moku hanga [woodblock printing] clip # 2

No matter how much I play with other printing methods, my one true love will always be moku hanga (Japanese style woodblock printing).

Ages ago I posted a link to this popular video about moku hanga. Today via Ximena's blog I found a link to this other really good moku hanga video (above). And the narration is in English. At one point you will even see someone wrapping a new bamboo leaf around their baren (circular hand press). This, as Annie will attest is a pretty difficult skill to learn. It's a good video covering the basics and you can see the way people traditionally worked this method by sitting on the floor (on zabetons) at a low printing table. In Kyoto there are still a few small workshops that continue working in this way. I was lucky enough to visit a working studio when I lived there. I am still amazed how closely they worked together on the floor with materials stacked all around them. One day I will scan my photos of this visit and post them here for you. Promise.

Why is moku hanga my one true printmaking love? I think it's due to the simplicity of the materials and yet how tricky they are to master together. The video mentions the variables - there are many to learn how to work with (and around). This is so true! Does that sound like madness?

Do you have one creative medium you keep going back to?