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Everybody's busy ...
Posted by Dave Bull on June 18, 2012 [Permalink]
It seems that Mondays are always going to be one of our busiest days here at Mokuhankan - everybody has their own particular schedule (kids activities, etc.) but Monday seems to be a real 'work' day for everybody.
Ayumi-san arrived first today, so she got the bench in the center of the room. She's working on the Hokusai reproduction. In the far corner is Ishikawa-san, printing one of her large Chinese images:
This is one of the blocks that Ayumi is printing - after doing my own original edition of around 200 sheets, and now her edition of 30 or so, it's wearing in nicely. (And still capable of printing thousands more copies, as long as we treat it carefully ...)
And this is how far she has progressed so far. Very nice work on this gradation!
Ishikawa-san found that a bit of the cut area of the block was making a blot on the prints, so she quickly cut a sheet of newspaper to protect her clothes from the pigment (and the block from damage too), and gently tapped away the unneeded wood ...
Behind Ayumi-san is Yasui-san, packing an order for a Hanga Treasure Chest that came in last night. It'll be on its way later this afternoon. She's very much looking forward to Dave building her a new (and wide!) packing bench in the new room next door ... (When?!)
And I forgot to snap a shot of Tsushima-san, over in the printing alcove, working on her Yoshida scene. But here's a quick shot of the print so far (still a very long way from completion, of course ...)
Dave here didn't get a whole lot of his own carving done while this was all going on - no space to work! - but he got in a couple of hours before they arrived, and he'll do another few this evening too.
Here's a shot of the block so far (there's a good-size enlargement on this one):
... and a couple of close-ups:
And if you didn't 'catch the memo' in the Comments to the previous post, Jed and I will be holding a Webcast in a couple of days:
Jed and I are planning to hold a special Webcast this coming Wednesday (the 20th) at 9:00am Tokyo time (that's Tuesday evening (the 19th) for North America). I'll be working on the print, and will be joined (via Skype) by Jed, for a discussion of the project and to answer questions. Feel free to post questions for us here (or over on his Facebook page); we'll collect them and feature as many as we can during the Webcast.
Added by: Barbara Mason on June 19, 2012, 12:10 am
Dave,
I vote for doing the image of Kirby next, my grandson is 8 and kirby is such a favorite of his...he has several stuffed kirbys and is soon getting my sister, who is a fabulous fabric person to make him the one with the cape and sword and mask....he brought her pictures of it yesterday....this is just too much fun! I think I will need these and I am not even into gaming in any form...yet.
Added by: Sue kallaugher on June 19, 2012, 12:11 am
Dave according to friends who had success with Kickstarter the 30 day deadline works best, a video is essential . At first there is a flurry then halfway you need to market some more with something new. Good luck you have a promising project , use all your past contacts.
Best
Sue
Added by: Dave on June 19, 2012, 12:29 am
I vote for ...
success with Kickstarter ...
Remember, this Kickstarter thing, and the selection of what designs to make into prints, is not my call. This is not 'my' project; I - and the Mokuhankan staff - are simply being contracted by Jed to do the 'manufacturing' for this.
He will be doing all the selling and distribution from his end, and we will simply be waiting to hear from him about how many copies, etc. he will be ordering from us (of course in response to what happens on his project).
So if you have suggestions and comments about how you think this could all be improved in any way, please head over to his Facebook page and make them there! He's completely open to hearing such things, and would appreciate any sort of feedback at all.
As for the video, Jed is simply waiting for me to send him some; he will certainly be making a video for the Kickstarter introduction (I understand this is a basic requirement), and although it will not all be about our end of the project, he of course wants to include scenes of the printmaking process.
Added by: Tom Kristensen on June 19, 2012, 8:35 am
I like this design very much, and it is bound to do well in the market. I think earlier designs need more work. I am not sure what Kickstarter is, and I am disinclined to find out, but I do know that good art takes time. If there is some kind of rush to make heaps of cool stuff by August the 1st that may not serve the longevity of the project. It is important that every design aims for the highest standard because collectors will compare the images and cast judgment on any work that does not excite them.
Added by: Dave on June 19, 2012, 8:58 am
If there is some kind of rush to make heaps of cool stuff by August the 1st ...
Relax Tom, that's not what's happening. This print - and any that may subsequently follow - is being made in the standard slow and steady method. The benefit for Jed of being on Kickstarter - with its 'deadline' - is the huge social media leverage that it will give him for getting orders for his posters. And it's working (as far as is apparent at this stage). His stuff is basically going viral, and there is so much 'excitement' building that he is pretty confident of having a large enough demand for his posters that he will be able to order plenty of prints too.
... earlier designs need more work
As mentioned in the comments on the other thread, he understands this, and has basically withdrawn them; he'll be redoing those to match the style of the most recent work.
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