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Message 1
From: Pinto Lawrence
Date: Fri, 18 Nov 2011 15:15:11 GMT
Subject: [Baren 44588] question about design drawings for landscape moku hanga in the 'golden era' of Japanese prints
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Dear Baren Forum People,

I'm struggling with making appropriate design drawings for landscapes of rocky, conifer-lined shorelines with rocky outcroppings. I have been torn between the extremes of making 'cartoons' of the trees (eg showing that there are gorgeous white pines and jack pines with contorted branching patterns that survive the harsh conditions) and the rocks (eg showing cracks with high contrast to show that there are cracks there) and drawing what I actually see (masses of branches of green or other colors for the trees and low contrast dark areas for the rocks). I got started doing this because I fell in love with the Edo era landscape moku hanga while working in Japan. However, I've read that the original design drawings were, of course, pasted onto the key block and would have been lost. For example, did the artist make a rough indication of masses of color and value and the carver interpret that? Were some areas indicated to be cut showing detail and the rest less detailed? Were they sumi 'paintings'? I've read the books available about this (Yoshida, Salter, Bull, Walker) but haven't felt that I understand it yet. Knowing what those artists did to get started with the woodcut would help me with my present struggle. Seeing an example would be of great help.

Does anyone have an idea about the extent of detail and contrast that went into these design drawings?

I'd be grateful for help understanding this.

Thanks, Larry

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Message 2
From: David Bull
Date: Fri, 18 Nov 2011 15:43:42 GMT
Subject: [Baren 44589] Re: question about design drawings for landscape moku hanga in the 'golden era' of Japanese prints
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Pinto Lawrence wrote:
> ... did the artist make a rough indication of masses of color and
> value and the carver interpret that? Were some areas indicated to be
> cut showing detail and the rest less detailed? Were they sumi
> 'paintings'?

Have you seen the video of how Hasui prepared his key block drawings?
http://barenforum.org/blog/archives/2009/02/kawase_hasui_19.html

This is not Edo period work of course, but I rather suspect that what
you are looking for is more along the lines of the shin-hanga style
depicted in this video ...

Dave

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Message 3
From: Graham Scholes
Date: Fri, 18 Nov 2011 16:47:17 GMT
Subject: [Baren 44590] Re: question about design drawings for landscape moku hanga in the 'golden era' of Japanese prints
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The answer to this is really dependent on your ability to envision and drawing ability. When I started this sport 18 years ago, I would make very detailed watercolours... This was a medium that I did for 35 + years and was a way to realize the transition over to moku hanga.

I then found out as I got more involved with the printmaking that copying these watercolour for a print was not proper. I was informed by a master printer... graduate of Tamarind... who explained that original prints should not have a master or original image. It boils down to the first image being the original and the prints become facsimiles. After the first two years I stopped doing the paintings and relied on just keyline drawing to achieve the results I wanted for the print.

This was one of the first prints which I relied upon a watercolour. www.woodblockart.ca/carmanah.html

This was one of the first prints which was done using a keyline drawing.
www.woodblockart.ca/ballenas.html Delightfully simple and I made the transition easy.

Later on I as my skills and knowledge improved the complexity of the image moved on.....
http://www.woodblockart.ca/estevan.html
http://www.woodblockart.ca/ConcertSuite.html

Maybe my little video will be of value to you if you have not seen it....
www.woodblockart.ca/how-to/index.html

Hope this helps.

CREATE-Cut-Print
Graham

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Message 4
From: "Ellen Shipley"
Date: Fri, 18 Nov 2011 19:27:54 GMT
Subject: [Baren 44591] Re: question about design drawings for landscape moku hanga in the 'golden era' of Japanese prints
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Wonderful, Dave. Thanx for posting this.

Ellen

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Message 5
From: Barbara Mason
Date: Fri, 18 Nov 2011 21:09:54 GMT
Subject: [Baren 44592] Re: question about design drawings for landscape moku hanga in the 'golden era' of Japanese prints
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Dave,
Is Hasui using rice paste to glue down the hanshita? It looks more like mucilage.
I am impressed with how he can lift it and then lay it down again so smoothly...I sometimes have an issue getting it down fast enough before the paste starts to dry in places, especially if it is a large hanshita, and if you use too much paste it is a mess. Any enlightenment on this or is it just trial and error...
My best
Barbara

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Message 6
From: David Bull
Date: Fri, 18 Nov 2011 23:10:13 GMT
Subject: [Baren 44593] Re: question about design drawings for landscape moku hanga in the 'golden era' of Japanese prints
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Barbara wrote:
> Dave,
> Is Hasui using rice paste to glue down the hanshita? It looks more
> like mucilage.

Not sure what part of the video you are looking at ... The person
gluing the hanshita down ready to carving is not Hasui, but the carver
Maeda Kentaro.

The paste he's using (which comes in a small green can - and is still
available) is a smooth clear-white type commonly used in schools. It's
not as 'sticky' as a typical western school mucilage (which as far as
I can remember are usually a kind of golden colour).

I myself never use this kind of stuff for pasting down the hanshita,
because it has such a high water content that the paper wrinkles quite
a lot (I use slightly diluted white glue). But given that Maeda-san is
one of the most respected carvers of the 20th century, you kind of
have to admit that it works!

Dave

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Message 7
From: Andrew Jagniecki
Date: Sat, 19 Nov 2011 03:39:21 GMT
Subject: [Baren 44594] just looking
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I would like to show my blog, thanks, Andrew

--
Andrew Jagniecki
Gabriel Designs
5573 S. Shore Dr.
Whitehall Mi 49461
231-557-3404

Artist Website
Blog

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Message 8
From: Barbara Mason
Date: Sat, 19 Nov 2011 03:49:24 GMT
Subject: [Baren 44595] Re: question about design drawings for landscape moku hanga in the 'golden era' of Japanese prints
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Elmers glue? I know they make a school glue that is completely re wetable...
I will try that
Barbara

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Message 9
From: Diane Cutter
Date: Sat, 19 Nov 2011 10:42:25 GMT
Subject: [Baren 44596] Re: just looking
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Lovely work, Andrew. I'll look forward to seeing your blog listed on a regular basis. I'm impressed with the size of the tree piece(s)!

Diane

www.DianeCutter.com
www.theitinerantartist.blogspot.com
www.DCutter.etsy.com

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Subject: Mystique Series #17 : printing steps 4~5
Posted by: Dave Bull

This item is taken from the blog Woodblock RoundTable.
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Subject: Woodblock Print: Painted Lady Butterfly (Exchange 50)
Posted by: Amanda

This item is taken from the blog Amanda's Art Blog.
'Reply' to Baren about this item.

Subject: This Book Belongs To?

This item is taken from the blog Against the grain.
'Reply' to Baren about this item.

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