Gyotaku workshop

Today I delivered a workshop in gyotaku for a local art association.  My ability and interest in the subject has grown over time since I first learned about the technique and started in earnest pressing cold fish bodies onto paper.  The image above is a demonstration piece that I completed during the workshop.  I enhanced the initial print with watercolour washes and then added some detail with a Rapiodgraph pen.

I did start several other pieces but haven't had a chance to do much more with them yet.  The squid, complete with tentacles, were interesting to print as they made interesting, almost sculptural patterns on the paper.

It was a delight to spread the information to others and see what they produced during the day.   Capelin, squid and scallop shells were the subjects and the morning was spent learning and practicing inking and printing to get a clean, clear image.

The afternoon was spent working on enhancing the original prints from the morning and exploring backgrounds and printing over the them then enhancing the print.  As with many things what you originally think is lots of time turns into never enough time.  But I believe that enough information and ideas were soaked up that people went away, anxious to continue with the technique and experiment more.

The workshop was messy and full of smells of the sea.  The participation level was high and the quality of prints that were produced was excellent.  I will look forward to seeing more of this technique around St. John's now that more people understand it.

There is nothing more satisfying than sharing information and watching others produce something beautiful with that information.