Monday, December 19, 2005



This is a proof of the first woodblock I've created since taking the Moku Hanga (Japanese Woodblock) course at Druckstelle in Berlin, Germany this summer of 2005. It is based on a photograph taken during my travels afterwards in the Baltics. I see a couple of problems with it. First the ink has a mottled appearance to it. It may be due to being printed on an inexpensive paper produced for oil based inks rather than the water based inks used in moku hanga. Perhaps a japanese paper designed for water based inks would solve the problem. I am also wondering if perhaps the binder used (methyl cellulose) was perhaps not thick enough. It was mixed according to instructions (1/4 tsp methyl cellulose to 2 tbsp distilled water). Or perhaps it is the ink. However I doubt this last one since the ink is Kaimei Carbon Ink recommended for this application. There are also some problems with the black plate. Registration is one, and it was the first plate carved, and involved a learning curve with a few oops! along the way. I will try making corrections to the plate before recarving a new one.

7 Comments:

Blogger M said...

awesome Nels, I'll be looking so forward to reading this blog!!!!

4:58 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey Nels, despite your knowledgeable analysis of the print, I thought it was great. I loved the composition of the original photograph and the use of light made it very appealing to me. I look forward to seeing more of your work in the future.

6:15 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Nels, this is incredible. You are a true inspiration buddy. I look forward to seeing more of your work. It also sounds as if your self-critique will lend you to creating another go-around at this piece, in which case I would love to see the second edition and know what you changed to make it happen!

Cheers -
Boomer

8:24 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Dear Nels, I am very impressed by this beautiful print. As I know some of your photographs I can see the connection to that and like the way you transform this into a woodblock print. And I really like the grey tones.
The mottled ink sounds like western paper or a block which was too dry, or not enough printing paste (called gomazuri).

Yours,

Eva

1:43 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Nels:
Great to see the blog. was the
methyl cellulose dry in your mix or the very viscous stuff from the shop? I bet your problem is based somewhere in the mix.

5:57 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi Nels! Nice work, keep it up, you never cease to impress me.

7:14 PM  
Blogger M said...

Hey Nels, Happy New Year. I really like that print: the composition is great. So, how's the new semester unfolding? Any new projects that you'll be undertaking this time?

10:01 PM  

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