Tags
art, Four Seasons, Japanese, landscape, printmaking, reflections, shadows, woodblock
There is something satisfying about learning a new skill – a physical or mental challenge, an outlet for expression, experimentation. I had always wanted to try woodblock printmaking and this is the year I have got round to it.
Inspiration for my first large-scale print came from one of my series of photographs of a riverbank.
Cutting the first block was a challenge.
I like the strong image in black of this block, printed in the Albion press on thick Western paper.
The process of printing by hand on Japanese paper is much more satisfying though and gives a more subtle result.
A second block was made to give a second colour, by offsetting a print of the first block onto another identical sized piece of wood, and in this case cutting a partial shadow image.
This turned out to be an abstract image when printed on its own.
Then the tortuous process of trying out different colour combinations began. I made this more difficult by also trying different papers, some coloured or textured and also combining monoprints to give a varied background.
I was working towards a Four Seasons series theme.
Here are some tentative combinations.
A steep learning curve but I am hooked.
dianajhale 
These are beautiful, Diana.
Love the woodblocks, Diana. Transports me back to Japan from where I have just returned. It’s hard to decide which I like the best – perhaps the green/maroon one. Beautiful work!
These are marvellous! I’ve never tried woodblock myself but have done linocut so can appreciate the challenges it presents. I look forward to seeing what else you create…
They are wonderful – the original (and best) way to print in colour!
Lovely to see the process Diana and the results are beautiful. I admire the sensitivity of your work.
Dear Diana Hale
I came across your blog pages by accident a couple of years ago and must tell you that I do enjoy your work, your comments and general attitude to what life dishes up. We may be a similar age- I was born in 1945 in North West London, was at art school in London in the 1960s (central school of art) taught adults for a while, then had a family and then pursuing my interest in adornments and traditions etc, I opened and ran a bead shop in Portobello Rd for almost 20 yrs, wrote books about beads for collectors and designers etc. and now have a freedom pass. I have a lovely daughter, and a son who became a successful designer and architect so the topic of creativity is still in the foreground- he is Thomas Heatherwick. Both of them with children, both nearby. I find myself quite critical of much that passes for art, craft or design these days but continue to appreciate your approach with curiosity and warmth towards whatever is before your eyes or under your hands! I have a selling website for antique and unusual beads that I¹m trying to maintain, http://www.beadtreasures.com but there never seems to be enough time to do more of it properly- also I¹m working on a bead collection/cataloguing/album project which could go on for years…
But at anyrate I¹m saying thank you for all the enjoyable art, photos and comments that come into my Emailbox every now and then… Please don¹t stop-
Yours Stefany Tomalin
Apologies for not responding sooner – it was lovely to receive such an encouraging response. Thank you for the appreciation.
what a beautiful and challenging image to get hooked with…I look forward to what comes next.
I see we are both considering the seasons…. 😉 These are lovely, Diana! I can see how one could get hooked.
Karen
Absolutely beautiful! The feeling in there is amazing – that tingle you get looking through reflections on water. Thanks for sharing.
Lovely work, and I can feel the fascination of your process!
Wow, these are great Diana. Particularly like the more minimal ones.
Love it!
Exciting, and were good results. I especially like the green one. It must be so rewarding. I did some carvings in metal when I was really young and still miss that kind of work sometimes. I can certainly understand you are hooked.