Fun with Japanes Prints

I've always been a fan of Japanese prints. They are simple yet incredibly complex at the same time. They are simple in that the blocks of color are bold and the images and their message pretty straight forward. However all the work that went into creating them makes them incredible complex. Making the prints was a group effort requiring precision and editing by all involved.

Buntsu, Cherry Blossoms 1960

To create a print the artist would initially create a painting and would then have to translate the painting into a way of printing many copies of it. If the painter would try to paint the same painting over and over, it would most likely turn out different each time. However, creating prints ensured exact replication.  By creating prints, the artist would be able to have his work seen and owned by many.

Yoshu Chikanobu

A Lady in Waiting Hands The Noh Mask to an Actor in The Chiyoda Palace, 1895

The print by Chikanobu, shown above, shows how complex the prints can be. Each block had its own color and had to be lined up exactly to create the replica perfectly. If only one block and color were off, even just the slightest, the entire painting would be ruined. This was all done before computers and modern technology. It is just amazing to see how exact each artist and block maker had to be in order to create each print. The prints are even more stunning than an actual painting once you realize all the work that went into its creation.