That time already! Today’s topic, Woodblock Printmaking. I have been looking at woodblock prints quite earnestly for the last couple of months, after seeing a kickstarter campaign where the artist Jed Henry and woodblock printer David Bull turn contemporary video game scenes into traditional woodblock prints. I’m not a huge video game person, but some of the pieces are awesome! David Bull uploads videos of him cutting and printing to youtube, I could watch it all day long. Here is one of them:

Here is a quick video about the process of traditional japanese woodblock printing.

Check out these other woodblock prints. I tried my best to find the links to bring you back to the artist, enjoy!

The North Wind (Discontinued) by Kirsten Etmund York Boats on Lake Winnipeg by Walter J. Phillips Leaf of Gold by Walter J. Phillips Two Children with Lanterns by Shiro Kasamatsu Untitled (Peaks) by Isobel Adams Mamalilicoola BC, by Walter J. Phillips “Langegasse nach Zinnwald im Winter” by Erish Buchwald-Zinnwald Print of Dog by Kiyoshi Saito Not actually sure who the designer is for this one. It might be a matchbook case (most likely) which means it is probably not a woodcut print. Interesting design though. Carving of The Moon by Tugboat Printshop Winter Light by William Hays Rickshaw Cart by Jed Henry and David Bull Ipswich Street by Arthur Wesley Dow (1895) (Unsure of Title) by Sozan Ito Female Nude Seated in Water by Ichijo Narumi

I love how the texture of the paper plays such an important role in the prints. Looking at how atmospheric perspective and backgrounds are handled in some of these prints was a big influence in how I handled it in this piece.

For a cool contemporary woodcut printshop, check out Tugboat Printshop, or if you area in the Edmonton area, take some time to visit SNAP.