{"id":1192,"date":"2023-03-19T17:44:07","date_gmt":"2023-03-19T21:44:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/azelvandre.net\/artistseye\/?p=1192"},"modified":"2023-09-08T17:53:40","modified_gmt":"2023-09-08T21:53:40","slug":"studio-notes-moku-hanga-progress","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/azelvandre.net\/artistseye\/2023\/03\/studio-notes-moku-hanga-progress\/","title":{"rendered":"Studio Notes: Moku hanga progress!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Last spring I mentioned that I was rekindling a relief printmaking practice — specifically, Japanese woodblock (“Moku hanga<\/strong>“), and I have indeed been spending a lot of time on this over the past year or so. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Printmaking is very process-oriented, and it can take a long time (at least for me) to get finished results. It had been perhaps 10 years or so since I had been working in this medium, and this time around I have really been making a study of traditional Japanese methods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
A straightforward one-block print testing out Japanese inks on Japanese paper.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Japanese approach uses certain woods, carving techniques, a method of setting up registration (making the paper line up properly on multiple blocks), water-based inks with rice paste as a binder, and hand-printing without the use of a press. It’s a lot to learn and absorb! But also a lot of fun, as long as you have a good store of patience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Patience is not always my strong suit, so this has been a learning process all around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
Another one-block print on Japanese paper.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The process-heavy nature of the artform means that one doesn’t necessarily know how the work will turn out until the very end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lots of skulls in different colors and different papers<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

There are, of course, special tools:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
Some moku hanga equipment and media<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In the photo above, I show some of the brushes used to mix and apply the ink to the plates, a jar of pre-mixed rice paste (sorry, I don’t yet have the patience to mix my own!) and some of the inks (sold as ‘pigment pastes’ or liquid black sumi ink).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The inks are brushed onto the plates, opening up some creative possibilities (note: practice and skill will be required! This will take time). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So far I’ve put together one 3-plate piece, and I’ve done some proofs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
3 plates for moku hanga project (doesn’t look like much at this stage)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Getting the right balance of ink to rice paste, and right amount on the plate takes some practice, then there is the actual printing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
Some proofs<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
3-color moku hanga proof, image size of about 8 inches square.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
Another proof of the 3-block moku hanga<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Presently, I’m gearing up to 3 a limited edition print on good paper of this image, as well as some other single blocks I have. Then it will be time to begin planning the next work!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’ll try to develop some more posts on the process, in the meantime, follow me on Instagram<\/a>, where I frequently post directly from the studio.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Last spring I mentioned that I was rekindling a relief printmaking practice — specifically, Japanese woodblock (“Moku hanga“), and I have indeed been spending a lot of time on this over the past year or so. Printmaking is very process-oriented, and it can take a long time (at least for me) to get finished results. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1197,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"An update on my recent 'moku hanga' efforts.","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[11,16],"tags":[134,19,132,133,43],"class_list":["post-1192","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-art","category-studio-notes","tag-artprocess","tag-landscape","tag-mokuhanga","tag-printmaking","tag-woodcut"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azelvandre.net\/artistseye\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/MokuHanga-7.jpg?fit=905%2C1024","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p5zpKF-je","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1130,"url":"http:\/\/azelvandre.net\/artistseye\/2022\/04\/an-exhibition-and-other-spring-news\/","url_meta":{"origin":1192,"position":0},"title":"An Exhibition, and Other Spring News","author":"John Azelvandre","date":"April 9, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Good afternoon friends, Spring is popping here in Brooklyn and there's lots going on! \"Dharmadhatu 3\" oil on panel, 18\" diameter, 2021. Opening this weekend! Brooklyn Utopias: Along the Canal I'm pleased to be included in this multi-site exhibition organized by ArtsGowanus and the Old Stone House & Washington Park\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Announcements"","block_context":{"text":"Announcements","link":"http:\/\/azelvandre.net\/artistseye\/category\/announcements\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azelvandre.net\/artistseye\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/John-Azelvandre_Dharmadhatu-3_oil_18x18in-hi-rez-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azelvandre.net\/artistseye\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/John-Azelvandre_Dharmadhatu-3_oil_18x18in-hi-rez-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azelvandre.net\/artistseye\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/John-Azelvandre_Dharmadhatu-3_oil_18x18in-hi-rez-scaled.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azelvandre.net\/artistseye\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/John-Azelvandre_Dharmadhatu-3_oil_18x18in-hi-rez-scaled.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azelvandre.net\/artistseye\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/John-Azelvandre_Dharmadhatu-3_oil_18x18in-hi-rez-scaled.jpg?resize=1050%2C600 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azelvandre.net\/artistseye\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/John-Azelvandre_Dharmadhatu-3_oil_18x18in-hi-rez-scaled.jpg?resize=1400%2C800 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1258,"url":"http:\/\/azelvandre.net\/artistseye\/2023\/09\/how-i-spent-my-summer\/","url_meta":{"origin":1192,"position":1},"title":"How I Spent My Summer","author":"John Azelvandre","date":"September 8, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"It's interesting how often events and projects don't quite roll out as I imagine they will. These past nine months have been a perfect example of that. I always begin the year plotting a course, imagining what projects I'd like to finish, continue or start, what new creative possibilities I\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Art"","block_context":{"text":"Art","link":"http:\/\/azelvandre.net\/artistseye\/category\/art\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azelvandre.net\/artistseye\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/DSCF3440-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azelvandre.net\/artistseye\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/DSCF3440-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azelvandre.net\/artistseye\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/DSCF3440-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azelvandre.net\/artistseye\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/DSCF3440-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azelvandre.net\/artistseye\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/DSCF3440-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":55,"url":"http:\/\/azelvandre.net\/artistseye\/2015\/01\/studio-notes-new-landscape-started\/","url_meta":{"origin":1192,"position":2},"title":"Studio Notes – New landscape started","author":"John Azelvandre","date":"January 5, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"I spent some time in the studio this afternoon, stretching canvas and beginning a new painting in my \"paysages plan\u00e9taires\" series. \u00a0A big inspiration for this series is the work of Swiss symbolist and proto-expressionist (my designation) Ferdinand Hodler. \u00a0(Occasionally I reblog Hodler images on my tumblr.) I believe I\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Art"","block_context":{"text":"Art","link":"http:\/\/azelvandre.net\/artistseye\/category\/art\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azelvandre.net\/artistseye\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/paysage-in-progress.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azelvandre.net\/artistseye\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/paysage-in-progress.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azelvandre.net\/artistseye\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/paysage-in-progress.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azelvandre.net\/artistseye\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/paysage-in-progress.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":113,"url":"http:\/\/azelvandre.net\/artistseye\/2015\/01\/studio-notes-the-paysage-in-progress-continued\/","url_meta":{"origin":1192,"position":3},"title":"Studio Notes – the paysage in progress, continued","author":"John Azelvandre","date":"January 13, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"As noted last week, I'm blogging the progress on a new landscape (a \"paysage plan\u00e9taire\" in the spirit of Ferdinand Hodler). \u00a0On Sunday, I completed the underpainting: Tonight, I had very little time to get into it, so I just worked on the sky and water - the blue areas,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Art"","block_context":{"text":"Art","link":"http:\/\/azelvandre.net\/artistseye\/category\/art\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Underpainting completed, Paysage plan\u00e9taire, oil on canvas, 24x24\", in progress","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azelvandre.net\/artistseye\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/paysage-progress-4-1024x685.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azelvandre.net\/artistseye\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/paysage-progress-4-1024x685.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azelvandre.net\/artistseye\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/paysage-progress-4-1024x685.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":119,"url":"http:\/\/azelvandre.net\/artistseye\/2015\/01\/studio-notes-paysage-planetaire-continued\/","url_meta":{"origin":1192,"position":4},"title":"Studio notes – paysage plan\u00e9taire, continued","author":"John Azelvandre","date":"January 20, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"I'm getting a bit behind in my blogging. 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Last week, the underpainting was complete and I worked on\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Art"","block_context":{"text":"Art","link":"http:\/\/azelvandre.net\/artistseye\/category\/art\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Paysage plan\u00e9taire in progress, oil on canvas, 24x24\"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azelvandre.net\/artistseye\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/paysage-progress-7-1024x988.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azelvandre.net\/artistseye\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/paysage-progress-7-1024x988.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azelvandre.net\/artistseye\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/paysage-progress-7-1024x988.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":136,"url":"http:\/\/azelvandre.net\/artistseye\/2015\/02\/studio-notes-paysage-planetaire-completed\/","url_meta":{"origin":1192,"position":5},"title":"Studio Notes – paysage plan\u00e9taire completed","author":"John Azelvandre","date":"February 8, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"This is the final installment of my series of posts following the progression of a painting I started at the beginning of January - a \"paysage plan\u00e9taire\" inspired in part by the work of Ferdinand Hodler and other painters from that era. \u00a0So, in my last post, described the overpainting.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Art"","block_context":{"text":"Art","link":"http:\/\/azelvandre.net\/artistseye\/category\/art\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azelvandre.net\/artistseye\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/paysage-process-final-3.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azelvandre.net\/artistseye\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/paysage-process-final-3.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azelvandre.net\/artistseye\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/paysage-process-final-3.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azelvandre.net\/artistseye\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/paysage-process-final-3.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/azelvandre.net\/artistseye\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1192","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/azelvandre.net\/artistseye\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/azelvandre.net\/artistseye\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/azelvandre.net\/artistseye\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/azelvandre.net\/artistseye\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1192"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"http:\/\/azelvandre.net\/artistseye\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1192\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1205,"href":"http:\/\/azelvandre.net\/artistseye\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1192\/revisions\/1205"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/azelvandre.net\/artistseye\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1197"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/azelvandre.net\/artistseye\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1192"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/azelvandre.net\/artistseye\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1192"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/azelvandre.net\/artistseye\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1192"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}