How I Prepare a Woodblock: Reductive Printmaking: Mokuhanga

Here is a quick video how I prepare the printing surface for a Mokuhanga woodblock print. I use chisels to carve around the perimeter of the printing surface on a piece of shina plywood. I will use this woodblock to print with water based inks in the traditional Japanese woodblock style.

[@pamelasorrells2187]

Cool I like seeing the work done in the outdoors 💙

[@stephenwiniecki]

Me too! It's much more pleasant than my noisy Bronx neighborhood studio

[@mindyr7302]

Fascinating

[@stephenwiniecki]

Thanks Mindy!

[@oldjapanesephotos3684]

do you seal the block with varnish or anything like linseed oil?

[@stephenwiniecki]

Good question...For this Block I was planning on using water based pigments so there is no need to seal the wood surface. You actually want the wood to absorb the moisture for traditional mokuhanga printmaking. I know people sometimes seal woodblocks when using oil based inks for easier cleanup.

[@lisaozaeta]

How thick is the wood? I think I bought too thin of the shino plywood.

[@stephenwiniecki]

The thinner ply wood works fine, but you can only use one side of it.

[@lisaozaeta]

@@stephenwiniecki Thank you so much. This is helpful.