May 142008
 

Woodcut is a artistic technique in which an image is carved into the surface of a block of wood, with the printing parts remaining level while the non-printing parts are removed. The block is cut along the grain of the wood. In Europe beechwood was commonly used and in Japan cherry wood was used.

woodblock-cuttingThe surface is covered with ink by rolling over the surface with an ink covered roller. Multiple colors can be printed using this technique – a different block is used for each color.

It did not originate in Japan as some people believe. It came originally from China and was later adopted by the West and Japan.

The most popularized form of woodcut Art is called Ukiyo-e. It originated in Japan and it is probably what you have seen. Ukiyo-e means: “pictures of the floating world”. More specifically Ukiyo-e is woodblock prints (or woodcuts) and paintings. They where popular between the 17th and the 20th centuries. Ukiyo-e were affordable because they could be mass-produced. They were, therefore, meant for people who were not wealthy enough to afford an original painting. The original subject of ukiyo-e was city life, in particular activities and scenes from the entertainment district.

The Great Wave At Kanagawa

This is probably one of the most famous Ukiyo-e’s. It is called “The Great Wave”. (Why do you look surprised?). Artist is Hokusai and it is part of his subscription series, “Thirty-Six Views of Mt. Fuji,” completed between 1826 and 1833.

Kobayakawa Kiyoshi Nationality - Eyes, Hitomi

Artist: Kobayakawa Kiyoshi Nationality: Japanese, 1896-1948 Title: Eyes, Hitomi, from the series Modern Styles of Makeup Date: 1931.

woodblock-cutting-unkown

Evening Snow at Kanbara, Edo period (1615–1868), 1834

Evening Snow at Kanbara, Ando Hiroshige (Japanese, 1797–1858)

woodcut-ukiyoe

May 122008
 

Kamrooz Aram Profile PicAram was born in Shiraz, Iran in 1978. He has had solo exhibitions at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, North Adams, MA; Wilkinson Gallery, London; and Oliver Kamm Gallery, New York as well as being included in varies other exhibitions.

Kamrooz Aram is a contemporary artist whose paintings and drawings bring together traditional and contemporary cultural references to create scenes reflecting magical and weird present day.

Kamrooz Aram - Enduring Continuing Eternal
Kamrooz Aram – Enduring Continuing Eternal
(Oil on canvas)

Kamrooz Aram - Phosphorus Visions
Kamrooz Aram – Phosphorus Visions
(Oil on canvas)

Kamrooz Aram - Revolutionary Dreams
Kamrooz Aram – Revolutionary Dreams
(Pen on Paper)

Kamrooz Aram - The Gleam Of The Mornings First Beam
Kamrooz Aram – The Gleam Of The Mornings First Beam
(Oil and collage on canvas)

May 122008
 

Gajin FujitaGajin Fujita’s was born in 1972 to Japanese parents but grew up in Los Angeles. Fujita blends Eastern techniques such as anime and old school elements like geishas, warriors and demons with Western, urban imagery to create his unique style – (hip-hop, urban graffiti meets traditional Japanese painting.)

His works embody the cultural and class contradictions that are an integral part of our global village.

Gajin Fujita - Loca
By Gajin Fujita
Name: Loca

Gajin Fujita - Drawing From Fatal Match
By Gajin Fujita
Name: Drawing From Fatal Match

Gajin Fujita - Fatal Match
By Gajin Fujita
Name: Fatal Match

Gajin Fujita - The Mack
By Gajin Fujita
Name: The Mack

Gajin Fujita - True Blue Dragon
By Gajin Fujita
Name: True Blue Dragon