A Mokuhanga (Japanese water based woodblock print) print hand printed with a baren on 64 gsm Japanese Pansion kozo washi with cut edges float mounted on white conservation board with kozo hinges.
Edition size: 12 plus 1 artist’s proof
Image size: 150 x 150 mm
Paper size: 180 x 180 mm approx
Mount: 300 x 300 mm
Price: £70
This traditional Japanese water based wood block print was created with two blocks, three colours, nori (rice starch paste) and 15 passes of pigment.
My first Pink Ferry print was a linocut ‘Pink Ferry‘, printed in November 2019, although a large edition, it completely sold out early this year. I also made a wood engraving, printed initially in January 2020 as a card ‘Love is … sharing a ride on the Pink Ferry‘. It proved very popular (and have now reprinted an edition of cards six times). I have been wondering about creating a new print using a different technique and, having returned from my residency in Japan – it had to be a mokuhanga print!
After much testing of colours and different techniques I decided a graduated ‘bokashi’ effect would give perspective to the water and add interest by increasing the intensity of pigment in the foreground. This is a difficult technique to master as it requires many passes of pigment to build up the graduation. Fortunately the kento registration system is excellent and as a result I didn’t lose any prints to misregistration. Layering the watercolour pigments allows additional colours to be created to add interest and depth to the print, but can also add too much colour in the wrong place, so the blocks were proofed and carved again to refine the print, particularly around the waterline and reflections. As with many of my prints, it is on sale at the Sea Sky Gallery in Hamble.
Printed in March 2025
Kay A Brown 