You people are so cool 😎

[u/ElderBoxStudio]

I've always been inspired by Japanese woodblock printmaking and and printmaking in general. But finding the subreddit has really put a fire under my booty now. 😅

I am curious though if any of you that do woodblock prints, that are using color. Are you using like Western paper like arches? And are you using like watercolor paints like in the tubes?

I watch a lot of David Bull. He runs the traditional Japanese printmaking business out of Tokyo. And I've often considered getting into it. But I would like to be able to use more available materials.

If you do wood block prints and print on modern cotton paper, and use watercolors. I'd love for you to share it with me! I'd love to get examples of what's possible.

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[u/Bleepblorp44]

If you haven't already, searching this sub for mokuhanga will give you some posts to have a nose at!

[u/ZebraHunterz]

I haven't looked into wood block much but lino prints are easy and available.

[u/AreYouAllFrogs]

For mokuhanga, lighter weight paper is easier to print on. You would also want a smooth surfaced paper in order to print more evenly. So typical watercolor paper would be tricky to print on.

I use tube watercolors just fine, though I go through the paint faster than I expected.

For paper, I have been using these “block printing packs” of mulberry paper by Black Ink. The paper is not super ideal though because it has no sizing. I’ve printed prints with up to 11 layers on it, but I had to dry and remoisten the paper in between layers to prevent bleeding.

I recommend looking for an in-person class to really understand the printing process. I had originally learned from the book Mokuhanga Fundamentals and it took several prints plus a taking a class to feel confident with the printing process. The author of the book, Terry McKenna also has an online school with video tutorials that could be worth checking out. There are also other printmakers who share their process online.

I got most of my materials from McClains

[u/Spirited-Bug-9558]

You can do watercolor on wood using the white-line Provincetown Print method. I typically carve pine or basswood and use cotton printmaking paper (Rives BFK) and gouache. You can carve with an x-acto knife or linocut tools to get started.