Media: watercolour woodblock printing
Dreaming of Clouds
Posted in Notes on a Landscape, 23 May 2009
Factory
Posted in Notes on a Landscape, 23 May 2009
Media: watercolour woodblock printing
Red Sea
Posted in Notes on a Landscape, 23 May 2009
Sea I
Posted in Notes on a Landscape, 23 May 2009
Media: watercolour woodblock printing
Dublin residency
Posted in News and Events, 23 May 2009
In June I will be taking up residence at the Graphic Print Studio and The Red Stables in Dublin for two months.
I try to keep an open agenda for residencies but am hoping to do some collaborative printing and etching.
I will also be giving a series of master classes at the Graphic Print Studio, and daily demonstrations to the public in The Red Stables courtyard as part of St. Anne’s Rose Festival.
Thanks to Edinburgh Printmakers, the Graphic Print Studio and Dublin City Council for organising this.
1: My approach
Posted in Technique Notes, 18 May 2009
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, 18 May 2009
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.
3: Brushes
Posted in Technique Notes, 18 May 2009
The brushes used to apply colour to woodblocks are a mixture of horse and pig or deer hair. They look like shoe brushes, as you’ll see from the photo below.
If the brushes are out of shape, I leave plenty of time for re-shaping as it can take all day.
Before use, the brushes are singed with fire, or a hot plate, and rubbed on a sharkskin, or modern metal equivalent. This splits the hair ends, and softens them, so that they hold more watercolour.
4: Paints and Pigments
Posted in Technique Notes, 18 May 2009
I normally use gouache or watercolour paints, prepared in small dishes or used directly from the tube.
If I want a richer colour, I use pure pigments. These are ground in a pestle and mortar and mixed with a binder, such as gum arabic or animal glue. I’ll usually also mix them with some rice paste glue on the block itself.