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When & Where

Quick Facts

  • Availability Late starts accepted
  • Course Code W24PTGF01A
  • Suitable For 19 year olds and up are permitted on this course

What you will learn

This course is only for those students who have already completed the beginners class. This ten week course will be ideal for the student who is fully familiar with mokuhanga and would like to explore more advanced techniques such as graduated colour (bokashi) or texture (gomazuri). We will look at the work of contemporary Japanese woodcut artists for inspiration, experiment with different carving methods and explore the many variables that make this such a fascinating technique. The class is designed to be a friendly studio environment where the exchange of ideas are welcomed. The course tutor trained at RCA and MI-Lab in Japan and Mokuhanga forms her central art practice.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

  • Exploration of the key concepts behind Japanese Woodcut in more depth. Develop critical understanding of Mokuhanga. Experiment with other practitioners' methodology, evaluate outcomes
  • Work from initial visual prompts-drawings, photographs, textiles etc to design woodcut and make colour separations
  • Explore different methods of using the Japanese tools and employing different techniques for effect. Using the tools safely and with increasing confidence
  • Learn how to achieve different nuanced printing effects such as bokashi using watercolour and hand pressure
  • Develop skills, personal visual language and critical decision making
  • Engage in group crits, demonstrations and discussions around technique, artists' work and other students' work

Class format and activities

The classes are held in the bookbinding studio C32, in the Main Morley Building. The classes are designed to add to and challenge our knowledge of Mokuhanga through presentations, demonstrations, one to one guidance from the tutor and peer support discussions. This promotes a lively and friendly studio environment. Often there is a class project such as scroll making, collaborative print books or exhibitions on a theme. Intermediate students will be taught Advanced cutting and printing techniques using the work of Hokusai as a guide. Advanced students will be expected to be able to work in a more autonomous way on their own projects and to bring their own mokuhanga research to the class to share with the group. There will be exploration and experimentation with other Mokuhanga artists methodology and a critical evaluation of process.

Entry requirements

Students on this course will already have completed a Japanese Woodcut Beginners course and have a good working knowledge of the processes of mokuhanga. It is essential that the student has a good foundation to access this course because we will be experimenting and exploring different methodologies, building on existing practice as well as developing more advanced techniques.

What you need to know before you enrol

Please note that there is a minimal charge (typically £7.50) for woodblock and paper. All other materials used- watercolour pigments, nori etc. are included in the course fee.

What you need

If you have your own woodcutting tools do bring them along. Advanced students please bring images, ideas, ideally a sketchbook to work with for initial woodcut and your own drawing materials. No aprons required, all other materials provided: woodblocks, tools, paper, watercolours and printing materials.

What you can do next

Look at the work of the great mokuhanga masters such as Hokusai and Hiroshige to familiarise yourself with exponents of the technique. Carry on with Advanced Mokuhanga in subsequent courses on either Wednesday morning 10-1 or Thursday evening 6-9 to continue exploration of the technique.