Gyotaku: The ancient Japanese art of printing fish - K. Erica Dodge
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How did fishermen record their trophy catches before the invention of photography? In 19th century Japan, fishing boats were equipped with rice paper, sumi-e ink, and brushes in order to create gyotaku: elaborate rubbings of freshly caught fish. K. Erica Dodge recounts the story of this competitive fishing culture, plus some tips on how to make your very own etchings.
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Additional Resources for you to Explore
Here are some stellar examples of gyotaku.
Here's a brief history of gyotaku.
Gyotaku (gyo=fish, taku=impression) is an ancient Oriental art form which uses actual fresh-caught fish to create lovely one-of-a-kind art prints on cloth or paper. Natural Impressions employs the traditional gyotaku techniques with modern twists, using fresh-caught Hawaiian fish and natural vegetation for spectacular results!
Here's a brief history of gyotaku.
Gyotaku (gyo=fish, taku=impression) is an ancient Oriental art form which uses actual fresh-caught fish to create lovely one-of-a-kind art prints on cloth or paper. Natural Impressions employs the traditional gyotaku techniques with modern twists, using fresh-caught Hawaiian fish and natural vegetation for spectacular results!
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Meet The Creators
- Animator
- Eduardo Sandoval
- Director
- Franco Barroeta Fonseca
- Educator
- K. Erica Dodge
- Sound Designer
- Luis Orlando Ruiz
- Narrator
- Michelle Snow
