My approach
Posted in Technique Notes
Coming from a painting background where the possibilities seem endless, I am more and more fascinated by the limitations imposed by woodblock printing.
What excites me is the level of individuality that comes through. It is such a direct, tactile process – in a sense its range of marks and qualities are unique.
The emphasis at Tama Art University (where I studied) was on students finding their own approach to this traditional technique. This is something that has stayed with me.
For example, although at times I use the traditional kento system to achieve a tight registration, I often take more flexible approaches. I also like to combine the more controlled cutting adopted by many Japanese printers, with the freer expressive style more commonly associated with woodcut in the west.
One of the materials widely used in Tama is varnish. As this repels watercolour, it can be applied to the wood as a painterly addition to the mark-making process.
Often a print will come about through a combination of planning and intuitive evolution. This can result in a print being one-off, or a series of variations. These may be resolved into a ‘final’ printed edition but just as often the creative impulse has taken its course.
2: Paper
Posted in Technique Notes
There are many hundreds of Japanese papers (washi), hand made specifically for watercolour printing. Selection can be quite a long process.
The paper usually needs to be sized. However, Japanese paper gets stronger as it gets older, so sometimes sizing is unnecessary.
The size itself can take a couple of days to make. Its ingredients include Nikawa, a type of animal glue, and alum. These are ground, melted in water, and evenly applied with a large soft Dosa brush. Once the paper is dry, I try to leave it for several days to allow the size to settle in.
The paper is moistened by layering between several dampened sheets of newsprint. These are wrapped in layers of plastic that allows the moisture to spread evenly. It takes 2-6 hours for the paper to dampen ready for printing.