David BullIn this video, Tokyo-based woodblock printmaker Dave Bull announces his workshop's new series for 2023.
(A note on the audio issue that is bothering many people: I _did_ carefully produce the audio track, recording it separately, then editing it to remove unwanted noise, etc, and properly getting it compressed and normalized. But at the time of exporting the project, I neglected to mute the original camera audio, and this is what caused the echoed/reverby effect. YouTube doesn't let us edit the audio for uploaded videos, so there isn't anything I can do at this point ... Thank you for your patience with me!)
For people who need a 'carving fix' right _now_, you can always see plenty of such work over on our Twitch channel, both 'live' and 'replay': twitch.tv/japaneseprintmaking
2023 Series Announcement - Part 1David Bull2022-11-30 | In this video, Tokyo-based woodblock printmaker Dave Bull announces his workshop's new series for 2023.
(A note on the audio issue that is bothering many people: I _did_ carefully produce the audio track, recording it separately, then editing it to remove unwanted noise, etc, and properly getting it compressed and normalized. But at the time of exporting the project, I neglected to mute the original camera audio, and this is what caused the echoed/reverby effect. YouTube doesn't let us edit the audio for uploaded videos, so there isn't anything I can do at this point ... Thank you for your patience with me!)
For people who need a 'carving fix' right _now_, you can always see plenty of such work over on our Twitch channel, both 'live' and 'replay': twitch.tv/japaneseprintmaking
Information on the festival scenes: e-asakusa.jp/en/culture-experience/8881A Personal StoryDavid Bull2024-09-17 | Woodblock printmaker Dave Bull in Tokyo - on a live Twitch stream in August of 2024 - relates a personal episode from some years before.
One of the old 'cloud' videos! youtube.com/watch?v=ecO3LcaCvdUAdventures in Washi - Episode OneDavid Bull2024-08-27 | This video - the first in what will be an extended series - gives some background on the current washi (Japanese paper) situation at Mokuhankan, a woodblock print publisher in Tokyo, Japan. We learn about how various types of washi were used in Japanese printmaking in the old days, how one particular type - hōsho - became the standard in the 20th century, and we visit the town where most of this paper is currently made.
00:00 Introduction 09:12 Inspecting some old prints 17:40 Into the 20th Century 26:40 The 'Here and Now' 40:22 Over to Echizen 44:23 Dave's conundrum 50:44 Udatsu Craft Museum ... and we meet Murata-san 01:03:52 Back at Mokuhankan
Our Patreon: patreon.com/mokuhankanJapanese Papermaking in Asakusa!David Bull2024-01-02 | This is a recorded version of a livestream from Mokuhankan in Asakusa Tokyo, on August 31, 2023.
Dave Bull and Ayano Okamura went to visit a nearby papermaking experience - Watashino - organized by a group of papermakers from Shikoku, who recently opened a shop near Sensoji Temple in Asakusa.
Dave and Ayano-san had a ton of fun making the paper and learning from the instructors, and happily recommend the experience to anyone visiting the area.
People in the video: Dave Bull, owner of Mokuhankan Ayano Okamura, staff member at Mokuhankan Osamu Hamada, from family of papermakers in Kochi Yasuhiro Nishimori, manager of Watashino
Relevant links: The Watashino reservation page: https://watashino.style/products/papermaking
Chapters 00:00:27 Introduction 00:05:19 Material Preparation 00:17:30 Teacher Demonstration 00:34:40 Our turn ... 00:55:18 Pressing ... 01:00:30 Drying ... 01:22:10 Wrap-up ...Mokuhankan Japanese Prints - 2023 UpdateDavid Bull2023-12-28 | This is the year-end update from David Bull's Mokuhankan printmaking workshop in Asakusa Tokyo.
We begin with an overview of the subscription prints published over the past year. This is followed by the usual update on finances and staff, and things wrap up with a scattering of other small news items.
0:01 Introduction 1:20 Hokusai Reborn 5:30 A Kyoto Journey 8:50 Year-end financial update 19:40 Other small update items ...Hokusai Reborn - Episode 2David Bull2023-03-24 | In this video, Tokyo-based woodblock printmaker Dave Bull continues the series discussing the Hokusai Reborn project - in which the Mokuhankan workshop is creating a series of twelve prints based on original Hokusai designs in the British Museum.
A series of links to all the images featured in this video is being prepared, and should be in place here by tomorrow ...
Table of Contents: 0:00 Introduction 0:34 The Main Presentation 21:03 Tracing 25:00 Carving 30:30 Sizing 31:30 PrintingMokuhankan Japanese Prints - 2022 UpdateDavid Bull2022-12-22 | This is the year-end update from David Bull's Mokuhankan printmaking workshop in Asakusa Tokyo. Of special interest is the announcement of the two new subscription series that will be taking place simultaneously through 2023~2024.
- 'Hokusai Reborn', a project in collaboration with the British Museum, to create woodblock prints from Hokusai sketches in their collection. - 'A Kyoto Journey', a set of 12 prints being created from designs by our long-time collaborator Jed Henry.
The video by our co-worker Taran Casey, showing his work on our reproduction of the Hiroshi Yoshida design 'Misty Day in Nikko': youtube.com/watch?v=hodyh2fWXsA
0:01 Introduction 3:50 Hokusai Reborn 10:55 A Kyoto Journey 14:22 Year-end financial update 19:52 Questions from viewersEmbrace the Delight - the August block set!David Bull2022-07-15 | This next video from the Mokuhankan printmaking workshop in Tokyo is all about carving. Dave creates the block set that will be used to make the August prints in this year's subscription series: Embrace the Delight!
Bonus content includes a trip to his Ome home/workshop, glimpses of the Ninja who work/play across the street from the Asakusa shop, a (rare) segment on inlaying boxwood into a cherry block, and a selection of clips from recent live streams.
The print series featured in the video: mokuhankan.com/subscriptions/delight.htmlEmbrace the Delight (no narration)David Bull2022-02-15 | A 'real time' printing video from the Mokuhankan workshop in Asakusa, Tokyo. We see both workshop owner Dave Bull, and staff printer Natsuki Suga, while they each create an edition of the first two prints in the 2022 subscription series - Embrace the Delight.
[The video is being uploaded in two versions: this one with no narration during the workshop scenes, and another (visually identical) version that includes Dave's narration explaining many aspects of what you are seeing during the work.]
We currently have a waiting list for this print series. If you want to be notified when we open it for the next round, please use the contact form on our website to let us know: mokuhankan.com/contact/contact.php
Table of Contents: 0:00 Introduction 5:57 Dave's printing session 34:50 Suga-san's printing session 50:07 The finished print 51:02 Interview with Suga-sanEmbrace the Delight (with narration)David Bull2022-02-15 | A 'real time' printing video from the Mokuhankan workshop in Asakusa, Tokyo. We see both workshop owner Dave Bull, and staff printer Natsuki Suga, while they each create an edition of the first two prints in the 2022 subscription series - Embrace the Delight.
[The video is being uploaded in two versions: this one with Dave's narration explaining many aspects of what you are seeing during the work, and another (visually identical) version that has just the natural background workshop sounds.]
We currently have a waiting list for this print series. If you want to be notified when we open it for the next round, please use the contact form on our website to let us know: mokuhankan.com/contact/contact.php
Table of Contents: 0:00 Introduction 5:57 Dave's printing session 34:50 Suga-san's printing session 50:07 The finished print 51:02 Interview with Suga-sanMokuhankan Japanese Prints - 2021 UpdateDavid Bull2021-12-24 | This is the year-end update from David Bull's Mokuhankan printmaking workshop in Asakusa Tokyo. Of special interest is the announcement of the new subscription series for 2022 - 'Embrace the Delight', a unique collection of small prints, both reproduction, and original.
0:05 Introduction 7:40 Scenes of Nature 10:20 Embrace the Delight 17:54 What _didn’t_ get done! 29:00 Opening a special packageThe Great Wave - Part 17David Bull2021-07-31 | Seven years after beginning his Great Wave project, Tokyo-based woodblock printmaker Dave Bull brings the latest update ... episode 17.
This one deals with an issue upper-most in the mind of many of the fans and collectors - what is the condition of the set of woodblocks? After seven years in production, can more good prints really be made from them?
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[ We're already getting requests ... I should have foreseen this ... but no, I'm sorry; the reject prints mentioned in the video are not for sale.]
Our webshop: mokuhankan.com/catalogue/thumbnails.phpJapanese Woodblock Printmaking Workshop - A Printers Tools and WorkspaceDavid Bull2021-07-21 | This is the second in our ever-growing series of videos demonstrating various traditional techniques and tools in the Japanese mokuhanga woodblock printmaking style and how we use them today here at Mokuhankan.
Today, Natsuki Suga gives us a tour of her printing bench and surrounding workspace. Watch to learn a bit more about each tool she uses in her daily work as a printmaker. We hope you will enjoy this overview and learn something along the way, as well.
We have a list of ideas and have started the process of making more of these - but please feel free to leave a comment about what techniques and tools you are interested in learning about so we can consider your ideas for future videos.
Our Patreon campaign: patreon.com/mokuhankanWoodblock Printing Process ... in 3-D spatial audioDavid Bull2021-07-01 | In this video, Tokyo-based woodblock printmaker Dave Bull shows the entire process of making a batch of prints (8 sheets) from blank paper to finished print - in POV style (from the printer's Point Of View) - with each of the colour impressions happening in an uncut, unedited, uninterrupted flow. The viewers can get a very good feeling for the rhythm of the process, and can see just how the pigment/paste balance is controlled along the way.
As a kind of 'bonus', the entire video was recorded using binaural microphones embedded in Dave's ears - you hear _exactly_ what he heard, at every step of the way. (Use headphones!) The recording of each segment was done starting around 3:00 am, when Asakusa is as quiet as possible, but even then, there are residual sounds interrupting along the way (the occasional truck passing by, some rainfall for a few of the impressions, and unavoidably a large air conditioner on a building a few blocks away …)
The print used for this demonstration is ‘The Demon King’, which was designed for us by Jed Henry, creator of the famous Ukiyo-e Heroes prints. It is available as part of our 'Portraits Set #1’ subscription series; information here: mokuhankan.com/subscriptions/portraits.html
[Note: there is no narration included in this video, in an attempt to bring you into the undisturbed 'world' of a printer's work. If there is enough interest, we could perhaps upload a second 'cut' of this video, with Dave explaining things along the way ...]
The Mokuhankan Patreon: patreon.com/mokuhankanTrailer: Woodblock Printing Process ... in 3-D spatial audioDavid Bull2021-06-28 | This is a 'trailer' for the video coming in a few days - Tokyo-based woodblock printmaker Dave Bull will show the entire process of making a batch of prints from blank paper to finished sheets, in an uncut, unedited, uninterrupted stream.The viewers will be able to get a very good feeling for the rhythm of the process, and will see just how the pigment/paste balance is controlled etc. etc.As a kind of 'bonus', the entire video was recorded using binaural microphones embedded in Dave's ears - you will hear _exactly_ what he heard, at every step of the way. (Use headphones!) The recording of each segment was done starting around 3:00 am, when Asakusa is as quiet as possible ...Japanese Woodblock Printmaking Workshop - HakobiDavid Bull2021-05-27 | This is the first in a series of videos demonstrating various traditional techniques and tools in the Japanese mokuhanga woodblock printmaking industry and how we use them today here at Mokuhankan.
Today's video is about the pigment brushes our printers use, known as 'hakobi' (運び) or 'tokibo' (解き棒). First Suga-san tells us a little bit about what hakobi are for and why she makes her own instead of only using store-bought ones, and then she demonstrates the whole process from start to finish. Finally, we have a slideshow at the end going over the tying steps again for you to follow while making your own.
We have a list of ideas and have started the process of making more of these - but please feel free to leave a comment about what techniques and tools you are interested in learning about so we can consider your ideas for future videos.
Narration and demonstrations: Natsuki Suga Cinematography: Yasuhiro Aoyama and Cameron Hilker Editing and Subtitling: Cameron Hilker Hasegawa Typeface: Markku Mujunen (mokuhankan.com/fonts and http://markkumujunen.com)
Our Patreon campaign: patreon.com/mokuhankanJapanese Woodblock Printmaking - An Ukiyo-e FalconDavid Bull2021-03-12 | This is the next in the series of videos that show our printing process from start to finish. Today we are featuring the third print in our 2021 ‘Scenes from Nature’ subscription series. This image is based on an Isoda Koryusai design of a falcon and is one of the twelve nature prints we selected from his enormous portfolio of work.
Carver: Noriko Kawasaki Printer: Natsuki Suga Cinematography: Yasuhiro Aoyama Editing and Narration: Cameron Hilker Guest Appearances: David Bull and Ayumi Ohashi
00:00 Introduction and opening 04:12 0/11 - Moistening the Paper 05:51 1/11 - Key block 07:37 2/11 - Yellow on Falcon 09:32 3/11 - Gold Ornamentation 10:25 Adjusting the Kento Registration Marks 11:34 4/11 - Vermilion 12:45 5/11 - Blue Background 14:38 6/11 - Yellow Feet 15:57 7/11 - Pink Flag 17:24 8/11 - Pink Circles 18:30 9/11 - Blue Rope 20:08 10/11 - Blue on Wings 21:35 'Pearl' Pigment 22:22 11/11 - 'Pearl' Insignia 23:38 12/11 - Name Embossing 24:53 Drying the Prints 27:02 Slideshow 28:24 Chat with Suga-san
Note: although the series is being produced one by one during the course of 2021, we intend to keep the set of prints in production for many years, so if you are coming to this page at some future date, it should still be available!David Bull - The Meaning(s) of LifeDavid Bull2021-02-07 | This is a bit of an 'off the wall' video for Dave - there is none of his usual printmaking content at all. It's a one-hour presentation in which he puts forward some thoughts on a couple of ... 'big questions'.
0:00 Introduction: Cultural Differences 9:48 Part One: Life in the Universe 28:21 Part Two: Life… For You and MeDavids Choice - Episode #12: The Mokuhankan CollectionDavid Bull2021-01-30 | This is the next in our 'David's Choice' series, where Tokyo-based woodblock printmaker David Bull introduces some of his favourite prints. In this episode, Dave introduces the Mokuhankan Collection, the 'museum' of beautiful old Japanese prints that he has gathered over the years.
All the prints in the Collection have 'direct links', so that the images can easily be shared when you want to show somebody an interesting item you have found. Here are links to the prints introduced in the video (in order of appearance):
0:00 Introduction 7:22 Surimono in the Collection 9:55 Kuchi-e in the Collection 11:39 What do we have? 15:39 Books in the Collection 21:06 The photos are important! 25:07 More ukiyo-e in the Collection 28:37 How to look at the Collection 41:53 Wrap-up and an AnnouncementMokuhankan Japanese Prints - 2020 UpdateDavid Bull2020-12-14 | This is the year-end update from David Bull's Mokuhankan printmaking workshop in Asakusa Tokyo. Of special interest is the announcement of the new subscription series for 2021 - 'Scenes from Nature', a set of prints based on designs by Isoda Koryusai.
0:00 Introduction 1:13 How We Survived 7:45 Shipping Setbacks 9:13 2019 vs 2020 10:39 Reviewing 2020's Subscription Series 15:50 2021's New Series 18:47 New Tool Project Announcement 21:54 Eight Views of Cats Update 25:27 'It has been an absolutely incredible year...'Davids Choice - Episode #11 SupplementDavid Bull2020-10-21 | This is a supplementary video to Episode #11 of our 'David's Choice' series, which featured woodblock prints of the Tōkaidō road by Hiroshige: youtube.com/watch?v=GKoxt9Y2oMQ
This episode features a set of very small prints made in the Meiji era.
0:00 Introduction and Overview 7:42 First Station - Shinagawa 8:24 Second Station - Kawasaki 8:54 Tenth Station - Hakone 9:49 Sixteenth Station - Yui 10:30 Seventeenth Station - Okitsu 10:51 Nineteenth Station - Fuchū 11:28 Twenty-third Station - Shimada 12:07 Thirty-fifth Station - Goyu 12:59 Forty-first Station - Miya 13:43 Arrival at Kyoto 14:24 DiscussionDavids Choice - Episode #11David Bull2020-10-11 | This is the next in our 'David's Choice' series, where Tokyo-based woodblock printmaker David Bull introduces some of his favourite prints. This episode takes on a very large topic - Hiroshige’s masterwork ’53 Stations of the Tōkaidō’.
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The old restaurant mentioned in the video - at Mariko Station - is called Chojiya. Their English website is here: chojiya.info/english
0:00 Introduction 4:22 Down the Tōkaidō Road: Starting at Nihonbashi 5:53 Tenth Station - Hakone 9:52 Seventh Station - Hiratsuka 12:17 Eleventh Station - Mishima 13:30 Twentieth Station - Mariko 14:52 Thirty-sixth Station - Akasaka 16:38 River Crossing Scenes 20:55 Ito Susumu, Kakegawa, and Discussion 26:39 Opening the Takamizawa Set 32:59 Looking at Smaller Sets 35:38 Bigger (Double Oban) Set and Weather on the Tōkaidō 38:43 Comparison of Different Editions of Chiryu 42:25 The Tōkaidō Then and Now 46:54 Story Time and ConclusionSeditious Beauty - Can art change history?David Bull2020-06-04 | A short talk by Dave trying to explain the impact of traditional Japanese ukiyo-e prints on the society of the day. Illustrated with a selection of prints from his own collection.
00:00 Introduction 01:36 The Talk 11:33 The Prints
Notes about the 14 prints featured in the video (in order of appearance):
1) Lovers in an Autumn Field Designed: Hishikawa Moronobu, approx 1680s This print: 20th century reproduction by Adachi
2) Kaigetsudo genre print Designed: unknown, 'in the style of' the original Kaigetsudo images This print: Taisho era version (approx 1910~)
3) Shin bijin awase jihitsu kagami (A New Mirror Comparing the Calligraphy of Beauties) Designed: Kitao Masanobu, 1784 metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/45278 This print: Taisho era version (1916)
5) Jidai Kagami (Mirror of the Ages) - Kouka era Designed: Toyohara Chikanobu, 1896 ukiyo-e.org/image/metro/KA4704-037 This print: original from 1896
6) Ichikawa Danjuro Designed: Kiyonobu, early 1700s This print: Dave's reproduction (in the Mokuhankan catalogue)
7) Otani Hiroji III as Kawazu no Saburo (left), and Nakamura Sukegoro II as Matano no Goro (right), in the Play Myoto-giku Izu no Kisewata Designed: Katsukawa Shunsho, 1770 This print: early 20th century reproduction by Takamizawa
8) Bando Mitsugorô II as Ishii Genzô Sharaku: 1794 This print: Taisho era version (1915 or so ...)
10) Wrestlers Contemplating the Child Wonder Daidozan Bungoro (leftmost panel of three) Designed: Sharaku 1794 This print: early 20th century reproduction by Takamizawa
11) Nihonbashi, from the '53 Stations of the Tokaido' Designed: Hiroshige, 1834~5 This print: Taisho reproduction set
12) Hara, from the '53 Stations of the Tokaido' Designed: Hiroshige, 1834~5 This print: Taisho reproduction set
13) Akasaka, from the '53 Stations of the Tokaido' Designed: Hiroshige, 1834~5 This print: Taisho reproduction set
14) Kanbara, from the '53 Stations of the Tokaido' Designed: Hiroshige, 1834~5 This print: Taisho reproduction set
Subscriptions: mokuhankan.com/subscriptionsRemembering a Carver - The SequelDavid Bull2020-05-04 | This video expands on the story of Dave meeting the woodblock carver Ito Susumu back in 1992. Using old video cassettes from the producers of the TV program made at that time - saved from the cutting room floor - we see Dave getting a 'master class' in traditional woodblock carving.
Comments on Dave's visit to Ito-san from the producer of the original TV program back in 1992, Ms. Reiko Furuichi
"I visited the carver Susumu Ito with David in 1992. Mr. Matsuzaki the printer had arranged the visit for us. (David has already written about this visit in this newsletter, but we TV people have another side to the story!)
Mr. Ito was an elderly 'shokunin' with sullen looks. I didn't even know how to talk to him, but began the interview with my heart in my mouth. It was a strange scene that David and Mr. Ito made, sitting side by side. Their body sizes were completely different and we were not able to shoot the scene in the usual way (Mr. Ito was small and worked with his body hunched over). David felt small sitting beside the 'master', but when we looked at them through the camera lens, it seemed just the reverse; it looked like as though David was bullying Mr. Ito.
So it was quite a difficult situation for our crew. The cameraman was struggling to take pictures of them as they sat on the tatami with tools scattered here and there. He had to work very unnaturally, shooting between their heads and shoulders, and he looked at me quite reproachfully. And what was worse, was that David's ability to listen to Japanese language was far from perfect at that time, and the way Mr. Ito spoke was not easy to understand even for us Japanese. Would this interview work out? We were quite concerned ...
And what happened? Well, Mr. Ito didn't care about the camera at all and eagerly started to tell a lot of things to David. We felt his extraordinary desire to pass on his knowledge to David. Two people have the subject in common. One is eager to tell what he knows, and the other is eager to learn it. It seems that nothing can disturb them. As time went by, the things that Mr. Ito said to David became more and more specific, and at last he was teaching David the 'secrets of carving' with 90% gestures and 10% Japanese that consisted of just isolated words. It seemed as though he was trying to teach David everything he knew in this few hours. It would take a few years to teach them at school. David listened to him with all his heart and mind and strength. Gradually Mr. Ito became to look big for us, too.
One knife came to David's hand and then back to Mr. Ito's hand. This was repeated again and again. It was a happy encounter beyond every difference - age, language, or nationality. Mr. Kenichiro Nakaba, the cameraman, kept taking shots of their hands as much as he could.
After we returned to our office, we talked about how beautiful the hands of the two men were. Why did Mr. Ito try to teach his techniques to David so eagerly? What was David trying to do? Do we really understand Japanese woodblock prints? What is happening in the traditional culture of Japan? ..."
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0:00 Introduction 5:24 Going to Ito-san's Home 6:07 Ita Bokashi (Carved Gradations) 7:35 Sharpening 12:05 Brush Strokes 15:03 Blade Length and Wrapping 17:23 Dave Shares His Work 18:50 Ito-san Carving 25:10 Discussion and EndingJapanese Woodblock Printmaking - Tokugawa Tea BowlDavid Bull2020-02-18 | This is the next in the series of videos that show our printing process from start to finish. It's a bit of a different type of image from our usual ukiyo-e prints - this is a reproduction of a Meiji-era print depicting an old tea bowl. You will see our young printer Rei-chan work through the stages of printing, followed by a slide show of the steps ...
00:00 Introduction 04:29 1/17 - Background (First Impression) 06:12 2/17 - Background (Second Impression) 07:37 3/17 - Key block 08:52 4/17 - Bowl Background 10:15 5/17 - Darker Bowl Background 11:28 6/17 - Bowl Bottom Gradation 12:45 7/17 - Gradation to Darken the Bowl 14:38 8/17 - Reddish Gradation Inside the Bowl 15:57 9/17 - 2nd Reddish Gradation Inside the Bowl 17:26 10/17 - Blue Wave Pattern 18:18 11/17 - Dark Brown Speckling 19:14 12/17 - Dark Brown Crescent 20:07 13/17 - Yellow in Upper Chipped Section 20:38 14/17 - White Wave Patterns 21:27 15/17 - Shadows at Bottom of Bowl 22:32 16/17 - Subtle Scratches on Sides 23:35 17/17 - Inner Darker Background 25:17 Slideshow 27:10 Wrap-upMokuhankan Japanese Prints - 2019 UpdateDavid Bull2019-12-30 | This is the year-end update from David Bull's Mokuhankan printmaking workshop in Asakusa Tokyo. Of special interest is the announcement of the new subscription series for 2020 - 'A Woodblock Pilgrimage', which features twelve places that inspired scenes from famous animated feature films.
Thank you for watching!Eight Views of Cats - Update #1David Bull2019-09-04 | Woodblock printmaker David Bull brings an update on the Eight Views of Cats project being undertaken by his Mokuhankan print workshop in Asakusa, Tokyo.
The project got under way in June 2019, and after three months, a number of interesting designs have been received, and are introduced here.
The project schedule - it was originally intended that submissions would be accepted only through the summer of 2019 - has been extended, and submissions will now be accepted on an open-ended basis until each of the eight themes has been decided. For more details, please see the project website: nekohakkei.com
Here are links to see more work from the designers featured in this video: Randall Hall instagram.com/randyhallht
Thank you for watching!Davids Choice - Episode #10David Bull2019-08-24 | This is the next in our 'David's Choice' series, where Tokyo-based woodblock printmaker David Bull introduces some of his favourite prints. This special episode has a ‘double punch’ - not only will you learn about a beautiful set of old Meiji-era woodblock books, but an important part of those books has come to life for you to use here in the modern day ... the original typeface has been recreated!
Many many thanks to Markku Mujunen for the huge amount of work and dedication he brought to this project! If you are enjoying having this font for use, please take a minute to let him know, through his website: http://markkumujunen.com
The poetry reading was done in the only place in this building where I could 'escape' from all the noises of this community ... our bathroom. Please excuse the resulting audio 'effects' ...
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More information: Fellow book/print collector Marc Kahn has let me know about other 'sightings' of the Hasegawa font used extensively in some of their books. ----- - "Japanese Pictures of Japanese Life" - This is the same book illustrated on the cover of Frederic Sharf's book about Takejiro Hasegawa. - "Monthly Changes of Japanese Street-Scenes - Calendar for 1908" - In addition to just being a calendar, each month has some descriptive text. ----- Thanks, Marc!
Thank you for watching!Easter Eggs in Japanese Woodblock PrintsDavid Bull2019-07-29 | Tokyo woodblock printmaker Dave Bull introduces a bit of a different video … showing some hidden ways to enjoy your traditional woodblock prints!
For those who don't understand how this works, please look up the phrase 'Chroma Key' ... If you want to try this at home, you’ll need some woodblock prints (or any other image) with a smooth background, like the ones used in the video. The app Dave used to create the ‘hidden world’ effect was 'Green Screen’, published by 'Do Ink’, from the Apple app store. Many similar apps are available, both for iOS and Android.
Thanks for watching!Woodblock Printing Process - A Japan JourneyDavid Bull2019-07-19 | Tokyo-based woodblock printmaker David Bull narrates a video showing the step-by-step process of making one of the woodblock prints in the 2019 subscription series 'A Japan Journey', designed by Jed Henry.
This image is the August print - Summer Tea Fields - and is being made by our young printer Natsuki Suga.
Note: although the series is being produced one by one during the course of 2019, we intend to keep the set of prints in production for many years, so if you are coming to this page at some future date, it should still be available!
00:00 Introduction 02:06 1/10 - Background Orange 03:35 2/10 - Keyblock 04:34 3/10 - Sky Blue and Shadows 05:49 4/10 - Green 07:13 5/10 - Shadows 08:26 6/10 - More Shadows 09:29 7/10 - Darker Green 10:48 8/10 - Tree Shadows 11:35 9/10 - Foreground Shadows 12:32 10/10 - Blue Sky Gradation 13:49 11/10 - Embossing 14:11 SlideshowDavids Choice - Episode #9David Bull2019-06-28 | This is the next in our 'David's Choice' series, where Tokyo-based woodblock printmaker David Bull introduces some of his favourite prints. This episode shows and discusses the famous 'Fairy Tales of Japan' books published by the Hasegawa Company in the Meiji era.
Thank you for watching!New Series - Eight Views of CatsDavid Bull2019-05-31 | [Important Notice: due to the massive interest in this project, we have restructured the timetable. Instead of trying to get all eight designs selected up front, we are going to finalize them one-by-one as we move forward with the actual printmaking. So the original 'deadline' of late August 2019 has been removed, and we will be accepting submissions for the as-yet-undecided themes on an ongoing basis.]
The Mokuhankan print workshop in Asakusa, Tokyo is announcing a new print series today, with a difference! We are looking for collaborators to help us come up with an interesting set of designs.
The series of eight new prints will be published beginning in September of 2019, and during the course of the project we will be accepting submissions of potential images from designers around the world.
Information, and the submission page, can be found on the special website set up for the new series: nekohakkei.com
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Notes:
1) Audio
It seems that I screwed up the audio quite badly. When I prepared the video I tried to do too many things at the same time (I live streamed the recording session on Twitch), and ended up doing it with the gain switch on my digital recorder at the ‘low’ setting, leaving me with a very bad signal/noise ratio. But even so, I was very surprised to see just how many people have left comments on the audio - I myself hadn't thought that it was _that_ bad. I suspect now, that at age 67, I'm obviously not hearing the same thing that many of the viewers are hearing ... I will take this into account from now on, and will do two things: 1) get some better equipment, and 2) start using another pair of (younger) ears during this editing process ... Thank you for your patience while I work this out!
Our Twitch channel is: twitch.tv/japaneseprintmakingDavids Choice - Episode #8 SupplementDavid Bull2019-05-20 | The next in our 'David's Choice' series, where Tokyo-based woodblock printmaker David Bull introduces some of his favourite prints. This episode is a supplement to the previous video, the one discussing the theme of Hakkei - or ‘8 Views’. In this video, the focus is on the famous set of woodblock prints designed by Suzuki Harunobu in the 1760s - 'Zashiki Hakkei' (Eight Views in the Home).
Thank you for watching!Davids Choice - Episode #8David Bull2019-05-12 | The next in our 'David's Choice' series, where Tokyo-based woodblock printmaker David Bull introduces some of his favourite prints. This episode shows and discusses prints related to the theme of Hakkei - or ‘8 Views’, centering on the iconic ‘Omi Hakkei’ (Eight Views of Omi) by Hiroshige.
Update: we now have a supplementary video to this one, showing more closeups of the Harunobu designs: youtube.com/watch?v=VDQpAmIEbn4
Thank you for watching!Ukiyo-e Heroes (25) : Two Souls EntwinedDavid Bull2019-03-08 | Here is the next in the ongoing series of videos showing how Jed Henry's 'Ukiyo-e Heroes' woodblock prints are made. This one is the design known as 'Two Souls Entwined', and was shot in the printer's room on the 3rd floor of the Mokuhankan building in Asakusa, Tokyo, in February of 2019.
The young printer you see in the video is Natsuki Suga, who has been working here at Mokuhankan for a few years now. Staffer Cameron Hilker spent hours upstairs with her while she worked on this print, and this video is put together from the clips he took during the process. (Cameron also did the editing of the whole thing ...)
00:00 Introduction 02:32 1/13 - Key Block 04:06 2/13 - Blue Dragon Key Block 05:17 3/13 - Skin Tone 06:14 4/13 - Green Accents 07:07 5/13 - Armour Grey 08:10 6/13 - Metal Grey 09:09 7/13 - Dark Blue Clothing 10:39 8/13 - Black Clothing 12:46 9/13 - Background Teal 14:37 10/13 - Green for Dragon 15:46 Suga-san talks about her blue pigments 16:00 11/13 - Blue for Dragons 17:19 12/13 - Teal Accent on Waves 18:28 13/13 - Tattoo 19:17 14/13 - Name Embossing 20:06 15/13 - Shomenzuri on Fabric 20:54 Slideshow 21:29 Wrap-upDavids Choice - Episode #7David Bull2019-02-01 | The next in our 'David's Choice' series, where Tokyo-based woodblock printmaker David Bull introduces some of his favourite prints. This episode shows and discusses a selection of small 'match label' woodblock prints from his collection, and we get to see some being made!
Note: although the series is now being introduced here at the end of 2018, we intend to keep it in production for many years, so if you are coming to this page at some future date, it will still be available!Ukiyo-e Heroes (24) : Times Burned BrightDavid Bull2018-09-21 | Here is the next in the long series of videos showing how Jed Henry's Ukiyo-e Heroes woodblock prints are made. This one is the design known as 'Times Burned Bright', and was shot in the printer's room on the 3rd floor of the Mokuhankan building in Asakusa, Tokyo, in the autumn of 2018.
In a new twist for our videos, this one was produced in its entirety by Mokuhankan staff member Cameron Hilker. Look out for more coming soon!
Thanks for watching!Beginnings (part 2)David Bull2018-09-04 | This is the second in a two-part set covering Dave's early beginnings in woodblock printmaking, and focusses on his interactions with Mr. Isamu Adachi, the operator of one of Tokyo's most respected traditional print publishing houses.
Thanks for watching!Beginnings (part 1)David Bull2018-08-14 | Another 'ramble' video from woodblock printmaker Dave Bull in Tokyo. This is the first of a two-part set that will cover Dave's early beginnings in woodblock printmaking, and focusses on the first prints he ever bought - a set of four designs based on the old novel 'Genji Monogatari'. They were designed by Okada Yoshio, and published by the Yuyudo Company in Tokyo in the late 1970s.
The images of the prints contained in this video are copyright Mr. Yoshio Okada. (People have been asking about how to obtain the book that I show in this video. The book has no ISBN, so I can't give you a definitive link, but the title in Japanese is 絵草紙 源氏物語 (E-zoshi Genji Monogatari), and it was written by Tanabe Seiko and illustrated by Okada Yoshio. Published by Kadokawa Shoten in 1979.
Thanks for watching!Print Party - and Asakusa Festival!David Bull2018-05-29 | This video was recorded during the famous Sanja Matsuri here in Asakusa Tokyo, and is in two parts: we start with a complete and uncut Print Party session, showing a group of four young people from California making our Peach Boy print. This is followed by a few clips of the festival action, taken with the camera placed out on the balcony of our shop, which overlooks the very busy Roku-dori street in Asakusa.
Our Patreon page: patreon.com/mokuhankanDavids Choice - Episode #6David Bull2018-05-09 | The next in our 'David's Choice' series, where Tokyo-based woodblock printmaker David Bull introduces some of his favourite prints. This time, it's not a single print being featured, but a genre - Dave introduces some woodblock-printed melodramatic Edo-era novels.
Thank you for watching!Ukiyoe Heroes (23) : Proofing The Serpent StrikesDavid Bull2018-03-24 | Here is an update to the Ukiyoe Heroes print series, showing the process of proofing the block set for the Jed Henry design known as 'The Serpent Strikes'. It was shot in the Tokyo workroom of woodblock printer Kenichi Kubota in March of 2018.
Shortly after this trial printing was completed, Kubota-san began work on the initial batch of production prints, which were sent over to Jed a couple of weeks later. The print is now in regular production, and can be found in the catalogue at: shop.ukiyoeheroes.com/collections/handmade-woodblock-prints/products/the-serpent-strikes-woodblock-printUkiyo-e Heroes Book - Part 2David Bull2018-02-12 | This is the second of a couple of videos that show how Tokyo-based woodblock printmaker Dave Bull is making the Ukiyo-e Heroes books that were promised as part of the recent Kickstarter campaign (autumn 2017).
Each of the books contains ten actual woodblock prints - the first ten designs created in the series (from 2012 ~ 2014), and is bound in the traditional Japanese 和綴じ本 style (sewn with silk thread).
The Mokuhankan Patreon page is here: patreon.com/mokuhankanWoodblock Print - start to finish (edited version)David Bull2018-01-08 | Tokyo-based woodblock printmaker Dave Bull presents a recorded Twitch live stream showing the entire process of making a woodblock print, from blank block right through to the completed print.
It was recorded on January 8, 2018 in his Asakusa workshop, and illustrates the production of a design by Ichijô Narumi (1877~1910).
This is the edited version of the session (about 42 minutes long), and the video is also available here on YouTube in a full-length version of the entire stream (about 3 hours 20 minutes long): youtube.com/watch?v=0nCbsbaVbVM
The Patreon page is here: patreon.com/mokuhankanWoodblock Print - start to finish (in real time)David Bull2018-01-08 | Tokyo-based woodblock printmaker Dave Bull presents a recorded Twitch live stream showing the entire process of making a woodblock print, from blank block right through to the completed print, in one uncut session (over three hours).
It was recorded on January 8, 2018 in his Asakusa workshop, and illustrates the production of a design by Ichijô Narumi (1877~1910).
0:00 Getting Started 2:55 Pasting the First Hanshita Down 7:40 Peeling the Gampi Paper 11:33 Sharpening the Knife 18:07 Carving Ripple Outlines 1:06:10 Clearing Ripples 1:13:02 Carving the Woman 1:33:40 Carving the Border 1:37:12 Clearing the Border 1:49:15 Clearing the Woman 1:57:30 Finishing Touches on First Block 2:13:40 Pasting the Hair Hanshita Down 2:15:52 Peeling Gampi Again 2:17:26 Carving the Hair 2:30:55 Clearing around the Hair 2:36:10 Final Touches around Hair 2:41:52 Carving is Done - Printing Prep! 2:50:23 Test Printing of First Block 2:57:05 First Block Washi Printing 3:08:37 Hair Block Test Printing 3:10:57 Hair Block Washi Printing 3:18:39 Final Print and Wrap-upUkiyo-e Heroes Book - Part 1David Bull2018-01-04 | This is the first of a couple of videos that show how Tokyo-based woodblock printmaker Dave Bull will make the Ukiyo-e Heroes books that were promised as part of the recent Kickstarter campaign (autumn 2017).
Each of the books will contain ten actual woodblock prints - the first ten designs created in the series (from 2012 ~ 2014), and will be bound in the traditional Japanese 和綴じ本 style (sewn with silk thread).
The Mokuhankan Patreon page is here: patreon.com/mokuhankanLegendary Loot SeriesDavid Bull2017-12-22 | Dave announces the new subscription series for 2018 - the Legendary Loot!
Note: although the series is now being introduced here at the end of 2017, we intend to keep it in production for many years, so if you are coming to this page at some future date, it should still be available!The Great Wave - Part 16David Bull2017-12-05 | After a two-year gap, this is the next episode in a series documenting the production of a new hand-carved reproduction of Hokusai's iconic image of the Great Wave, by Tokyo-based woodblock printmaker David Bull.
This episode focusses on the question of how much these woodblock wear down after heavy use ...
Thank you for watching!Davids Choice - Episode #5David Bull2017-10-23 | The next in our 'David's Choice' series, where Tokyo-based woodblock printmaker David Bull introduces some of his favourite prints. This time, the print(s) being featured are from the old Doi Hanga Company, and are two different scenes of the Kagurazaka district of Tokyo. The designers were Tsuchiya Koitsu, and Noel Nouet, and the prints were originally published in the late 1930s.