Visual Art
Ukiyo-E Printmaking
Year 7 students researched a unit of inquiry that focused on Japanese influences in Art. They explored visual imagery and traditional techniques to produce a Japanese Ukiyo-E style inspired lino print.
Printmaking is the process whereby an inked image is transferred onto a support such as paper, fabric, metal, plastic and other materials. The way an image is produced will influence the character of the finished work. Therefore it is important to understand the basic methods so that the most suitable processes are selected to produce the desired effect.
The term printmaking is a generic description for a variety of different methods; however, the basic concept is the same, to create an impression on a surface through contact with an inked block, plate, stone or screen.
A linocut is a printmaking technique, a variant of woodcut in which a sheet of linoleum (sometimes mounted on a wooden block) is used for the relief surface. A design is cut into the linoleum surface with a sharp knife, V-shaped chisel or gouge, with the raised (uncarved) areas representing a reversal (mirror image) of the parts to show printed. The linoleum sheet is inked with a roller (called a brayer), and then impressed onto paper or fabric. The actual printing can be done by hand or with a press.
