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About
Woodblock Printing |
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Prints are
an indirect path taken. The drawing, carving, inking and printing of the
block, are all distinct phases that must come together to create a
satisfying end result. It is through this indirect medium that, in spite
of the many steps involved, images of great immediacy can occur, images
that have a singular boldness and insistence. The purity of expression,
the surface tension and patterns the medium encourages, are all
attributes of the woodblock print that I find enormously exciting and
challenging.
THE PROCESS...
The woodblock print begins with a drawing, which is transferred in
reverse onto the block. Areas that the artist does not want to print,
are carved away using a variety of tools. the block is then rolled with
ink, a piece of paper placed over the block, then pressure applied by
hand or press to transfer the image to the paper.
The numbers on the print indicate which print and how many. Thus 2/10
would mean the second print in an edition of ten. Once the edition is
decided on, no further prints are made. Traditionally the artist scars
the block in some way to ensure this.
Prints are very similar in an edition, though the variables in the
process ensure that each one is unique. The papers used in most cases
for the prints shown on this website are handmade Japanese papers, using
the fibers of the mulberry tree. The inks are oil-base. |
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The blocks used to print from are wood and linoleum, in a number of
prints they are combined. The linoleum is conducive to smooth flowing
shapes, and receives the ink very evenly. The wood used in some cases is
Shina (a fine-grain plywood from Hokkaido, Japan), and in some cases old
pastry boards, ironing boards, or any wood plank that offers
possibilities. The wood offers a singular sort of resistance in its
texture and grain, bringing its own personality to the image.
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© Holly Meade 2011
copyright information
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