Recreating Japanese Woodblock Prints: Learning from Koson and Hiroshige
Kachō-e
Japanese woodblock prints are the reason I started my printmaking career, and the delicate nature-based designs by artists such as Ōhara Koson really appealed to me when I was first investigating the techniques of the woodblock tradition. Bird-and-flower prints are known as kachō-e in Japanese, and I am particularly drawn to the simplicity and subtlety of designs in this genre. I find the gentle colours and balanced, uncluttered compositions very pleasing and calming, and yet they contain such intricate detail when you look closely.
Learning by recreating
I’ve found that a good way to teach myself more about composition, line, colour and technique is to study these prints and work out how to recreate them. It’s a very valuable learning process that helps refine my carving and printing skills, and also informs how I compose and create my own designs. It also echoes the way these prints were traditionally made – one person designed, others carved and printed.
An added bonus for me is that when I recreate a traditional Japanese print, I get to own a handcrafted version of a design I love!
Hiroshige's Blossoming Plum Branch
One example of a design that I've recreated is this simple little plum blossom print by Utagawa Hiroshige:
This image above is of the original print by Hiroshige, taken from the Rijksmuseum digital archive. The original print has a pale peach background.
My take on Hiroshige's print design
You’ll see from this picture (my version) that I decided on a pale blue/grey colour for the background. When I’m recreating these designs, I’m not necessarily aiming for a perfect copy – there’s room for some interpretation of my own – often in colour scheme, sometimes even adding another layer of detail, like in my version of the bather at the hot spring after a design by Ichijō Narumi.
If you'd like to see some more of the classic designs that I’ve re-carved and printed, you can find them in my Japanese Classics Reimagined collection.