Moving Forward Art Analysis Essay
Woodblock Printing
This is the process of printmaking in which I have chosen to work towards, I’ve selected this process as it resembles lino printing which I really enjoy. I find the process of this method to be really pleasing and I feel as though the outcome always feels rewarding as you can make mistakes, the ink can be uneven etc. but it can still improve the look of the print. Woodblock printing is just like lino in where its another form of relief printing in where the area which have been carved away do not print/acts as negative space. Just like lino the print comes out reversed when either put through a press or when rolled onto a piece of paper. Woodblock printing is said to date all the way back to 770 A.D. and perhaps even further. It originated from Eastern countries such as Japan and China. Much of traditional Japanese art is actually a woodblock print but due to how fine the detail and intriquet some of the works are they look as though they are hand painted. There are many different types of wood which you can get that can make it easier to get more detail, some others can splinter less too when carved which helps keep a nice clean print. The Western tradition of woodblock printing is where colours are rolled onto the block with a printing roller and in Eastern woodblocks it is much more common for watercolour to be applicated to the block and then pressed onto paper.
Key Characteristics
The key characteristics within woodblock printing are precise line work which are also bold, black lines. There are blocks used of full colour which most likely would make it easier for the printer and less time consuming, with pattern also being a very common asset within woodblock artworks. Pattern is often seen to be used within clothes of any people within the works, the use of this alongside the use of colour is what makes woodblock prints so eye catching and unique. A block of gradient colour is often used to show the sky or water which helps the rest of the work pop out more. Bold usage of black is also used on people for their hair.
Pivotal Printmakers
The three pivotal printmakers within woodblock printing which I have selected to analyse are;
Katsushika Hokusai
Hokusai (born 1760 – died 1849) is perhaps one of the most well-renowned woodblock printers through his piece ‘The Great Wave at Kanagawa’. Hokusai was a Japanese artist, printmaker and ukiyo-e painter from the Edo period (Edo is now known as Tokyo). In his lifetime, he had mastered the art of Chinese painting and had become Japan’s main expert.
“The Great Wave” also from a series “Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji”
Painted: 1830-32
Size: 10 1/8 x 14 15/16 inches (25.7 x 37.9 cm)
Medium: Woodblock print; ink and colour on paper
In this work, allocated in the background Hokusai had placed Mount Fuji, he has presented Mount Fuji in a simplified form but still showing enough detail so that you can easily distinguish between it and the waves. Although it is concealed behind the waves, Hokusai has placed it there to give the piece more context as to where it is and to link it in with the rest of his series. He has also included a very few suggested figures on the boats amongst the waves, this is a very fine detail added by Hokusai, it makes the painting feel more alive, he’s put them in what looks like a repeat pattern lying down alongside each other as though to stay secured to their small boats. The whole painting is as though a brutal, stormy sea scene has been frozen in time and encapsulated perfectly. The huge wave and sea which takes up the majority of the work makes it the focal point of this piece. The mixture of organic smooth curved lines and jagged sharp pointed edges shown on the froth of the waves gives it an energy which makes it feel as though the way could just begin to move or crash down at any moment. He has also carved out splash-like dots amongst the waves to further accentuate the energy that he has created with freezing this dramatic scene in place. I feel as though this artwork is truly impacting and a staple within not only printmaking but art as a whole.
I feel as though this work is the only one of it’s kind, with the way he had made the waves look so beautiful but the scene itself is dangerous with the men on their miniscule boats. This work radiates an energy that is unique to this painting where the viewer is instantly drawn in by it’s use of line, shape and colour.
Yoshitoshi (born 1839 – died 1892) was also an artist from Japan. He is recognised by many to be the last of the masters from the ukiyo-e process. From beginning to study woodblock printing from the age of 12. Due to mental illness issues throughout his life he often conveys this dark, horror-like atmosphere within his works. He helped the genre reach Western countries with his new innovations and steps within his work. He would often include western figures within his work and so this is one of the ways he became so renowned.
“Takagi Umanosuke and the Ghost of a Woman”
Painted: 10/1/1866
Medium: Colour woodblock print
Size: Image: 9 1/2 x 7 1/16 in. (24.1 x 17.9 cm); Sheet: 9 13/16 x 7 3/16 in. (24.9 x 18.2 cm)
The overall atmosphere and tone from this piece is very haunting, what really makes it give this aura is the ghost’s unnatural, distorted features, almost representing a demon. Amongst these features is the ghost’s hugely disproportionate mouth, giving the ghost a more threatening and less peaceful aura. He has carved the figure of the man’s face in the foreground of the work to look as though he is being antagonized by the spirit. To help convey this further, he has carved the man with his hand supporting his head on a table, further accentuating the look as though he is perhaps irritated by the spirit’s presence. Clutching a samurai sword with his other hand as though about to spring up and attack the spirit. Yoshitoshi’s use of pattern on the man’s kimono really helps your eyes to be more attracted to him alongside his use of bold contrasting reds and greens which he has used on the man’s kimono. This helps with not the image not being completely disrupted by the apparition’s distorted face. Upon further researching into this work, the man in this piece (Takagi Umanosuke) is going through a trial of strength and the ghost of the woman, who is named Fuwa Banzaemon, is attempting to frighten him. The main influences within this work are ancient Japanese tales and myths, shown through the imagery in which he uses. Another thing I had noted is his mastery in carving out extremely fine details. For example, is the ghost’s hair there are so many different directional marks that would have been carved into the woodblock to show that it is flowing, this would have been extremely time consuming.
Hashiguchi Goyō
Hashiguchi (born 1880 – died 1921) was originally an old painter who painted mostly in a western style, but quit their career as this and switched to woodblock printing in an attempt to revive the at the time dying genre. Hashiguchi was so meticulous within his work that even when on his death bed creating his final print, he made sure the whole process and every detail was perfect. A prime example of Hashiguchi’s immense detail within his prints was his work;
‘Kamisuki’ (Combing the Hair)
Date: 1920
Medium: Colour woodblock print with mica background
Size: 44.80 x 34.80 cm
Most notably, the detail he had included in this woman’s hair is extremely impressive and takes an enormous amount of skill in order to be able to do something like this. Each bit of negative space would have had to be calculated perfectly so that the illusion of each little stand of hair would remain. The hair adds an alive feel to this work due to how it flows gracefully from the woman’s head, all the way down the print and the lady’s dressing gown. The hair flowing down the piece helps to act as a guide for your eyes to see all of the details on the rest of the lady. Goyō’s mastery especially shows within the lady’s hair here with his multi-directional flowing, carved lines which create an essence of life and movement. This work features very little colour except from the woman’s dressing gown which is a pale baby blue, this compliments the white which is present in the majority of the work. The use of baby blue helps with making the dressing gown stand out but whilst not cancelling out the focal point being the hair. He has used thick, flowing carved out lines on the ladies gown to show weight and folds to the clothing. His mastery is further shown when looking closer to the gown’s pattern and seeing all of his elegantly carved marks and flower pattern which he has carved so that it helps with the effect of the fabric folding and creasing.
Artelino. 2021. Woodblock Prints - History and Technique. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.artelino.com/articles/woodblock-prints.asp. [Accessed 13 March 2021].
Nippon. 2021. Five Greats of Japanese Woodblock Printing. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.nippon.com/en/nipponblog/m00062/. [Accessed 13 March 2021].
Met Museum. 2021. Under the Wave off Kanagawa (Kanagawa oki nami ura), also known as The Great Wave, from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei). [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/45434. [Accessed 13 March 2021].
Ronin Gallery. 2021. Yoshitoshi (1839 - 1892). [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.roningallery.com/artists/Yoshitoshi. [Accessed 13 March 2021].
Wikipedia Commons. 2021. Takagi Umanosuke and the Ghost of a Woman. [ONLINE] Available at: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Takagi_Umanosuke_and_the_Ghost_of_a_Woman_LACMA_M.84.31.367.jpg. [Accessed 13 March 2021].
The British Museum. 2021. Kamisuki. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/A_1930-0910-0-1. [Accessed 13 March 2021].
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