GYOTAKU – Now Anybody can have Original Artwork at Home

Started by LLCC, June 10, 2015, 08:02:54 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

LLCC



Gyotaku (魚拓) is a method for Japanese fishermen in the old days to keep a picture of the fish they caught. Ink is painted onto the body of the fish, and then a sheet of rice paper is placed over the fish and carefully rubbed to capture a print of the fish on paper, hence the meaning in the name Gyo meaning fish and Taku which mean rubbing. I like that with Gyotaku, I could make a graphic image of the true size of the fish, (including its smell) – something a photograph is not effective in reproducing.

https://gaspinggurami.wordpress.com/2015/06/10/gyotaku-now-anybody-can-have-original-artwork-at-home/

Best,

LL
Lawrence Lee

Tiddlerbasher


Alto Mare

Good stuff! One of our members here ( Steve-o) showed his a couple of years ago, he did a great job.
Youtube has some nice instructional videos, I might give it a shot myself.

Thanks for sharing.

Sal
Forget about all the reasons why something may not work. You only need to find one good reason why it will.

Steve-O

Thanks, Sal, for the plug.  I have enjoyed doing fish prints and actually sold 8 pieces plus give them away to fellow anglers. Dominick and I traded fish prints for jigs made by William - aka - Saltydawg.

The Croaker print above is nothing short of superb. The one thing overlooked was stuffing the gills with tissue so they don't ooze when you press the gill plate.  Not that I'm any kind of expert at it yet. Takes years and lots fish printing to pull off great prints at will. I'm not there, yet.

Last fall, in Alaska,  I printed a nice Silver Salmon and in 9 consecutive efforts....every single print went into the bin. I quit and did the rockfish and Pacific Cod which did come out good enough to stamp. This is one I'm proud of but look at the top stamp...it's upside down. What a goof!

Newell Nut

That is very nicely done. I would love to have that on a shirt.

Tightlines667

#5
Do you use an airbrush to apply the paint? 

I have a friend here in HI that likes to mess around printing some of the rarer longline-caught fish species. He sells prints and T-shirts.  He has a website if you care to check out some of his work...

http://www.hawaiigyotaku.com

And here are a couple of other guys&Gals that do it here...

http://www.takeogyotaku.com/

http://www.gyotaku.com

http://gyotakumaui.com

http://www.gyotakuhawaii.com/OurStoryPage.php

http://heatherfortner.com

http://fishprintguy.com

http://www.firstfridayhawaii.com/d/d/naoki.html

There are a few other sites, as well as 'how to' videos available if you google it.  This is pretty popular here in HI.  
Hope springs eternal
for the consumate fishermen.

Steve-O

Quote from: Newell Nut on June 10, 2015, 06:50:51 PM
That is very nicely done. I would love to have that on a shirt.

Dwight, every time I see those Mangos you and Elli are hauling in, I'm thinking " now how can I get one of those beauties in my hands to do some gyotaku with it?"

The easy answer to get one on a shirt is learn gyotaku.

Another option is what I did. Took a high res image of this very pic and and printed it on to iron on transfer paper, then ironed it on to the back of my Columbia fishing shirt.

I'll take a pic of the results and post it later. If you like that option you can send me a shirt and I could do that for you.

for me to get a Mango? I suppose I could find some excuse to book a trip down there and catch my own.....or less spendy....head to some local fish mongers and buy a fish.

Just tossin' out some ideas.




Oops! meant to add.  No airbrushing involved on my part. The fish is thoroughly cleaned and dried then traditional lino block ink is applied or acrylics. There's a very fine balance between too much and not enough ink/paint.  It's a blob or it's too faint.  Just right is obvious.


Naoki of Hawaii is my inspiration and another dude who's name escapes me ATM.

Steve-O

When the fish is bigger than the shirt. And the Alaska rockfish prints.

Dominick

I have one of Steve-O's Gyotaku fish.  I have it hanging in the closet.  I am going to mount it on a board and have it framed.  Steve I love that Columbia shirt.  I'm not sure I understand the iron transfer.  Dominick
Leave the gun.  Take the cannolis.

There are two things I don't like about fishing.  Getting up early in the morning and boats.  The rest of it is fun.

whalebreath

I know someone who does those he just cuts the gills out before inking-easy/fast no mess.

LLCC

Quote from: Steve-O on June 10, 2015, 05:31:38 PM
Thanks, Sal, for the plug.  I have enjoyed doing fish prints and actually sold 8 pieces plus give them away to fellow anglers. Dominick and I traded fish prints for jigs made by William - aka - Saltydawg.

The Croaker print above is nothing short of superb. The one thing overlooked was stuffing the gills with tissue so they don't ooze when you press the gill plate.  Not that I'm any kind of expert at it yet. Takes years and lots fish printing to pull off great prints at will. I'm not there, yet.

Last fall, in Alaska,  I printed a nice Silver Salmon and in 9 consecutive efforts....every single print went into the bin. I quit and did the rockfish and Pacific Cod which did come out good enough to stamp. This is one I'm proud of but look at the top stamp...it's upside down. What a goof!


Nice print, Steve! I especially like your stamps.

I've also stamped one of my best prints upside-down before. Till today, I still shake my head when I think of it. Hahaha. Now, I make a mark on my round stamp that helps me align it better.

That croaker was only 4-inches long. It was one of my most difficult prints because of its miniature size - every mistake comes out clearly!

Best,

LL


Lawrence Lee

Steve-O

Thanks, Lawrence!  the stamps are kind of rough carved soapstone. I really should practice and produce some stamps of much better quality. My name in kanji did not look good so I just used Gyo Taku and the fish skeleton.

This print in on my office wall. Same fish as the other one ...only different side, ink and cloth.

LLCC

Quote from: Steve-O on June 11, 2015, 05:06:32 PM
Thanks, Lawrence!  the stamps are kind of rough carved soapstone. I really should practice and produce some stamps of much better quality. My name in kanji did not look good so I just used Gyo Taku and the fish skeleton.

This print in on my office wall. Same fish as the other one ...only different side, ink and cloth.

Do you have another stamp? This one is a male stamp while the other is a female.

Best,

LL
Lawrence Lee

Steve-O

No, but I can make one.  I just refined the designs on the others. A project for this weekend ...  after fishing. ;D

Germ

Here's a print me and the girlfriend did last year. Our first try at gyutaku on a nice bonefish she caught.


She did the initial print and I painted in the details. It's now proudly hanging in our living room.