Saturday 8 October 2011

inside a Kyoto print studio

inside a Japanese print studio
inside a Japanese print studio
inside a Japanese print studio
inside a Japanese print studio

Here's a bit of nostalgia I've been meaning to share.


I took these photos in about 2003 when I was living in Kyoto, Japan. This is the inside of a traditional Japanese woodblock printing studio in the centre of Kyoto. I was very priviledged to go with my woodblock printing sensei (teacher) to meet Sato-san whose studio this is. I spent the morning there watching everyone work. Incredibly, there were 5 people working together in this intimate little studio. It was amazing to watch. Every square inch was crammed with materials and yet people seemed to be very happy and calm as they worked together printing woodblocks. The skill level was phenomenally high, leaving me feeling like a lazy printmaker when I left.

The quality of these photos isn't great - I had to scan them as this was pre-digital camera for me.

You can see more recent photos of Sato-san printing here on Annie's blog.

6 comments:

  1. I totally love seeing inside peoples studios... it's so fascinating... thank you!! Hope you don't mind if I pin one of the photos on my pinterest :)

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  2. Wow, so this is what it looks like. Thanks for taking the trouble to scan these pics. Most interesting :)

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  3. How fantastic to have had such an opportunity. I watched a wood block printer in the Kyoto Craft Centre in 2008. He was carving a landscape, such meticulous work. Amazing...Thank you for sharing...T

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  4. Glad everyone's enjoying these pics. Wish the quality was a bit better but you get the idea.

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  5. Je découvre ton blog avec intérêt. J'aime cet atmosphère de création, d'atelier, de travail poétique.
    Amicalement.

    Roger

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  6. Thank you Roger! Thanks to babelfish I was able to translate your comment :-)

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