Podcast appearances and mentions of jed henry

We mark Memorial Day with the  PFC Lawrence Gordon Foundation's Jed Henry (https://www.pfclawrencegordonfoundati...) who, along with Operation Benjamin (https://www.operationbenjamin.org/nat..., recently recovered the remains of 1st Lt. Nathan Baskind, who was killed in Normandy near Utah Beach in 1944. In June 1944, Baskind was assigned to Company C, 899th Tank Destroyer Battalion, as a platoon commander of four M-10 tank destroyers. According to historical war records, 1st Lt. Baskind and another man from his company were scouting ahead of their tank destroyers when enemy forces descended upon them in an ambush. The other soldier, heavily wounded, escaped the firefight and made his way back to the main U.S. force, believing Baskind was killed in the attack. Several attempts were made to retrieve Baskind's body from the ambush point, but they could not locate his remains. Following the end of the war, the American Graves Registration Command (AGRC) was tasked with investigating and recovering missing American personnel in Europe. Investigators discovered a death and burial report for 1st Lt. Baskind among the foreign records recovered from the Germans, evidently filed after the war on May 29, 1945, in Meiningen, Germany. The record revealed 1st Lt. Baskind was captured and later died at a hospital for German air force personnel near Cherbourg on June 23, 1944. German forces then buried him in the military cemetery in the city. In early 1948, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) sent the U.S. Army one of 1st Lt. Baskind's identification tags. It is believed the German government likely submitted the tag to the ICRC, along with a death and burial report, following the war. In November 1957, the Volksbund, the German War Grave Commission, contacted the U.S. Army regarding 1st Lt. Baskind. While disinterring a mass grave of what were believed to be 24 Germans buried in the Cherbourg cemetery, a Volksbund team discovered one of 1st Lt. Baskind's identification tags and remnants of an American-type shirt with a first lieutenant rank and tank destroyer insignia. The remains in the mass grave were commingled, and the German team was unable to separate them into individual sets. The German investigators therefore placed the remains in seven burial pouches and then re-interred them in the Marigny German War Cemetery, 40 miles south of Cherbourg. Subsequent attempts to identify the remains of 1st Lt. Baskind by U.S. and German investigators were not successful. In 2023, the Volksbund and other interested private research organizations exhumed the commingled remains from Marigny War Cemetery for analysis. By February 2024, these researchers contacted DPAA to inform the agency that 1st Lt. Baskind's remains had been analyzed by a private U.S. laboratory and sought DPAA's concurrence. To verify Baskind's remains, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System reviewed the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), Y chromosome DNA (Y-STR), and autosomal DNA (auSTR) analysis previously performed. 1st Lt. Baskind's name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at Normandy American Cemetery, an American Battle Monuments Commission site in Colleville-sur-Mer, France, along with the others still missing from World War II. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for. We also talk with veterans about whom they remember on Memorial Day. We're grateful to UPMC for Life and Tobacco Free Adagio Health for sponsoring this event! #memorialday #missinginaction #wwii #greatestgeneration  #happyhour #history #interview #veteran #veterans #veteransbreakfastclub #virtualevents #virtual #zoomevents #liveevents #webinar #militaryhistory #military #army #navy #marinecorps #marines  #coastguard #vbc #nonprofit #501c3  #vet #militaryhistory #usarmy #vietnam #usnavy #pilot #airforce #veteranowned #coastguard #aviators #militaryveterans #Iraq #vietnamveterans #veteransstories #veteranshistory #veteranshistoryproject #veteranstravel #veteranstrips #veteranshistoricaltours #veteransoralhistory #militaryretirees #armyretirees #navyretirees #warstories #airforce #vietnamwar #veteraninterview #greatestgeneration #wwii #ww2 #worldwarii #worldwar2 #war #americanhistory #oralhistory #veteraninterview

Book written by : Jed Henry, Book read by: Laura Marshall, Podcast produced by: Audio Mommy Podcast

Creating mokuhanga can be a long journey. One reaches milestones within their artistic life where decisions are made, and questions asked. Can I do this for years to come? Does it make financial sense to continue working on making prints? Do I want to make this my career? Can mokuhanga sustain me financially, emotionally, and spiritually?  On this episode of the Unfinished Print, I speak with mokuhanga printmaker Stephen Winiecki, an artist who has explored mokuhanga through his experience in oil painting and linocut. Stephen is asking himself many questions like the ones mentioned above. We discuss Stephen's choosing to make mokuhanga a large part of his life and the desire to make it his career path. We talk process, his work with mokuhanga print designer and artist Jed Henry, planning a print, and how his passion for rock climbing motivates his work.  Please follow The Unfinished Print and my own mokuhanga work on Instagram @andrezadoroznyprints or email me at theunfinishedprint@gmail.com  Notes: may contain a hyperlink. Simply click on the highlighted word or phrase. Artists works follow after the note. Pieces are mokuhanga unless otherwise noted. Dimensions are given if known. Stephen Winiecki - website, Instagram.  linocut -A linocut is a relief or block print type, similar to woodblock printing. The artist carves an image into a linoleum block, printing what's left.  David Bull - is a Canadian woodblock printmaker, and educator who lives and works in Japan. His love of mokuhanga has almost singlehandedly promoted the art form around the world. His company, Mokuhankan, has a brick and mortar store in Asakusa, Tōkyō, and online, here.  Dave Bull fox moon video  Awagami -  is arguably the largest paper making company in Japan at the moment. With a large International name, Awagami sponsors, and promotes its paper all over the world. More information can be found on its website, here.  reduction printmaking - is a process in printmaking where the printmaker cuts away on a piece of wood, or linoleum. After every carving, the printmaker makes an impression with pigments, beginning with lighter colours, gradually using darker colours. William H. Mays has a fine description of reduction on his website, here.  registration - there are several registration methods in mokuhanga. The traditional method is called the kentō registration, where you carve two notches, straight another an "L." There is also a "floating kentō," which is where the notches are cut in a piece of "L" shaped wood and not on the wood where you are cutting your image, hence "floating." Lastly, there are removable "pins," such as ones made by Ternes Burton.  McClains Woodblock Print Supply Co.  - based in Portland, Oregon, McClain's is the go-to supplier of woodblock print tools in the United States. Their website can be found here. The Unfinished Print interview with Daniel Jasa of McClain's can be found here. Jed Henry - is an American artist and graphic designer. His work with woodblock prints is as designer. He works with Mokuhankan, as well as various other mokuhanga artists who carve/laser, and print his designs. His work under the Ukiyo-e Heroes banner is very popular.  monotype print - is a unique print created from an image painted or drawn on a smooth surface, such as glass or metal, and then transferred to paper. Unlike most printmaking methods, where multiple copies of the same image can be produced, a monotype typically has a single, one-of-a-kind image. It's called a "mono" type because it is not part of an edition like traditional prints (e.g., lithographs, etchings), where you can make multiple copies.  Dick Blick Art Supplies - is an art supply store with various brick and mortar stores throughout the United States, as well as online. Founded in 1911 by Dick Blick in Galesburg, Illinois, BLICK, as it's more commonly known, sells various types of art supplies, much like Jerry's Artarama. More info, here. Cameron Bailey - is a mokuhanga woodblock printmaker based in Queens, New York. His work is predominantly reduction woodblock. Camerons work has shown around the world. You can listen to one of his earliest interview on The Unfinished Print, here. His work can be found, here.  Eruption, After D'Anna (2022) 17x23" Lake George, New York - Is a small town located in the Adirondack mountains in New York State. There are plenty of exciting things to do in an around the town and within the Adirondack mountains. More information can be found here.  Echizen - is a region in Fukui Prefecture, Japan associated with Japanese paper making. It has a long history of paper making. There are many paper artisans in the area. One famous person is Iwano Ichibei whom Megan mentions in this episode. He is a Living National Treasure in paper making, and the ninth generation of his family still making paper today. More info can be found here in English, and here in Japanese.  Kawase Hasui (1883-1957) - a designer of more than six hundred woodblock prints, Kawase Hasui, is one of the most famous designers of the shin-hanga movement of the early twentieth century. Hasui began his career with the artist and woodblock designer Kaburaki Kiyokata (1878-1971), joining several artistic societies early in his career. It wasn't until he joined the Watanabe atelier in 1918 that he began to gain recognition. Watanabe Shōzaburō (1885-1962) had Hasui design landscapes of the Japanese countryside, small towns, and everyday life. Hasui also worked closely with the carvers and printers of his prints to reach the level Hasui wanted his prints to be.  Yumoto Spa, Nikko (1937) 15x10" shin hanga - is a style of Japanese woodblock printmaking which began during the end of the ukiyo-e period of Japanese printmaking, in the early 20th Century. Focusing on the foreign demand for “traditional” Japanese imagery and motifs such as castles, bridges, famous landscapes, bamboo forests, to name just a few.  Shin hanga was born in 1915 by Watanabe Shōzaburō (1885-1962) when he found Austrian artist Frtiz Capelari (1884-1950) and commissioned Capelari to design some prints for Watanabe's feldgling printing house . From there shin-hanga evolved into its own distinct “new” style of Japanese woodblock printing. It lasted as this distinct style until its innevitable decline after the Second World War (1939-1945). Dahlia (1940) 10.5x15.7" by Kawase Hasui Seki Kenji - is a woodblock printmaker based in Tōkyō. He was head printer, and produced prints, for Doi Hangaten printing house as well as making his own pieces.  woodblock.com - is one of the first websites created by David Bull in order to describe the process of Japanese woodblock printmaking in English. It was and is an asset for those of us continuing the art form today.  Studio MDHR - is an independent video game developer based in Oakville, Ontario, Canada. They created the Cuphead character, which Stephen made a print on.  Cuphead Skullman 8x15" Cal Carlisle -  an American printmaker based in Cleveland, Ohio, who has sold his original prints and worked for print designer Jed Henry. He was also my first interview on The Unfinished Print, found here. You can find more information about Cal's work, here.  © Popular Wheat Productions opening and closing musical credit - No Woman, No Cry by The Fugees from their 1996 album The Score. Released by Columbia Records.  logo designed and produced by Douglas Batchelor and André Zadorozny  Disclaimer: Please do not reproduce or use anything from this podcast without shooting me an email and getting my express written or verbal consent. I'm friendly :) Слава Українi If you find any issue with something in the show notes please let me know. ***The opinions expressed by guests in The Unfinished Print podcast are not necessarily those of André Zadorozny and of Popular Wheat Productions.***            

Author Douglas Rees. Illustrated by Jed Henry.

When making mokuhanga there are many way to get to the final product. However you get there, you need to enjoy every single moment you have with it. So many twists and turns, indulging your passions with your work, anything can happen. On this episode of The Unfinished Print I speak with printmaker Karen Pittman. With her varied CV, Karen has explored many ways of making, of creating. Her influences come from the traditional, working from the ground up. Karen's mokuhanga exudes that tradition, the patience and serenity of a seasoned mokuhanga artist.  I speak with Karen Pittman about how she got involved with mokuhanga, her time at Mokuhankan and David Bull, her blog; Vivid Laboratories, he own work and what she learned from her mother as an artist.  Please follow The Unfinished Print and my own mokuhanga work on Instagram @andrezadoroznyprints or email me at theunfinishedprint@gmail.com  Notes: may contain a hyperlink. Simply click on the highlighted word or phrase. Artists works follow after the note. Pieces are mokuhanga unless otherwise noted. Karen Pittman - blog, Instagram  星空に - By Starlight (2019) Balcones Canyonlands (2020) Annie Bissett - is an American mokuhanga printmaker and graphic designer based in Rhode Island, USA. Her work touches on politics, and beauty. Her interview with The Unfinished Print cane be found, here. Annie's work can be found, here. April Vollmer - is a mokuhanga artist based in New York City. She has been working in the medium for over thirty years. Her book, Japanese Woodblock Print Workshop, is a classic of the genre and a fantastic instructional book on mokuhanga. Her interview with The Unfinished Print can be found, here.  Zea Mays Workshop  - is a printmaking workshop located in Florence, Massachusetts, USA. They conduct in person and online workshops, as well as tutorials and private lessons for many types of printmaking. More info, here.    temari - (手まり） is a Japanese folk art where balls are embroidered with different types of decorations. They are used as toys, gifts, games, or for collection. More info can be found about this delightful craft, here. For Karen Pittman's temari balls, you can find them here.    two point perspective - also known as linear perspective, is a drawing style which creates a 3D perspective on a two dimensional surface. It is one point of the three points of perspective. One point perspective is where the vanishing point is on the horizon line, and three point perspective is where three points are on the horizon line. The above information is found on The Virtual Instructor, by Matt Fussell, where all points are discussed in detail.    Naoshima (直島) - is a an island and part of an archipelago of islands located between Shikoku and Honshu islands in Japan. It is known for its comteporary art galleries, fishing, and nature tourism. More info, here.    shin hanga - is a style of Japanese woodblock printmaking which began during the end of the ukiyo-e period of Japanese printmaking, in the early 20th Century. Focusing on the foreign demand for “traditional” Japanese imagery and motifs such as castles, bridges, famous landscapes, bamboo forests, to name just a few.  Shin hanga was born in 1915 by Watanabe Shōzaburō (1885-1962) when he found Austrian artist Frtiz Capelari (1884-1950) and commissioned Capelari to design some prints for Watanabe's feldgling printing house . From there shin-hanga evolved into its own distinct “new” style of Japanese woodblock printing. It lasted as this distinct style until its innevitable decline after the Second World War (1939-1945).     Emil Orlick (1870-1932) - 日本の刷り師 (1901)   Yoshida Family of Artists - The Yoshida's are one of the most famous family of artists from Japan. Begun with painter Yoshida Kasaburō (1861-1894), made famous by Yoshida Hiroshi (1876-1950) and his work with woodblock printing. The Yoshida family has helped shape many artists around the world. More info from the Mount Holyoke College Art Museum, here.     Tōshi Yoshida (1911-1995) - 白塀 (Shirobei)   Studio Ghibli - (株式会社スタジオジブリ)  is an animation production house based in Tōkyō, Japan. The studio was founded in 1985 by Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata (1935-2018), and Toshio Suzuki. It has a long line of animated films which have influenced artists, and animators around the world. One such film is Princess Mononoke (もののけ姫) an historical fantasy taking place during the Muromachi Period (1336-1573 CE) of Japan. It is a fantasy story based on the relationship between nature, gods, and man. More info can be found here for Ghibli.    David Bull - is a Canadian woodblock printmaker, and educator who lives and works in Japan. His love of mokuhanga has almost singlehandedly promoted the art form around the world. His company, Mokuhankan, has a brick and mortar store in Asakusa, Tōkyō, and online, here.      The Seacoast in Autumn from the My Solitudes Series (2007-2009)   Mokuhankan  - is a brick and mortar woodblock print shop located in Asakusa, Tōkyō. It is a learning and working space, where it sells the works of artist Jed Henry, master carvers of the past, and various print series. All are printed and carved by Mokuhankan printmakers and carvers. Started by printmaker David Bull as a way to sell his own series and reprints of old carvers of the past, Mokuhankan has grown exponentially over the years and is a must visit when coming to Tōkyō. More info, here.    Awagami Mini Print Exhibtion - is a an exhibiton sponsored by the Awagami Factory. Awagami is a company which produces washi in Tokushima, Shikoku, Japan. This exhibtion, focuses on small size prints. More info can be found, here.   Cameron Hilker - was an employee at Mokuhankan from 2017-2022. Cameron worked at Mokuhankan as the Businnes Operations and Social Media Marketing Manager. His interview with The Unfinished Print, can be found, here.    Asakusa, Tōkyō - is a vibrant and exciting part of the metropolis of Tōkyō. It is rich with history, and rich in the tradition of entertainment, theatre, and religion. Today, Asakusa is known for it's temple system, with Sensō-ji as its centrepiece. Shopping, within the Nakamise, leading you from Kaminarimon to Sensō-ji, you are surrounded by so many opportunities to spend your money, it's quite the experience. You can also go to Kappa-bashi, where you can shop for kitchen-ware and random tchochke's. More information can be found at gotokyo.org.    Don Quijote - (株式会社ドン・キホーテ)  founded in 1989, Don Quijote is a chain of department stores located throughout Japan, parts of Asia and The United States. As a discount realtor, Don Quijote caters to tourists and locals who want a good price. More info can be found on their website, here.    Daiso - (株式会社大創産業)  founded in 1977, Daiso is a discount realtor based in Japan but with outlets throughout the world. While known for being “the 100 Yen shop", Daiso sells a variety of items at different price points.  More info, here.    Fabiola Gil Alares - is a mokuhanga artist and business person who lives and works in Spain. Her book on mokuhanga, Mokuhanga: Manual Ilustrado de Xilografia Japonesa, has become one of the go to books about mokuhanga, in any language. Her interview with The Unfinished Print can be found, here. Her website can be found, here.      Adentro    Print which Karen helped to print when working at Mokuhankan.     Owl In Moonlight (みみずくのうたた寝）printed by Mokuhankan. Based on a print by Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858)   Shin-Torinoko paper - is a mass produced, machine made Japanese paper that is relatively inexpensive. It comes in various weights and colours. More info can be found, here.    Kitaro Japanese Paper Company -  founded in 1872, Kitaro focuses on making high quality Japanese washi in Fukui Prefecture.  More info, here.    murasaki baren - is a mid-range mokuhanga baren. “murasaki” meaning “purple” , come in two types of weight (medium and heavy), and two types of sizes (10cm and 12cm). They are reasonably priced baren.    McClains Woodblock Print Supply Co.  - based in Portland, Oregon, McClains is the go to supplier of woodblock print tools in the United States. Their website can be found, here. The interview with the Unfinished Print with Daniel Jasa of McClain's can be found, here.   mudabori - "waste carving" is a technique in mokuhanga which involves the artist carving away any unwanted wood deemed unecessary for their finished print. These can be guides, as to where the colour blocks will be carved, and then carved away later after it has served its purpose.  More info can be found over at Mokuhankan, here.   Edo Period (1603-1868 CE) pigments for mokuhanga - during the Edo Period, mixing four or five colours was common as they were mineral and vegetal pigments, which could last a long time. According to Japanese Print-Making by Tōshi Yoshida, the best colours to use for their steadfastness was sumi (black ink), gofun (shell powder), shu (Chinese vermillion), kuchinashi (jasmine/gardenia yellow), ai (indigo), and taisha (red ochre).   John Amoss of Tanuki Prints in Georgia, has written and produced a video of some of his work with Mokuhankan, and his experience grinding traditional pigments with their team. You can find that, here. From David Bull's woodblock.com there is a posting about preparing powdered pigments in the traditional method, here. My interview with John Amoss can be found, here.      Morning Tree by John Amoss (2022)   Winsor & Newton - is a British artist supply company, started in 1832,  which sells artist materials such as pigments, brushes, paper, etc. More info can be found, here.    Print Austin -  is an annual printmaking expo in Austin, Texas where artists of all different types of printmaking come and show their work. As Karen says in her interview, there are workshops, classes and interactive modules. More info can be found, here.    New Leaf Gallery - is a relief print focused gallery located in Wybridge, Vermont, USA. More info can be found, here.    Cormark International - is an international supplier of exotic woods, and are based in South Africa. More info, here.    Ocooch Hardwoods - is a wood supplier based in Wisconsin. More info can be found, here.    © Popular Wheat Productions opening and closing musical credit - One Love (LG Main remix) from From Illmatic to Stillmatic: The Remixes (2002) logo designed and produced by Douglas Batchelor and André Zadorozny  Disclaimer: Please do not reproduce or use anything from this podcast without shooting me an email and getting my express written or verbal consent. I'm friendly :) Слава Україну If you find any issue with something in the show notes please let me know. ***The opinions expressed by guests in The Unfinished Print podcast are not necessarily those of André Zadorozny and of Popular Wheat Productions.***      

How does one get a job at on of the most sought after positions in the mokuhanga community, Mokuhankan, and go on to be a large part of the success of the company while there? Cameron Hilker did just that. We don't make mokuhanga alone. We ask advice, search out tutorials, workshops, and have mokuhanga conversations with each other. But when your business has many moving parts and is expanding everyday,  then things can become a little more complicated.  On this episode of The Unfinished Print I speak with Cameron Hilker, who worked with David Bull at Mokuhankan from 2017-2022, as Business Operations and Social Media Marketing Manager. Cameron's work with David Bull and Mokuhankan was important work for the rise of mokuhanga and the new found interest in the making and production of the Japanese woodblock print.  Please follow The Unfinished Print and my own mokuhanga work on Instagram @andrezadoroznyprints Twitter @unfinishedprint, or email me at theunfinishedprint@gmail.com Notes: may contain a hyperlink. Simply click on the highlighted word or phrase. David Bull - is a Canadian woodblock printmaker, and educator who lives and works in Japan. His love of mokuhanga has almost singlehandedly promoted the art form around the world. His company, Mokuhankan, has a brick and mortar store in Asakusa, Tōkyō, and online, here.  Jed Henry - is an American artist and graphic designer. His work with woodblock prints is as designer. He works with Mokuhankan, as well as various other mokuhanga artists who carve/laser, and print his designs. His work under the Ukiyo-e Heroes banner is very popular.  Ukiyo-e Heroes - is a series of designs created by Jed Henry, collaborating with the woodblock printing house, Mokuhankan, in Tōkyō. Starting in 2012, Ukiyo-e Heroes has expanded year after year with many different designs. You can find more information, here.  Provo, Utah - is the fourth largest city in the United States. It has a large Mormon community. It is close to beautiful canyons and nature.  Brigham Young University  - was founded in 1875, and is associated with the Church of Latter Day Saints. BYU is a liberal arts university located in Provo, Utah.  Niigata Prefecture, Japan - located in the northern Chūbu region of Japan, Niigata Prefecture is a quiet and beautiful Prefecture. Known for winter sports such as skiing, and agriculture.  Mokuhankan  - is a brick and mortar woodblock print shop located in Asakusa, Tōkyō. It is a learning and working space, where it sells the works of artist Jed Henry, master carvers of the past, and various print series. All are printed and carved by Mokuhankan printmakers and carvers. Started by printmaker David Bull as a way to sell his own series and reprints of old carvers of the past, Mokuhankan has grown exponentially over the years and is a must visit when coming to Tōkyō. More info, here.  Tsukuba Express Line - founded in 2005 this train line services two Prefectures (Tōkyō and Ibaraki) within the Kantō Region of Japan. The Kantō Region consists of the following Prefectures: Tōkyō, Saitama, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma, Chiba and Kanagawa.  Infestation Print - from the Ukiyo-e Heroes series. Designed by Jed Henry and carved and printed by Mokuhankan, Tōkyō.  Kickstarter - started in 2009, Kickstarter is an online platform and Public Benefit Corporation used to promote and raise money for independent projects which cannot receive funding by other means.  ukiyo-e - is a multi colour woodblock print generally associated with the Edo Period (1603-1867) of Japan. What began in the 17th Century as prints of only a few colours, evolved into an elaborate system of production and technique into the Meiji Period (1868-1912). With the advent of photography and other forms of printmaking, ukiyo-e as we know it today, ceased production by the late 19th Century.  anime - is a term associated with Japanese animation.  Japanese animation first began in 1917, but became famous to the West in the 1950's with Tōei Dōga. Nippon.com has a fine history of anime, here.  David Bull's Twitch - his stream can be found, here, titled Japanese Printmaking.  Twitch - was created from its previous platform Justin.tv in 2011. It focuses on gaming.  Wisconsin, United States - located in the mid-west of the United States and became a U.S state in 1848. It was originally inhabited by the Mississippi and Oneota peoples.  Early Japanese COVID Protocols - Japan currently is one of the last affluent democratic countries to open their borders to tourism. Early in the pandemic, Japan prevented many Japanese nationals, and foreign citizens, from re-entering the country. This went on for most of 2020, and all of 2021. This also adapted with the different SARS-CoV variants. JNTO has more information, here.  Don Quijote - also known as DONKI, is a a large discount store founded in 1995, and is located throughout most major cities in Japan and Asia, today.  Okutama - is a city located near the Okutama Mountains in Western Tōkyō.  Ōme - is a city located near the Okutama Mountain in Western Tōkyō. Tsushima Yasue - is a printmaker who works at Mokuhankan and has been with the company since 2011.  Yoko Ishikawa  - is a printmaker who works at Mokuhankan.  Ayumi Ohashi - is a printmaker working at Mokuhankan. Ayumi Shiba - is a printmaker working at Mokuhankan.   Your First Print: David Bull - this was the first DVD I ever purchased on how to make mokuhanga. This was in 2007. While I look back at that time thinking about why I didn't take it up as seriously as I do now, I sometime wonder, "Where would I be now in my Mokuhanga journey?" I realize that that is a redundant way of thinking. I am where I am now today, and to be happy with just that. You can still find this product on Dave's website.  Pikachu - is an electric-like  Pokéman first appearing in 1996.  Mario - is a video game character created by Shigeru Miyamoto. Famous for the Mario Bros. Nintendo video games. The print by Mokuhankan with Mario, called The Rickshaw Cart was the first print in the Ukiyo-e Heroes series.  Link - is a character from the Nintendo video game series the Legend of Zelda, first seen in 1986. the Mokuhankan woodblock print starring this character is called The Hero Rests.  The Fourth Wall - is a term in the performing arts which separates us from what we are watching on screen or on the stage. If the actor begins to speak to the audience, they are "breaking the fourth wall" and are bringing us into the story. woodblock.com - is one of the first websites created by David Bull in order to describe the process of Japanese woodblock printmaking in English. It was and is an asset for those of us continuing the art form today.  The Japan Times - the oldest newspaper in Japan, and first printed in 1897.  Yomiuri Shimbun - is a Japanese newspaper founded in 1874 and is considered a conservative newspaper.  US Time zones - there are nine times zones in the United States. They are as follows - Atlantic Standard Time, Eastern Standard Saving Time, Central Daylight Saving Time, Mountain Standard Time, Pacific Daylight Saving Time, Alaska Daylight Saving Time, Hawaiian Aleutian Standard Time, Samoa Standard Time, and Chamorro Standard Time.  Yuzawa Town, Niigata  - is a resort town located in the Japanese Alps. Known for its skiing and other winter activities.  karoshi (過労死) - is the Japanese word for "death by overwork." Haneda Airport (羽田空港) - is one of two International airports (Narita International in Chiba Prefecture is the other) which supports travel into Japan. First built in 1931 from reclaimed land in Tōkyō, it was the primary International airport to and from Japan form 1978-2010. Sensō-ji Temple - is the crown jewel of Asakusa in Tōkyō. The oldest temple in Tōkyō, it holds the image of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, the Bodhisattva of Mercy. The entire property of Sensō-ji is heavily touristed and has many shops (nakamise) and places to visit.  Asakusa, Tōkyō - is a famous part of Tōkyō with restaurants, festivals, shops, shopping arcades, places to purchase anything from Buddhist statues, to pots and pans (Kappabashi). You can see kabuki theatre and buy woodblock prints. It is a special place.  toro (灯籠) - is the name of traditional lanterns.  kappabashi - is the avenue located near Ueno and is in the Asakusa area of Tōkyō. It is famous for servicing restaurants with their wide array of kitchen utensils like pots, pans, etc. © Popular Wheat Productions opening and closing credit music - The Promise Ring - Everywhere In Denver (1996) from the album 30 Degrees Everywhere.  logo designed and produced by Douglas Batchelor and André Zadorozny  Disclaimer: Please do not reproduce or use anything from this podcast without shooting me an email and getting my express written or verbal consent. I'm friendly :) Слава Україну If you find any issue with something in the show notes please let me know. ***The opinions expressed by guests in The Unfinished Print podcast are not necessarily those of André Zadorozny and of Popular Wheat Productions.***          

Ralph Kiggell has been an important part of the international mokuhanga community for many years. Ralph takes many different elements of mokuhanga, the energy and exploration of an artist, to create some of the most dramatic and ambitious mokuhanga today. On this episode of The Unfinished Print I speak with mokuhanga printmaker Ralph Kiggel about his life in Thailand, using locally sourced materials for his mokuhanga from that country; we also speak on his artistic ambitions, his observations on the current state of the mokuhanga community, and what he would like to see as its future.  Please follow The Unfinished Print and my own print work on Instagram @andrezadoroznyprints Twitter @unfinishedprint, or email me at theunfinishedprint@gmail.com Notes: may contain a hyperlink. Simply click on the highlighted word or phrase. Ralph Kiggell - website, Instagram, interview with Evil. O Japan and the West - Japan as a country has had an uneasy relationship with the "West." In many cases this relationship has focused solely with the United States. For a fine early description of this particular relationship please read The Making of Modern Japan, by Marius B. Jansen, and Empreror of Japan: Meiji and His World, 1852-1912 by Donald Keene.  ukiyo-e - is a multi colour woodblock print generally associated with the Edo Period (1603-1867) of Japan. What began in the 17th Century as prints of only a few colours, evolved into an elaborate system of production and technique into the Meiji Period (1868-1912). With the advent of photography and other forms of printmaking, ukiyo-e as we know it today, ceased production by the late 19th Century.  Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (1606-1669) - was a Dutch painter, considered to be a part of the Dutch Golden Age of painting. He was notable for his self-portraits, landscape painting, and empathic painting.  Serigraphy - is another word for the art of silk screen printing. Silk screen printing can be in on various materials, silk, canvas, paper, etc.  Western Engagement with Mokuhanga -  the connection with woodblock prints and the West, predominantly with the United States and Britain, began when the elite of both countries started collecting ukiyo-e. Collecting ukiyo-e was the fashion for wealthier patrons of the arts who saw the beautiful images from Japan and their “Oriental” aesthetic as worth collecting. By the start of the twentieth century ukiyo-e production had began to wane. It wasn't until Watanabe Shōzaburō (1885-1962) who worked in the woodblock print business, and who exported prints to the West to a foreign market, saw the benefit of focusing his business for foreign buyers. He established his publishing house in Tōkyō for making woodblock prints with high end techniques (almost lost at that point) and used the traditional hanmoto system of print production to facilitate the demand. This began a fruitful business which created a new generation of woodblock production and Japanese aesthetic. The two important types of woodblock print styles from this period are shin-hanga (new prints), and sōsaku-hanga (creative prints). shin-hanga - or, new prints, is a style of woodblock print production connected to the early twentieth century in Japan. Attributed to Watanabe Shōzaburō, and were created via the ukiyo-e, hanmoto system. Prints are produced through a hierarchy. This hierarchy is as follows: publisher commissions artist who designs the prints, professional woodblock carvers carve the prints, and professional printers print the prints. This collaboration system helped make shin-hanga into the collectable works we find today. They help to codify a romanticized Japanese aesthetic, for a Western audience.  sōsaku-hanga - or creative prints, is a style of printmaking which is predominantly, although not exclusively, prints made by one person. It started in the early twentieth century in Japan, in the same period as the shin-hanga movement. The artist designs, carves, and prints their own works. The designs, especially in the early days, may seem rudimentary but the creation of self made prints was a breakthrough for printmakers beginning to move away from where only a select group of carvers, printers and publishers created woodblock prints.  War prints & Japanese Imperialism - as Japan entered the Pacific Theatre of war (1941-1945) with the United States, the fascist military government had complete power in Japan at the time, and used woodblock prints, as well as other mediums such as lithography and photography, to propagandize their war effort. Printmakers such as Kawase Hasui (1883-1957) even got involved in producing prints that helped the war effort. He designed several war prints during this time period. Prints such as The Red Setting Sun, is a prime example of how the times and aesthetic show a relatively innocuous scene of figures (Japanese soldiers) riding on horses with a setting sun back drop. For more detailed information regarding war time prints I suggest, Conflicts of Interest: Art and War in Modern Japan, ed. Philip K. Hu w/ Rhiannon Paget, and The Politics of Painting by Asato Ikeda. My interview with Rhiannon Paget PhD can be found, here.  The American Occupation and Woodblock Prints - the occupation of Japan occurred after the end of the Pacific theatre (1941-1945) and World War 2 (1939-1945). The Occupation of Japan was from 1945-1952. During this period of nation rebuilding, the Japanese print market as a post-war souvenir was very popular. The rapid growth of the woodblock print in the immediate post-war is attributed to several factors. Robert O. Muller (1911-2003) was an American collector who helped establish print connections with Japan and the United States. From owning the Shima Art Co. of New York City, to working with Shōzaburō in Tōkyō after the war, Robert O. Muller's contribution can be considered unprecedented in woodblock print history.  Kōshirō Onchi (1891-1955) was another factor in the rise of woodblock prints during the Allied Occupation. His First Thursday Society, and with the help of his daughter who worked directly with the Supreme Commander of Allied Powers (SCAP), Onchi was able to spread the word on the creative prints project (sōsaku hanga) by making connections with important collectors in the American military government, as well as recruiting American artists, such as Ernst Hacker (1917-1987).  For more information regarding the American Occupation of Japan and woodblock prints please read, Japanese Prints during the Allied Occupation 1945-1952, and Troubled Times and Beyond: Japanese Prints 1931-1960, published by Nihon no Hanga, Amsterdam. My interview with Maureen de Vries, curator of Nihon no Hanga, can be found, here.  Evolving Techniques in Japanese Woodblock Prints - is a book published by Kodansha International in 1977. It was written by Canadian woodblock printer Gaston Petit, and Amadio Arboleda, who currently apprentices as a violin maker in Tōkyō.  Tama Art University - is an arts university located in various campuses in Tōkyō. It has various departments such as Architecture, Product and Textile Design, and Art Studies.  入門 - "nyuumon" in the title of the book Ralph speaks about in our interview, where we discuss what the following kanji means. There are a few meanings for this particular kanji, but in regards to the book I believe it to mean, "beginning training." 水生 - "suisei" is a Japanese word meaning, "water based." 刷物 - "surimono" is a Japanese word which means, literally, "printed thing." These were also privately commissioned prints made by wealthier clients for special occasions. These prints usually were extremely extravagant, using high-end techniques and pigments.  I could not in my research find whether or not "surimono" was used more colloquially, rather than "ukiyo-e." kentō - is the registration system used by printmakers in order to line up the colour woodblocks with your key block, or outline block, carved first.   Wood Like Matsumura - is an online and brick and mortar store, for woodblock printmaking, located in Nerima City, Tōkyō. website. Will Francis - is a British mokuhanga printmaker who works predominantly for American graphic designer Jed Henry, and Mokuhankan.  shina - is a type of Japanese plywood used in mokuhanga. jigsaw cutting - Ralph uses various methods when making his mokuhanga. One such method is jigsaw cutting, where the blocks are cut and those cuts are used to make prints. In this video, Ralph explains his process on making his prints. Akira Kurosaki 黒崎彰 (1937-2019) - one of the most influential woodblock print artists of the modern era. His work, while seemingly abstract, moved people with its vibrant colour and powerful composition. He was a teacher and invented the “Disc Baren,” which is a great baren to begin your mokuhanga journey with. At the 2021 Mokuhanga Conference in Nara, Japan there was a tribute exhibit of his life works. Azusa Gallery has a nice selection of his work, here. Munakata Shikō 志功棟方 (1903-1975) arguably one of the most famous modern printmakers, Shiko is famous for his prints of women, animals, the supernatural, and Buddhist deities. He made his prints with an esoteric fervour where his philosophies about mokuhanga were just as interesting as his print work. flâneur - is a French word, meaning idler, walker of streets, a way to see a city, to understand it. The freedom to walk a city is a type of freedom that allows someone to truly understand where they are.  While almost always written in French literature [(Charles Baudelaire (1821-1867)], for men there has been a question about why women haven't been associated with the word. Lauren Elkin, an American writer in Paris, tries to understand why women aren't associated with the term. The CBC podcast, IDEAS, interviewed her and it was a great way to understand what makes a flâneur, or flâneuse. You can find it, here.  Alex Kerr and Lost Japan  - Alex Kerr is an American Japanologist who lives and works in Japan. He has written many books on Japan, but is famous for Lost Japan, published in 1993. It describes the modernity of Japan, and what is destroyed when searching for that modernity.  Meiji-jingu (明治神宮) - is a large parkland area near the Harajuku neighbouhood of Tōkyō. It is dedicated to Emperor Meiji (Prince Mutsuhito - [1867-1912]). It is open 365 days of the year and is especially busy during the New Years celebrations.  Black Ships - are associated with the American naval commodore, Matthew C. Perry (1794-1858). The United States wanted to open trading with Japan, who had been in self-imposed isolation with the West since 1635. Matthew C. Perry essentially bullied his way into the conversation of trade with Japan and these "Black Ships" he arrived on, became a symbol of this moment.  Frank Lloyd Wright and the Imperial Hotel - (1867-1959) FLW was an American architect who designed many different buildings in Japan since his first visit in 1905. The Imperial Hotel was located in Tōkyō in the Hibiya district. It was moved to, and reconstructed in 1968 at the Meiji-mura Museum Village in Aichi Prefecture. It was built in the Mayan Revival style. I got a chance to visit it in Aichi and it's pretty spectacular, and smaller than I thought it would be. The Imperial Hotel still exists today.  Kozo paper - is a long fibered mulberry paper used for mokuhanga and cloth making. It is produced in Japan, Thailand, and South America.  Lampang, Thailand -  located in Northern Thailand and is a trading city with tourism, and farming. Yoshida Family of Artists - The Yoshida's are one of the most famous family of artists from Japan. Begun with painter Yoshida Kasaburō (1861-1894), made famous by Yoshida Hiroshi (1876-1950) and his work with woodblock printing. The Yoshida family has helped shape many artists around the world. More info from the Mount Holyoke College Art Museum, here. Yoshida Hiroshi (1876-1950) - a watercolorist, oil painter, and woodblock printmaker. Is associated with the resurgence of the woodblock print in Japan, and in the West. It was his early relationship with Watanabe Shōzaburō, having his first seven prints printed by the Shōzaburō atelier, that made Hiroshi believe that he could hire his own carvers and printers and produce woodblock prints, which he did in 1925.  Yoshida Tōshi (1911-1995) - eldest son of Hiroshi Yoshida. Having been affected by polio, and the pressure of continuing his fathers legacy, Tōshi Yoshida made prints and paintings which gradually became expressive, avant garde and abstract. Later in life he focused on birds and mammals. Yoshida Hodaka (1926-1995) - the second son of Hiroshi Yoshida, Hodaka Yoshida seemed to be a bit of the black sheep of the Yoshida family. His desire to become an artist was against his fathers wishes, and his work was an extreme departure from what his father had produced as well as his older brother. Inspired by western artists such as Henri Matisse (1869-1954), and Pablo Picasso (1881-1973), Hodaka began to move away from painting to woodblock prints in the 1950's. Hodaka travelled (the Yoshida family were constant travellers) and was constantly inspired by the world. This was reflected in his woodblock prints and woodblock/photo etching prints.  Yoshida Tsukasa (b.1949) - is the son of Tōshi Yoshida. He is a woodblock printmaker focusing on themes of nature and especially the moon. Bangkok Art Biennale - is an art biennale located in Bangkok, Thailand. It was founded in 2018, and was created for visitors to immerse themselves in Thai culture through various arts installations and shows. The 2022/23 biennale will be from October 22, 2022 - February 23, 2023. (IG) Province of Manitoba, Canada - joined Confederation in 1870, and is known for its natural beauty and vast landscapes. The capital is Winnipeg.  Province of Saskatchewan, Canada - joined Confederation in 1905, and is known for its vast fields and flat land. Its capital is Regina.  April Vollmer - is an established artist who works predominantly in mokuhanga. Her book Japanese Woodblock Print Workshop is one of the authoritative books on the subject and has influenced many up and coming mokuhanga artists.  Natasha Norman - is an artist based in Johannesburg, South Africa. Here mediums are mokuhanga, mokulito, monotype, and paintings. My interview with Natasha Norman can be found, here.  MDF - Medium-density fibreboard is a board made of discarded wood fibres and bonded together by wax and resin, which makes it bad for you if you carve it.  opening and closing credit music - Spadina Sounds as told by the walkway which had a moving sidewalk.  Here are some of the sources used for the above notes: LIPSHULTZ, SANDRA LAWALL. A Japanese Legacy Four Generations of Yoshida Family Artists. Laura W. Allen, Kendall H. Brown, Eugene M. Skibbe, Matthew Welch, Yasunaga Koichi. Held at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts from FEBR. 2 to April 14, 2002. Chicago, Ill: Art Media Resources, 2002. MARTIN, KATHERINE. Highlights of Japanese Printmaking: Part Two - Shin Hanga. Scholten Japanese Art, 2006. DE VRIES, MAUREEN, Chris Uhlenbeck, and Elise Wessels. Troubled Times and Beyond: Japanese Prints 1931-1960. Nihon no Hanga, 2013.  © Popular Wheat Productions logo designed and produced by Douglas Batchelor and André Zadorozny  Disclaimer: Please do not reproduce or use anything from this podcast without shooting me an email and getting my express written or verbal consent. I'm friendly :) Слава Україну If you find any issue with something in the show notes please let me know. ***The opinions expressed by guests in The Unfinished Print podcast are not necessarily those of André Zadorozny and of Popular Wheat Productions.***        

Fabiola Gil Alares is one of mokuhanga's most interesting artists. Her work, with bright flat, rich colours with a romantic appeal, tells a fantastic story, one which naturally draws you to her work. In this episode of The Unfinished Print, I speak with mokuhanga printmaker Fabiola Gil Alares about her prints, her artistic background, the amazing book project she's undertaken and what it feels like to be one of the hardest working mokuhagna artists, today.  Special thanks to my good friend Consuelo Orrego for help in translation.  Please follow The Unfinished Print and my own print work on Instagram @andrezadoroznyprints Twitter @unfinishedprint, or email me at theunfinishedprint@gmail.com Notes: may contain a hyperlink. Simply click on the highlighted word or phrase. Fabiola Gil Alares - website, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, Mokuhankan Laura Boswell - is a British printmaker who uses mokuhanga, and linocut and reduction printmaking, as her mediums of choice. She was interviewed by The Unfinished Print, which can be found, here. She is an important teacher and promoter of mokuhanga. More info can be found, here. MI Lab - Is an artist-in-residency located in Lake Kawaguchi, near Mt. Fuji. Once called Nagasawa Art Park, MI Lab has been an important centre of many talented and successful mokuhanga printmakers, working today. More info, here.  Mokuhankan and David Bull - is a brick and mortar woodblock print shop located in Asakusa, Tōkyō. It is a learning and working space, where it sells the works of artist Jed Henry, master carvers of the past, and various print series. All are printed and carved by Mokuhankan printmakers and carvers. Started by printmaker David Bull as a way to sell his own series and reprints of old carvers of the past, Mokuhankan has grown exponentially over the years and is a must visit when coming to Tōkyō. More info, here.  Shoicihi Kitamura - is a master carver of Japanese woodblock. He has taught at Nagasawa Art Park and has conducted many demonstrations on carving, and at various International Mokuhanga Conferences. More info, here.  Hidehiko Gotō - is a master baren maker and mokuhanga artist who has conducted many demonstrations on baren making throughout the world, and at the International Mokuhanga Conferences. Some of his mokuhanga can be found here. Gotō also contributed to Fabiola's book.  Terry McKenna - is a mokuhanga artist and instructor based in Karuizawa, Nagano, Japan. He is a student of Richard Steiner, an American woodblock printmaker based in Kyōtō, Japan. Terry runs and operates the Karuizawa Mokuhanga School, which is a school open to those who are interested in wanting to learn and study mokuhanga in a Japanese setting. Both Richard and Terry have been interviewed by The Unfinished Print, here, and here.  Educational Museum of Origami, Zaragoza - is a one of its kind museum focused on the Japanese paper art of origami, located in Zaragoza, Spain. More info, here.  Serigraphy - is another word for the art of silk screen printing. Silk screen printing can be in on various materials, silk, canvas, paper, etc.  Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) - is one of the most, if not the most, famous Japanese artist ever known. He designed woodblock prints, as well as creating his own paintings, screens, scrolls, and commissioned art in Buddhist temples throughout Japan. More info, here. The British Museum has a lot of info, here.  Miyakodori - is a publishing house of woodblock prints. Started by Takashi Kashiwagi, a woodblock carver himself, he releases and carves (through laser and hand carving) artists such as Tōkyō based graphic designer Shinji Tsuchimochi. More info, here. shop.  Saitō Kiyoshi (1907-1997) - was a Japanese woodblock printmaker and artist who worked in the sōsaku hanga style of mokuhanga. His fame outside of Japan was fairly comprehensive with his peak fame being in the 1950's and 1960's. For a comprehensive book on his life and times, Saitō Kiyoshi: Graphic Awakening published by The John & Mable Ringling Museum is an excellent source. Can be found, here. Lecture by Dr. Paget about Saitō can be found, here. Royal Talens Gouache - is a specific brand of gouache pigment. Gouache pigments are a mixture of pigment, water and binder and usually opaque and used in painting, and various types of printmaking. Royal Talens is a maker of different types of pigments, originally a Dutch company but is currently produced all over the world. More info, here.  Nakajima Tsuzen - is a mokuhanga printmaker who has been working in the medium for many years. His work highlights the woodblock technique of mokume, where the grain of the wood is used to highlight certain aspects of the print. Mr. Nakajima's website can be found, here. Instagram Different types of wood - mokuhanga printmakers can use many different types of wood for their work. Most of the time, shina veneer harvested sustainably, is used for modern woodblock prints. Japanese cherry wood was used a lot but because of it's expense today it is used rarely. Other woods used is basswood, elm, and even red oak. Mokuhanga books in English - As Fabiola mentions in the episode, there are various other books on mokuhanga and it process in the English language. Here is a list of books that I am aware of. It is also important for me to say, that through this list we can see how important Fabiola's book is for those who speak languages other than English and hopefully other mokuhanga practitioners will publish books in various languages around the world. This list is by no means exhaustive, so if you believe I've missed someone please message me. If the book is in print (or even out of print and there are PDF's) you will see the authors name hyper-linked so you can buy the books : April Vollmer - Japanese Woodblock Printshop: A Modern Guide to the Ancient Art of Mokuhanga. (2015) Watson-Guptill Publications Tuula Moilanen, Kari Laitinen, and Antti Tanttu - The Art and Craft of Woodblock Printmaking. (2013) Aalto Books Laura Boswell - Making Japanese Woodblock Prints. (2020) The Crowood Press. Hiroshi Yoshida - Japanese Woodblock Printing. (1939) Sanseido Company, Ltd. Walter J. Phillips -  The Technique of the Colour Woodcut. (1926) Brown-Robertson, New York. Rebecca Salter - Japanese Woodblock Printing. (2001) A&C Black. Toshi Yoshida & Rei Yuki - Japanese Print Making: A Handbook of Traditional and Modern Techniques. (1966) Tuttle Publishing. Marilyn Chesterton and Rod Nelson - Making Woodblock Prints. (2015) Crowood Press  Terry McKenna - Terry has written two excellent woodblock primers for the beginner and the intermediate practitioner. The first is Mokuhanga Fundamentals: Core Skills... & the second book is, Creative Print. Both can be purchased directly from here, and other fine establishments in e-book or physical form. Self Published.  Naoko Matsubara -  is a Japanese-Canadian mokuhanga printmaker who has been a printmaker for over 60 years. She has worked with artists such as Munakata Shikō (1903-1975) and has published many books, and has traveled the world for her work. More info, here. Her website can be found, here.  opening and closing credit music - TELEVISION -  Marquee Moon (1977) Elektra/Asylum  © Popular Wheat Productions logo designed and produced by Douglas Batchelor and André Zadorozny  Disclaimer: Please do not reproduce or use anything from this podcast without shooting me an email and getting my express written or verbal consent. I'm friendly :) Слава Україну If you find any issue with something in the show notes please let me know. ***The opinions expressed by guests in The Unfinished Print podcast are not necessarily those of André Zadorozny and of Popular Wheat Productions.***  

Lou brings on Jed Henry (200k Instagram followers) and GWarsh from the NekoCore team to talk about their new project that is implementing a gamified NFT tournament. The monthly tournament will match your NFTs against all the others in the collection until one winner is crowned for prizes. NekoCore: https://twitter.com/NekoCoreNFT  Jed Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejedhenry GWarsh: https://twitter.com/GWarshNFT Lou: https://twitter.com/loudogsherman  

Laura Boswell is one the most productive mokuhanga and linocut printmakers working today. Not only does she print, she co-produces a popular art podcast called Ask An Artist, and with her husbands help The Talented Mr. B, she also produces instructional videos on YouTube on mokuhanga and lino cut. Her output these days is inspiring and exceptional. In this episode of The Unfinished Print I speak with Laura about her creativity, her history with mokuhanga, her podcast and her ideas, her book and on mokuhanga itself.  Please follow The Unfinished Print and my print work on Instagram @popular_wheatprints, Twitter @unfinishedprint, or email me at theunfinishedprint@gmail.com Notes: notes may contain a hyperlink. Simply click on the highlighted word or phrase. Laura Boswell - website  Ask An Artist Podcast - website  Nagasawa Art Park - is a program which stopped in 2011 and has since moved to MI-Lab (Mokuhanga Inovation Laboratory) at Lake Kawaguchi. It is a program dedicated to the art of mokuhanga and hosts artist in residence programs. Wood-like Matsumura - an incredibly important online and brick and mortar store located in Nerima City, Tokyo. diptych - is a two panel print sometimes pasted together making one single image seen in a lot of ukiyo-e and mokuhanga. Awagami Paper Factory - located in Yoshinogawa Village on Shikoku Island in Japan, is a paper making company which produces Japanese paper called washi. You can purchase their papers online here. Near Applecross - a series of prints by Laura made in different colours and a couple of designs can be found on her archive here. Awaji Island - is an island linking the mainland of Hōnshu to the island of Shikoku by the Kobe-Awaji-Naruto Expressway (神戸淡路鳴門自動車道) Awaji Island has a rich history and culture and can be researched here. Buckinghamshire, England -  is a country in the South-East of England near Oxford. It has a lovely natural beauty and a long history. Find more information here.  Peter Keegan - co-host and co-producer of the Ask An Artist podcast with Laura and is an established painter in his own right. You can find more information about Peter's work here. Making Japanese Woodblock Prints - Laura Boswell's book on how to make Japanese woodblock prints, or mokuhanga. It is rich in information and a great book for beginners and seasoned mokuhanga printmakers alike. Purchase the book here. Michael Harding - makes oil paints. More information can be found here. Artist Support Pledge - information can be found here. mica - is a mineral, when ground, is used in mokuhanga. It was famously used in several ōkubi-e (large head prints)by the artist Sharaku (active 1794-1795). It is held onto the paper via a paste, or gum-arabic. David Bull writes about how to use mica on woodblock.com.  bokashi - a technique used in mokuhanga which fades colour, usually in landscape prints especially in the sky. Made famous by the landscape prints of Hiroshige. Printmaker John Amoss writes a fine description of bokashi on his blog. Will Francis - a mokuhanga carver and printer based in England. He collaborates with artist Jed Henry who also works with David Bull of Mokuhankan. His website can be found here, his patreon can be found here. Holbein - a company which makes many colours for artists. opening and closing credit background music: The Black Eyed Peas, Karma, from their first record, Behind The Front. (1998) © Popular Wheat Productions Disclaimer: Please do not reproduce or use anything from this podcast without shooting me an email and getting my express written or verbal consent. I'm friendly :) The opinions expressed in The Unfinished Print podcast are not necessarily those of Andre Zadorozny and of Popular Wheat Productions.   

Printmaker, teacher, artist, John Amoss has created, in my humble opinion, one of the most important modern mokuhanga landscape series in The Appalachian Trail. In my interview with John Amoss we speak on his philosophies behind mokuhanga, the journey's throughout his life that helped him reach the creation and completion of The Appalachian Trail, the works of Hiroshi Yoshida and Kawase Hasui, as well as his own printmaking process.  follow The Unfinished Print and my work on Instagram @popular_wheatprints, Twitter @unfinishedprint, or email me at theunfinishedprint@gmail.com Show Notes: all links are hyperlinked. Just click! John Amoss (Tanuki Prints) - website where John blogs, and discusses his Appalachian Trail series. You are able to purchase the series or the first and second prints of the series as well.   Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858) - 100 Views of Famous Places in Edo Paul Binnie - Flowers Of A Hundred Years The prints made from this series can be found in the above link via Scholten NYC Annie Bissett - We Are Pilgrims  Matsubara Naoko - naokomatsubara.com contains some of the prints from her In Praise Of Hands series. It is also a book being released by Yoshiki Waterhouse in 2021. Hiroshi Yoshida (1876-1950) - The Complete Woodblock Prints is a fantastic book which comes in several editions.  David Bull's Baren Forum was an early incarnation of Mokuhankan and his Twitch streams. This was where artists from around the world would come and ask questions and get advice regarding mokuhanga. It helped many early printmakers get going. gomazuri -  is a technique in printmaking which gives the print a sesame seed pattern on the paper. Yoshida discusses this here  Hasui Kawase (1883-1957) - one of the most important print designers of the shin-hanga movement. His prints tap into the idealized visuals of Japan through the weather such as snow, rain, and autumn leaves. His landscape prints are incredibly powerful and moving.  Shōzaburō Watanabe (1885-1962) - began the shin hanga movement in Japan in 1915 by hiring printers, carvers, and designers in the style of ukiyo-e. Artists such as Hasui, Yoshida, and Itō Shinsui (1898-1972) started their careers with Watanabe. Calendaring/beta ban block - John discusses calendaring the paper which is running the paper through a press to flatten the paper more to get better flat colour. Beta ban is a term regarding a flat area of the wood block “containing an area of wide, featureless colour.” surimono - a term regarding privately commissioned prints allowing for a more free artistic expression. Ukiyo-e Heroes -  a print series begun by David Bull and Jed Henry with a focus on video game culture and characters from that universe. The Appalachian Trail - a trail which travels through the American states of Maine to Georgia (14 states). It is 2193miles (3529km) which is walked. Suffice it to say it looks spectacular and John's prints reflect that. Daoism (Taoism) - a philosophy and religion which discusses and teaches the release of desire. The Japanese Alps -  a mountain range which runs form several prefectures in Japan; Niigata, Toyama, Yamanashi, Nagano, Gifu and Shizuoka, on the island of Honshu.  100 Poems from 100 Poet's Series by David Bull Pacific Crest Trail - a trail which runs 2,653 mi (4,270 km) from the states of California, Oregon, Washington and terminates at the Canadian province of British Columbia. Graham Scholes - Canadian printmaker. The boot camp does not seem to be running any longer. dispersion pigments - concentrated pigments which use water. Guerra paints make these pigments. Kremer pigments sell powdered pigments. Cal Carlisle - an American printmaker (@heritageprintmakers) based in Cleveland, Ohio who has sold his own prints as well as worked for Jed Henry. He was also my first interview on The Unfinished Print. Kitaro Echizen Washi opening credit background music: Mercy, Mercy, Mercy by Cannonball Adderley (1997) © Popular Wheat Productions Disclaimer: Please do not reproduce or use anything from this podcast without shooting me an email and getting my express written or verbal consent. I'm friendly :)        

In this first part of my multi-part episode with printmaker Will Francis we begin with a short introduction with Will about who he is, what he does, and his partnership with Jed Henry.  follow me on Instagram @popular_wheatprints, Twitter @unfinishedprint, or email me at theunfinishedprint@gmail.com Show Notes: all links are hyperlinked. Just click! Will Francis: Patreon and website  David Bull Jed Henry   Hokusai (1760-1849)- this hyper link will send you to the .org website of Hokusai's complete works.  James A Michener (1907-1997) - a Pulitzer Prize winning writer, scholar and academic who wrote on Japanese prints, amongst many more topics, and worked with art historian Oliver Statler (1915-2002) bokashi - a style of gradation on woodblock prints using water and pigment. This technique gradually fades the pigments into emptiness.  Sigourney Weaver (b. 1949) and her character from the Alien franchise were made into a print called Unseen Fear, carved & printed by Will Francis and designed by Jed Henry.  practice blocks - I bring up the term “practice blocks” during my interview with Will because historically to practice one's carving you would paste hanashita of specific lines and circles. These would be carved over and over again to practice your carving technique. It is still used today, albeit rarely, by artists such as Adrian Holmes, and Taran Eden Casey who have and currently post about it on their social media.  Echizen washi is a paper made in a specific part of Japan, in this case in Fukui prefecture. Please visit www.echizenwashi.jp/english for an amazing website dedicated to the making and history of this paper, as well as its geography, and social history.  opening credit background music: Born Under A Bad Sign by Albert King (1967) © Popular Wheat Productions Disclaimer: Please do not reproduce or use anything from this podcast without shooting me an email and getting my express written or verbal consent. I'm friendly :)

If you are a teacher one of the things you hope for is that one day you will teach someone who will then go on to greater things. Laura gave Will Francis his first lessons in Japanese woodblock printing after he had been trying to teach himself - and finding it hard. Will is now a professional carver and printer of Japanese woodblock prints: working in collaboration with illustrator Jed Henry they produce prints of contemporary culture, but using historic techniques. Will talks about his journey, his passion for the process and about how the current health crisis has affected his business.

Today we are going to answer these questions: What are the tools, the programs, and the apps that we use to create the art that we do? What is not essential, what is nice to have, and what is essential? Traditional Tools: Jake: The last book he did was ALL digital. However, that is not the norm, usually he uses traditional at some point in the process. The sketchbook is where a lot of the traditional work happens for him but, a lot of times in the process he will go back and forth from digital to traditional at some point. Jake’s Traditional Toolset: Sketchbook, pencil, and a pen. The reason these tools are so important is that they don’t have to be charged or plugged in. You can carry them wherever you go. You can use them to jot down ideas, to work on a character design or a composition that you are trying to figure out. A sketchbook is absolutely essential. If you don’t have one, this is something you should reconsider. Jake used to work on loose sheets of paper, and that’s fine and all, however, sometimes he would lose an illustration or a drawing, or it was always hard to organize them by date. But now all of his sketchbooks are dated and kept in a drawer and are organized in order. Keeping a sketchbook makes it easy to organize your drawings. The Moleskines Cahier Sketchbook What type of sketchbook should you use? It all comes down to what type of paper you like to use. Jake has used a lot of different sketchbooks but his favorite is the Moleskine Cahier extra large plain journal, they are flimsy, and the paper is just good enough to keep his pencil, ink, and marker markings in place, they don’t smudge too much. It’s nice because with this particular sketchbook it doesn’t feel too precious, it feels like a good workbook where it doesn’t feel like every drawing has to be pretty but you can do nicer drawings in there if you want to. PrismaColor Col-Erase Pencils For a sketching pencil Jake wants something that works well with ink and doesn’t smudge with his hand, and the Prismacolor Col-Erase pencils are perfect. He takes an exacto knife with him in his tool bag for sharpening them, or a pencil sharpener in the studio. He likes the orange or vermillions, or the reds, they are nice because the ink stands out in contrast to the pencil while you can highlight things with the red or you can draw lightly and the ink will really stand out. Pens: Some sort of technical pen is essential. They are great for taking notes, a 0.3-0.8, maybe a 0.5 is good for jotting things down or doing quick loose sketches. Copic Multiliner 0.5 Pen. Brush pens are great for going from thin to thick in one stroke, they are a tool that you can use to bust out a really nice drawing or illustration very fast. Jake’s favorite right now is the Copic Gasenfude. Will’s Traditional Toolset: nothing is essential. Only the traditional aesthetic is. Lee’s Traditional Toolset: Sketchbook/portable workbook. Mechanical pencil. There is nothing worse than trying to draw with a dull pencil. It’s a visceral experience, almost like scraping nails on a chalkboard. Loves drawing on cold pressed watercolor paper. If you don’t sharpen your pencil it hurts your nice line quality. The mechanical pencil gets rid of that. Lee likes to use the .05 basic size. Moleskine Cover Sketch Album, Plain It’s a new experience when you have a horizontal sketchbook rather than a more narrow workspace. The wide one is awesome too. There is another sketchbook that Lee likes. Nice to Have: Lee likes to make a sketchbook with the paper he will use in the studio. Then when you work on your final piece it is just a one to one translation and you know already how i the paper feels because you’re using the same paper. In watercolor the paper is everything, you can use cheap brushes or paint but the paper dictates everything. M Graham Watercolor Paints Great for use in the sketchbook and in the studio. The reason is because it is really easy to reuse the paint, if he just sprays some water on it with a spritzer it comes back like he just poured it out. This is great for when you are traveling. Winsor and Newton are great but they don’t rewet very well. This is the brand typically everyone buys when getting started and then when they try and make a portable sketchbook it doesn’t really work because the paint doesn’t rewet or come back Watercolor Pencils Watercolor pencils are great, and Lee uses them a lot mixed with the watercolor. The difference between that and a regular pencil is that once the surface is wet a lot of color is released, you can even draw on wet paper. He’ll paint and draw right into the wet and it’s great. Lee’s Favorite Prismacolor Col-Erase pencils: Tuskan Red or Indigo. Feels that other colors are too saturated. Beat up Dip Pen Reason for beat up is there is some oil on the nib from the factory., wash them with vinegar and water, or dish soap. Don’t use a lighter, it will ruin your pen. Dip pens are like guitars, there is something special about them when they are older. Chip Brush The worst, low quality bristle brush from Michaels, or at Home Depot. Lee buys them for 59 cents, 79 cents, then he runs them over with his car or scrapes them on the sidewalk, you can get strokes with them that you can’t get any other way. They can make beautiful strokes like Chinese calligraphy or smooth washes. You don’t need a $100, $200 brush, people buy these expensive brushes for watercolor but they are unnecessary. Lee uses the same things for studio painting but then has a couple more essential things: The Incredible Art Board. That plasticy board that you can staple into. Lee has no patience for prep work, he wants to be painting, not sanding something. With watercolor, you have to tape it down to the board and wet it. He just puts the paper down on the board and then just staples it, the board can take staples over and over again. He has had the same board for 7 years. He’ll put the drawing down, wet it, and then staple it, and then just start painting it right there. From the time he had the idea to the time he can be painting is only 5 minutes, so very fast. Liquitex White Acrylic Ink In combination with the dip pen. It’s great because it’s fully opaque and it’s great to get that full opaque white. If you’re a purist you’re probably cringing but Lee’s not a purist and mixes everything in there. You can get things back to white and you can paint watercolors on top of it because it’s an acrylic base. Gouache Paints: Lee doesn’t love gouache, but uses it to add little opaque details back on top of the watercolor. Gesso, also uses this to paint on top of the painting to get it back to white and then paints on top of it. Paper Canson Montval: Cheap student grade paper, has a medium to a lot of sizing which means the water color doesn’t go into the paper too much, so you can do some cool effects with it. But it can be hard to work with, it depends on your style. Yeah, and that’s it! Haha, it sounds like a lot, but it is really only 10-11 things. Lee uses all of these in his studio and he has a more condensed list for travel. He can create almost any painting using these materials. A Word About Quality Will doesn’t work traditionally right now. But when he was teaching at the university, he had students who were using materials that could barely be called a brush or paper. There are times where you can cut corners and there are times that you can’t. With oil and acrylics paint there is Winsor and Newton: The Galleria Brand which like a lot of other paints is “student grade.” It’s watered down and doesn’t have as much pigment in it, so if you want to create thick impasto textures you just can’t do it. The same goes with brushes, if you want to make a graceful line, some brushes just can’t do it because they just are not the right brush. Higher end synthetic brushes are what Will would use a lot. In terms of paper there were students who would use low weight paper instead of heavy weight paper because it was cheaper. If the cheaper paper gives you the results you are looking for that is great. But if spending a little bit more on the nicer paper would make a difference in the quality of your work, in those cases it’s worth it to do that. Sometimes students would tell Will, “I just can’t do what you are doing.” Will would reply, “I couldn’t do it either if I was using your equipment, so you have to forego a latte or something..” A really good teacher can help you know what supplies you actually need. With traditional mediums you are dealing with physical properties. Going into an art store can be overwhelming because there are so many options. A good teacher can simplify that and help you know what you should get. For example quinacridone magenta and alizarin crimson look the same. When you mix them with white or any other color they don’t mix the same. The quinacridone becomes really vibrant, and the alizarin, on the other hand, becomes quite dull. Jake had a friend at Blue Sky who said that as an artist you have to budget as if you are poor, except with art supplies you need to switch mindsets and act like you’re a millionaire to get good tools. Maybe you need to make sacrifices to get the tools that you need. Traditional Non-Essentials: Millions of paints: all designed to separate you from your money. You only need a few and you can mix them to get the colors you need. Here are some of our color pallets that we use: Will’s Color Pallette List: It’s on the intro page for his Smooth Blends with Acrylics- Dry Brush Technique Class. Lee’s mom was taking a watercolor class and he was 3,000 miles away and couldn’t help, but she came home after the first day with a list of 21 different paints the teacher wanted her to get. Lee doesn’t know what he would do with 21 paints, let alone a beginner. With just a dash of a color you can make almost any of those colors. Using a small number of paints is great because when you make a body of work, and you used the same 5-7 pigments for all of them it will give all of your work a harmony because they are all made of the same pigments. Electronic drawing desk: a sweet addition to Lee’s studio. Can raise or lower it to meet his needs. If he is using a big canvas he can lower it to be at hand level instead of having to flip it upside down like he used to. He got his for $350-$375 on Craig’s list, but it’s a couple thousand dollar table at retail. Pencil Sharpener: Jake uses the Panasonic Autostop KP77N. It looks like it’s from an 80’s office, because it was. It sharpens pencils at such an angle that it is sharper than anything more modern. The engine is industrial strength. Full Set of Copic Markers. Anything from 50-150, usually there are colors you can’t get with watercolors, really nice bright sharp colors, you can lay them in quick and you don’t have to let them dry. Compact Watercolor Set with a Watercolor Pen. When traveling and want to get a full range of color. It’s the equivalent of 50 markers in the size of a large wallet. It has these watercolor biscuits. The pen has water in the handle so you can flush color out when you want a new one and you can mix colors in the tray. Pair this with a brush pen or pen that is waterproof. 6 pack carrier of your favorite soft drink, use that to carry around your markers, has a handle and everything! Digital Tools What’s the most essential tool? A Computer, with a cintiq monitor hooked up to it, iPad Pro, Apple Pencil, Photoshop, and Procreate. Will loves the iPad Pro. It changed everything. You can work anywhere on this thing. But he feels that it works as well for taking things all the way to finish like a Cintiq can. He likes the Wacom Cintiq, but doesn’t like drawing on a tablet where your image and where you are drawing are different places. The hand eye coordination is tricky. However there are some artists, like Jed Henry and Jim Madsen who prefer the tablets. But if he had to pick one between the Cintiq or the iPad, he would choose the Cintiq and Photoshop. There are other ones but that’s what Will likes to use. With the Cintiq you are tethered to the office. The reason Will loves the iPad is because you can be at home and Procreate has new tools like Liquify. However, If you are a student don’t go to digital right away. If you are a beginner, or an up and coming artist. Then start with traditional and learn from your mistakes more. Digital, with all of the editing tools, can make it hard to develop your process. Unless you go into it purposefully choose to limit your tools.The problem that most students have is that when they start a drawing or painting digitally they might come out with something that they like but they can’t reproduce because the amount of tools and steps that went into it was so vast. Then when they try and do anything traditionally they flounder. Procreate is great and made for the iPad. Will does all of his initial thumbnails, sketches, and finished sketches in Procreate. He starts the process for getting them ready to paint. If he is going to do his color style then he will export it and paint it with Photoshop and the Cintiq. If he does his pencil crosshatch style then he will export it and do some quick color in Photoshop. Will has the luxury of having both. Lee uses the same things as will, but uses Astopad which turns his iPad into another monitor when hooked to his computer, and he can use photoshop on his iPad. Jake finally got an iPad as his end of the year gift to himself. Now he has done more drawing at home than he has in a couple years, it’s so nice to be able to sit on the couch and do a nice finished piece. Was up until midnight drawing without even knowing it. Can’t recommend this new version of the iPad enough. Essentials for Jake: Photoshop on some sort of computer. He prefers Mac’s. He spent a lot of time for a couple of years on the phone trying to fix his old Windows computer. Now with his Mac he hasn’t had to worry about that. A Cintiq paired with a computer is so essential. There is this designer that Jake follows, and he had to save up enough money to get a computer. And so he went up to Alaska and worked at a resort scrubbing dishes and saved all he could to get the computer setup that he needed and that is what got him started. Nice to Have: the iPad. Essential: Epson Scanner. If you want to work traditionally and bring things into Photoshop. Nice to Have: Good studio printer. The printer is something both Lee and Jake use quite a bit for professional work, making prints, and Lee uses it for taking sketches from his sketchbook and then he lowers the opacity and then blows it up and prints it on watercolor paper. It is so important to take the magic of the sketch into the final. You can buy things used! People usually take good care of these things. Lee’s laptop was used, Will’s Wacom was used and he’s had it for 9 years with no problems. Wacom is having this problem where they made their products so good that they aren’t breaking fast enough. Jake: iPad pro or Cintiq computer combo? The latter, the Cintiq computer combo. That’s where all of his professional work happens. It needs to be able to save and store all of those files. An iPad is designed to last 3-4 years and the computer Cintiq combo should last a long time. The Cintiq, Photoshop, computer combo is the standard. This is the grouping that will serve the most people the best. Will did a review on a cheaper non Wacom drawing pad and it felt like a first car vs a sports car when compared to the quality of a Cintiq. With all of that said, you should be able to draw and create with anything. For a costume design class Lee brought in his son’s 64 pack of Crayola’s and did demos using those. You don’t want to be tied down to your magic pen. These essential things are nice to have but the important part is the art. We use all of this technology but it is all about the image and the art. It’s what’s in your head. It’s not the tools but then again it is the tools. There are nuances that you can only achieve with certain tools. LINKS Svslearn.com Jake Parker: mrjakeparker.com Instagram: @jakeparker, Youtube: JakeParker44 Will Terry: willterry.com. Instagram: @willterryart, Youtube: WillTerryArt Lee White: leewhiteillustration.comInstagram: @leewhiteillo Alex Sugg: alexsugg.com Tanner Garlick: tannergarlickart.com. Instagram: @tannergarlick If you like this episode, please share it, subscribe, and we’d love it if you left a review! These p odcasts live and die on reviews. If you want to join in on this discussion log onto forum.svslearn.com, there is a forum for this episode you can comment on.

Comic Cons & Art Fairs Comic conventions and art fairs take place all over the globe, with almost every major city in the United States hosting one. With the large audiences that attend these shows it is a good place for illustrators to show their work and start selling. In this episode we will cover what the world of comic conventions and art fairs is like, ways to get into shows, and the differences between them. This is one of the easiest ways (depending on some conditions) to make money as an artist. Lee White has experience showing at art fairs, whereas Jake Parker and Will Terry have experience with the comic convention circuit. Money range [5:32] The amount of money an artist can make at a show depends on a lot of variables such as location of the show and the types of products being sold. At Lee White’s best art fair show he made $24,000 USD over a three day art fair. On the comic convention side, at Jake Parker’s first convention he made enough to cover the cost of the show and for travel. At Jake’s best comic convention he broke $9,000 USD gross. His average is $5,000-$6,000 USD gross. At Will Terry’s best convention he made $19,000 USD gross. His average is between $7,000-$9,000 USD gross. How Lee, Will and Jake started showing [8:38] Lee got his start showing at art fairs with Crafty Wonderland. He was invited to show when a table opened up. Following that experience he started actively looking for art fairs to attend. In his mid 20’s Jake was in the comic anthology, Flight. The editor of the book purchased a table at San Diego Comic Con, and invited the other artists to use the extra space. Jake went to sell prints and books. After getting a taste of what it was like to table at a show, he decided to do his own show. His first show outside of San Diego was CTNX. Following that success he knew it was possible to be successful at other shows. Will Terry’s first comic convention was a disaster even though he spent two years researching how to sell. Through that experience he learned how to be successful. He now has an assistant that takes Will’s art around the comic convention circuit. Will only personally attends 3-4 of the shows. Will has a series of YouTube videos where he goes into detail about his first experience tabling at a comic convention. Will Terry’s comic convention video series: Lee White: “It’s worth it as an experience. You cannot anticipate how much energy these things take. They are really hard.” Having extra people to help you is really helpful because there are so many factors involved. Doing this full time as your only source of income can be really consuming. For Lee, Will and Jake they use art shows as supplemental income sources. Artists who do this full time can go to 30-40 shows a year. Differences between art fairs and comic conventions [21:05] Art fairs are typically during the summer. Usually outside in parks, but sometimes in convention centers. Artists purchase 10 foot by 10 foot booths. The average attendee at an art fair is older (50 years-old to 70 years old). There are not a lot of collectors, it is mostly people looking for artwork to put on their walls. They want to purchase originals. Prices for pieces at art fairs range from $50 USD to $20,000 USD (higher end of that scale are people buying originals). Lee White: “The more specific the story in my image the less likely it is to sell. The bigger the character in an image, the less likely it is to sell.“ Lee focuses more on environment elements and doesn’t get too specific with storytelling. In order to be successful at art fairs you have to strike a nice balance between illustration and fine art, and create images people want to hang in their homes. Lee’s Secret Sauce for Art Fairs: “[Illustrate] a moment that people can interpret what’s happening versus showing them what’s happening.” Create images that two separate people can view and come up with different stories. Just give the audience a hint of the story. James Jean is a good example of this principle. His work transcends illustration and taps into the art fair market. Website James Jean Instagram Comic conventions [30:40] Comic conventions are focused on popular culture. There is an artist ally section where artists can buy tables to show and sell their work. Attendees typically have $100 and spend that across maybe 5 different artists. What sells the best at comic conventions are things people already know such as characters from popular films, tv shows or cartoons. Comic conventions products typically sells from $4 to $70. There is also a commission market, where attendees will pay artists to draw their character or some other character doing something specific. Some artists open their commission list before the show, whereas others only do commissions during the show. Jake does commissions at show and works on them during down times or at the hotel. He can make an extra $2,000 to $3,000 USD depending on what he is charging. Commission from artists at comic conventions can range from $20 USD all the way to $600 USD. Jake uses fan art he sells at comic conventions to get people to come look at his table where he also has pieces from his original stories. He uses this as a way to expand the audience for his original content. How to start [47:23] When trying to get into art fairs or comic conventions it is really important to understand the market. Lee tried to sell at CTNX with Jake and Will and his art did not fit that market. Step 1: Go visit the shows not as a fan but as research. Take notes, take photos, be detailed and focused. Step 2: Make inventory. You can’t do a show if you don’t have things to sell. Start with prints, prints are cheaper and easier to sell. Make sure to use archival ink and paper so your work doesn’t fade. Jake Parker says “every sell is a person you touch.” When you sell a print you are building a relationships with that person. There is a lot of repeat customers, so if you use cheap stuff you lose that future business. Prints generally have low overhead cost with a high markup price. T-shirts per-unit cost are higher and they can be hard to sell and keep the proper sizes in inventory. Stickers are also harder (higher per-unit cost and lower markup price). People often just want the image so they will buy the smallest size just to get it. Don’t lose sales by selling products with higher per-unit cost. Jed Henry is a good example of this, at shows he only sells one size. Ukiyo Heroes Start small and work your way up. Both with what show you start with and with your inventory (not small products but a smaller product list/inventory). Check to see if there is a show within an hour of your home. This is a good way to start small because you have lower overhead costs. Lee white: “Stay local until you get your market figured out and then start branching out.” It is important to know there are different niche markets in each show. So know your work and who it appeals to. Comic conventions are generally easier to show at then art fairs. Art fairs are curated so. For example, Lee only gets into about half of the art fairs he applies for. List of every convention in the USA Specifics on how to get into art fairs [01:06:29] For art fairs start with craft fairs, they are easier to get into. These shows are usually in the winter and indoors. Art Fair Sourcebook. Has art fairs sorted by region, how many people attend and how much they spend on average. This source is expensive, but it is good data to have when catering to an audience with a larger budget. Zapplication is another good resource. Horror and success stories [01:07:55] Will Terry: For his first show he printed 1000 of each print, 23 different pints, so 23,000 prints total. He couldn’t even fit all his inventory in his car. Printing alone cost him $5,000 USD. He figured he would be showing at a lot of conventions so he was offsetting the cost. At his first show he only made $1,500 USD. After that he was pretty nervous. But luckily he was able to make it up over time, but it was scary after that first show. Lee White: At his first show he sold an original, but didn’t bring any bags. So had to give the customer his original art in a trash bag. At a different show, Lee was busy setting up his booth, running to and from his car. When he was almost finished he realized the fanny pack he kept all his money in ($3,000 from his last art fair) had been open the whole time. Almost all his money flew into the wind before the art fair even started. Jake Parker: At a show in 2018, one of his tables was set up against and facing the wall. So he moved the table. Luckily no one told him to move it back even though it was obviously extending further out than anyone else’s. Also at that convention he had made a display structure out of foam core to hang prints. It kept falling over and he had to keep taping it. Overall it was just bad presentation. Convention etiquette You have to learn convention etiquette. Watch out for ‘booth barnacles,’ they are attendees who stay for way too long and get in the way of making other sells. Jake has a polite way to remove booth barnacles. He waits for an opening in the conversation and sticks out his hand and says “It was so nice to meet you thanks for coming.” After that they usually leave. Also don’t just bring your portfolio to show and expect artists to review it. Always ask if there is a time to show them, don’t just assume. A good way to get a very quick and honest critique is to ask “what is the one main thing I should change in my portfolio?” For more information on critques listen to [Episode 10: Critiques] (https://www.svslearn.com/3pointperspectiveblog/2018/8/8/episode-10-critiques) Gear Information forthcoming. LINKS Svslearn.com Jake Parker: mrjakeparker.com. Instagram: @jakeparker, Youtube: JakeParker44 Will Terry: willterry.com. Instagram: @willterryart, Youtube: WillTerryArt Lee White: leewhiteillustration.comInstagram: @leewhiteillo If you like this episode, please share it, subscribe, and we’d love it if you left a review! These podcasts live and die on reviews. If you want to join in on this discussion log onto forum.svslearn.com, there is a forum for this episode you can comment on.

Today we tackle the subject of fan art. We discuss what it is, what it isn't, whether or not you should do it, and the legality of it. We definitely are of three minds on this one so get ready for some arguing! Legal statement: Will, Jake, and Lee are not lawyers and this is not legal advice. However, they have experience, thoughts and options on the topic of fan art. If you are looking for real legal counsel, speak to a lawyer that specializes with Intellectual Property (IP). What is fan art? [3:00] Jake’s definition: Any drawing or illustration by a fan of a character or IP that is owned by another company or person. What if someone did fan art and it become successful and gets traction on a social media platform i.e. Reddit? Give credit where credit towards that artist or to whoever owns the IP. In reality the fan art topic is more directed towards taking IPs that have great popularity already. There are these massive IPs like Marvel, DC Comics, Doctor Who, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, etc. There are lots of people at conventions and online who are selling prints and merchandise using these IPs. So the question is, “should you do fan art of these IPs?” and “should you sell it?” Fan art comes in 4 Categories: [10:50] Derivative Work: something that you draw which is pretty much based on the character, your version of the character. The character in your style. Parody: focused on the humor aspect, doing something funny with the character, needs Plagiarism: creating a copy, or using actual artwork and reprinting it (reprint on paper or a t-shirt) Transformative Work: take something that was created and transforming it into something new. i.e. A book review, a drawing of something that hasn't been visualized What is the actual legality of it? Where is the line? [13:28] Hard Line: if you don’t own the character, you need to be careful with the IP. It is illegal. Grey Line: If the company or person who owns the character will care, prosecute, or send a cease and desist. Jake’s thoughts [14:00] If you have a piece of original art, that you created, on a physical piece of paper, you can sell it. That piece is a one-off the original. However, prints and t-shirts become more grey area. You have created a derivative that the company hasn’t created. Ultimately, using another IP but if it became a parody in some way than it is in a “safer” zone i.e. SNL, parody, t-shirt or print. If it has a strong point of view or a strong stylistic design, that couldn’t be mistaken for a licensed work then it’s a better situation to be in BUT best practice is to contact the copyright owner and ask for permission or to buy a license for the IP you want to use. Sometimes larger companies are hard to get ahold of and request legal use of the IP. It is not in the companies economic interest to pursue legal action such as Jake Parker’s Iron Giant prints. Jake Parker Iron Giant Print It is hard to say what is going to happen if you do fan art. There are instances that artist received cease and desist and there are also instances where the owner of the IP likes the fan art and wants to purchase the IP for it. Lee’s thoughts: [18:03] It is very clear who owns the IP of certain art. The grey line starts to work against you once dollars start to get involved- if you start to actually make money off of the art that could go against you. If you just gave away your art it wouldn't be an issue. Lee clarifies Transformative art- There was a case where a photograph was used to created a sculpture (that was very close) and this case was not deemed illegal for the photography. Fan art opens up problems and developing the mindset “I can grab what I want to”. Limits the artist and builds false notoriety and is illegal. The question is whether you will be prosecuted or not. And ultimately, if it’s not a parody it is illegal. Another point to look at is: how much of the project or work is under a copyright? If you take out the copyright work, how much of your project is left over? Does the art still stand if the copied images are taken out. Example: Jake's sketchbooks. Jake Parker’s art books WIll’s thoughts: [22:58] There are forms of fan art that art legal and it depends on the degree in which you recreate the IP. Some fan art is definitely not original and  pure plagiarism but there are IPs that have been exaggerated and are protected under law. Dominic Glover (started illegitimate and became legitimate) Totally Legal Fanart video Campbell v. Acuff-Rose Music, Inc.- Parody in a court of law recreating “Pretty woman walking down the street”. Campbell won because they were appealing to different audiences. Wills 5 degrees of fanart [32:00] (From bad to good) A pure copy Copy reference but they change the style i.e. watercolor- Rendering has changed Come up with New original pose, and in your own Your own pose, style, and add a concept or something completely different i.e. Will creates known characters into children Completely original pose, style, environment, and genre. Every single thing has changed. Why not create you own thing? [36:00] Will- It’s rewarding aspect to recreated two ideas but there are pitfalls if not careful. Sometimes artist become reliant on fan art. Do it for the right reasons. You can ask- Do i do it for the love or doing it for financial gain? Jed Henry is an example of creating “level 5” fanart. It is original and merges the IP and Henry’s style and vision. Jed Henry’s Ukiyo-e Heroes Could someone young make fanart and avoid these pitfalls? [45:30] Often times fan art is done for economical reasons and to gain tractions. However, young artists need to be mindful. Don’t lean on fanart. Doing fanart allows for great exposure but shouldn’t be that bulk of your work. Fanart can also be an interesting exercise as an artist to grow and learn. Consider WIll’s 5 step evaluations. How much did you change it? Are you selling it? How close to the line are you? The closer you get to the line, the more you are going across the ethical and legal boundary. Do the fanart to learn, get exposure and sometimes to get work but don’t let it be you main thing. Maybe for every fanart piece you do, do 5 original personal pieces. Don’t sell you soul to fan art. Jake found another artist’s list that puts your fanart at risk [51:00] Kirawara Fan Art Risk List: Used original logo Makes it tasteless, sexual, or slanderous Little or no difference Does not have a parody or influence of parody If you sell a high number of prints or commission If it caters to the same market as the copyright owner i.e. Marvel prints don’t exist As an official (career) Marvel artist, you can sell prints and consider them official Marvel art prints. It helps to supplement those artists income. Other artist eat into this market- a thing to consider. Another “pro” fan art point [55:00] In the end, it’s still illegal, but it help keeps the popularity of the IP alive. Whether or not you get in trouble for it is entirely up to the IP owner. LINKS svslearn.com Jake Parker, http://mrjakeparker.com. Instagram: @jakeparker, Youtube: JakeParker44 Will Terry, http://willterry.com. Instagram: @willterryart, Youtube: WillTerryArt Lee White, http://leewhiteillustration.com. Instagram: @leewhiteillo forum.svslearn.com Podcast production and editing by Aaron Dowd. Show notes by Tanner Garlick.

David Bull is an ukiyo-e woodblock printer and carver who heads the Mokuhankan ukiyo-e studio in Asakusa, Tokyo. Born in Britain, Bull moved to Canada at age 5 and lived there until 1986 when he  relocated with his family to Tokyo to pursue ukiyo-e. He first discovered Japanese woodblocks while browsing an art gallery in Toronto at age 29. Intrigued, he started making his own prints without formal training.  He is known for his work on the Ukiyo-e heroes kickstarter crowd-funding project together with Jed Henry, recreating modern video-game scenes in old-style woodblock prints. The Mokuhankan studio has a shop and offers 'print parties' for amateurs, where they can try the craft of printing. I met Dave at his studio in Tokyo where we talked, among other things, about Toronto's Stuart Jackson gallery, the physical nature of woodblock prints (not the content!), moving to Japan, the "death" of traditional Japanese woodblock printing in the 20th century, ukiyo-e prints as 'low' culture, 'visual letterpress,' French salons, pop culture, cliff-hanger picture books, mixing illustration and text, Hokusai and Manga, Japanese Meiji era, the desirability of "mouth pictures," Video game characters, Washi paper, and the importance of the 18th century book One Hundred People, One Hundred Poems to modern Japanese culture.   Check out Dave's extensive library of videos on Japanese woodblock printing here.

Jed Henry is a prolific artist who focuses on Japanese print style art. I was able to interview him at Super Magfest 2018. He’s worked on movie animation, video games, comic books and traditional and computer art. 0:37 – Artist Jed Henry talks about the work he is most proud of and he finds it … Continue reading Fantasy and sci-fi artist Jed Henry interview →

Some stories are just too big to tell in one episode. This is one of them. In this two-part special, we dive into the resurgence of the Japanese visual art form known as ukiyo-e. A style dating back to the 17th century, Ukiyo-e peaked in the 1800’s and essentially slept through the 20th century. But recently, a visual artist named Jed Henry, and a traditional woodcarver and printer named David Bull, combined forces to inject new life into the classic form. The first episode focused on Jed, while this second part features David. You can learn more about the amazing work David and Jed are doing (as well as secure a print of your own) at https://www.ukiyoeheroes.com/ See dozens of mesmerizing videos of David at work at his YouTube page, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKSrgKjevPmNZxCAyTZP5cQ And learn more about David's other projects at http://www.woodblock.com/  

Some stories are just too big to tell in one episode. This is one of them. In this two-part special, we dive into the resurgence of the Japanese visual art form known as ukiyo-e. A style dating back to the 17th century, Ukiyo-e peaked in the 1800’s and essentially slept through the 20th century. But recently, a visual artist named Jed Henry, and a traditional woodcarver and printer named David Bull, combined forces to inject new life into the classic form. This episode focuses on Jed, while part two features David. For more information on Jed’s designs, visit www.ukiyoeheroes.com.

To start off our Art to Business week, we present to you our very first podcast! Join German and Charles as they find out from Ukiyo-e Heroes' Jed Henry what it takes to make your art into a business: https://soundcloud.com/nerd-talk-media/the-nerd-culture-vol-1-from-art-to-business For more information on Jed Henry and his amazing work at Ukiyo-e Heroes, visit their: Website: http://www.ukiyoeheroes.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UkiyoEHeroes Instagram: https://instagram.com/thejedhenry We hope you enjoyed our podcast! If you like and want to hear more of our podcasts, leave a comment below!