This series of prints
came about with a request one year from the local
community centre for me to put on some kind of
printmaking activity for the 'Bunkasai' (Culture
Festival). These festivals are held every fall in
every community across Japan, and are a mix of
events and activities put on by local drama, art
and music groups.
But a woodblock print takes quite a long time to
make, from planning through carving and printing,
so I really didn't see just what I would be able to
do for the event. How could kids make their own
print in the short time that they would be there?
What I came up with though, was the idea of
cutting a series of blocks myself before the event
began, and then on the day itself, laying them out
on a table with printing implements arranged beside
each block. The kids would start at one end of the
table, grab a piece of paper, and then print each
colour in turn as they worked their way down the
length of the table. I would stand on the other
side, and guide them along where necessary. When
they got to the end, they would have a finished
multi-colour print.
It worked very well, and since then has became
an annual part of the festival, with kids coming
back year after year to see what kind of picture
they will be able to make 'this year' ...
(click image for a larger
version in a 'popup' window)
Here is the print from the first year. It is
based on a 'character' I created for my two little
daughters, to try and wean them away from the
'Kitty Chan' that they were starting to get excited
about. I made a series of wooden puzzles with our
character in different poses and involved with
different activities, and they enjoyed him very
much. (They still felt plenty of affection for
Kitty Chan though ...) So when it came time to
create the print for the culture festival, this
seemed like a good choice.
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