WOODBLOCK PRINTMAKING with Julie Murphy ss26

Cost: £98

Woodblock printing has its origins in China in the 7th Century and even earlier. It was then adopted in Japan and we recognise famous images such as the Great Wave by Hokusai. To compliment the current exhibition Lu Xun’s Legacy you are invited to learn about this beautiful art form and to produce your own prints.

Known as ‘Mokuhanga’ in Japan the technique involves carving a design into a wooden block and then using watercolour paints and a handheld press to transfer the design to beautiful Japanese paper. It is non-toxic and environmentally friendly

This workshop will take place over two full Saturdays. The first day will be creating your design and learning to carve it into your block of soft Japanese plywood. The second day you will choose your colours and print your blocks. Various techniques will be demonstrated to achieve shading and texture.

Participants are invited to bring some simple images and designs that fit into a 19.5x19.5cm format, for example landscapes, birds or flowers. Avoid images with fine lines. All Japanese plywood and specialist Japanese paper (washi) will be supplied and included in the cost.

Julie Murphy is a member of Omagh Printmakers and studied Mokuhanga in Japan in 2019 and 2023.