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Frequently Asked Questions

I never know what to expect when I open the 'Inbox' every morning, but one thing is guaranteed ... it is never empty! It is always interesting to hear from people who have questions about my work, but it can get a bit repetitive sometimes, as there are a number of topics that come up again and again. Hopefully, if I answer some of them 'in public' here, it might save us both some time!

If you came to this page hoping to find an answer to your query, but don't see anything here that helps you, then of course your only option is ... write to me! I may not answer you right away (that Inbox really is quite full most days), but I will try and get to it ...

I should mention that I have not included technical questions on points of printmaking here on this page. Your first spot for that sort of answer might be the technical section of this website; failing that, I would heartily recommend a visit to barenforum.org, where you will find a group of nearly 300 printmakers ready to offer all sorts of advice ...


Q: I want to study printmaking in Japan. What do I do?

A: As it happens, there isn't much use asking me this question, because I am not part of the 'art' scene here at all, and have very little knowledge of study opportunities. Printmaking is of course, an important part of the curriculum in many institutions here, but I do not know much about them, nor which ones make their programs open to overseas students.

Right from the beginning, I myself have worked independently, 'studying' on my own and seeking out personal contacts with experienced printers and carvers. That option is available to anyone who wishes to follow it, and once you got established here, I could certainly help you meet people ...

But rather than leave you completely empty-handed, here are a couple of suggestions:

  • There is a very interesting 'artist in residence' program at the Nagasawa Art Park, (link updated) which may be just what you are looking for.
  • You might check the English website of Tama Art University, which offers programs to overseas students.
  • Printmaker Richard Steiner down in Kyoto, does a lot of teaching, and he may have some ideas for you.
  • The Japanese Education Ministry (Mombusho) has a scholarship program under which foreigners can study printmaking here in Japan. Application forms are available at Japanese Embassies around the world. If you have a degree, and are under 35 years of age, you may be eligible; contact your local embassy. I was recently in touch with a Belgian student here on such a scholarship, and he said "The scholarship offers 6 months of study and one year of "research" in a national or private university. Once you get it, it's not so difficult to extend it for two more years ..."

 

Q: Do you take apprentices?

A: The 'quick and dirty' answer is 'no'. I work in my own home, and simply have no facilities for other people to work together with me. But read on ...

Back in the old days, there were many types of work available for printers and carvers; some of it was difficult - working on delicate ukiyo-e prints, for example - and this would be done by the experienced men. But a great deal of the work was simple - printing food wrappers, etc. - and this was perfect for apprentices. But these days, the 'simple' type of work is of course all done by printing presses. There is simply no way for an inexperienced worker to make himself productive ... at least not until he has gained enough experience to work on 'real' prints.

There is another reason though, why I am not so excited about the concept of having 'apprentices'. Any number of times since I started making a living as a woodblock printmaker here in Japan, I have been contacted by visitors to this country who want to come to my studio and learn about printmaking.

In the early years, I was very responsive to these requests - I invited these people to come over, and we frequently spent many hours together going over some of the basics of printmaking. My philosophy was (and still is) that as I myself only learned through the willingness of experienced people to share their knowledge, I have a responsibility to pass on what I have learned.

But ... and it is quite a big 'but' ... I also learned that all those hours spent with those people were wasted hours. Nobody, nobody ever continued with their printmaking activities ...

To generalize a bit too extremely, I have learned that the people who want to learn from me fall into two camps. One camp wants to sit at my feet and have me tell them everything about 'how it's done' and 'what to do'. They have been brought up with the idea that one must be taught how to do things. They think that they need the proper tools and equipment before they can start to do something, so (quite reasonably, I guess) they start by seeking advice. And as there are indeed a lot of things to learn in this craft, they need a lot of advice ...

The other group is not so concerned with the 'official and proper' way of doing things; their motivation is different - they just want to make some of these beautiful things we call woodblock prints. Such people inevitably have more of a 'trial and error' type of approach. Without worrying about whether any particular piece of wood is really absolutely the best type for woodblock printmaking, they try chopping away at it to see what happens.

Now I don't really want to pass judgment on these two 'types', because it takes all kinds to make a world, but I have learned at least one thing about people - those who need outside motivation to get going never end up continuing with the craft. Those who are self-motivated have every chance of doing well ...

Woodblock printmaking is extraordinarily 'low tech'. If you want to make a Hiroshige reproduction, then you're going to have to spend a lot of years learning just how the craftsmen in Hiroshige's day did it. But believe me, that's not how you want to start off. You don't need special tools, special materials, or special techniques. Using any old tool hack a design in any old piece of wood splash any pigment on it slap a piece of paper on top rub it with something and when you lift it up you've got a print.

Want a bit more practical advice than that? Head over to the Library section of my Woodblock.com website, and start reading. Right there on your own computer screen you have access to more practical 'how-to-do-it' information than has ever been available before to anybody anywhere anytime in history. If you can't make some interesting prints with the practical advice you will find there, then you are barking up the wrong tree ...

But if, after you've made a few prints, they're looking not too bad, and it looks like you might just be really interested in learning how to do this properly, then by all means contact me. Once I see those prints, and can thus see the practical proof that you are the self-motivated type, I'll be plenty willing to spend those hours (and hours and hours and hours) with you ...

Are you angry with what I have written here? Are you insulted that I am putting the burden on you? I hope not. If you actually try doing this, and then contact me with specific questions about your attempts, I will sit up all night if necessary answering them and doing what I can to assist you. But the motivation must come from you.

I look forward to hearing from you!



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