Gyotaku
Gyotaku is a method of printing objects from nature such as plants and fossils but is most well-known for the printing of fish. Originally, Gyotaku was the method that the Japanese fishermen used to officially record the details of their catch. Fresh fish, sumi ink, brushes and Washi are used in the Gyotaku method. Sumi ink was used in the printing process as some types of sumi ink are non-toxic allowing the fish to be consumed after proper cleaning.
I began experimenting with Gyotaku in the summer of 2022, initially using Bass fish from Georgian Bay. I used the Gyotaku method of Chokusetsu-ho which is the application of ink directly on to the surface of the fish. The fresh fish is initially scrubbed and dried and any openings are stuffed with paper towel to avoid any unwanted leaks onto the final print. The fish is then propped and supported to ensure its surface is flat for printing. The mouth is positioned and fins are spread and pinned to reveal the most details. Once the fish preparations are complete, ink is applied directly to the fish with a brush. Dampened Washi is then placed on top of the fish and gently pressed and rubbed to capture all the intricate details. The Washi is peeled back and the detailed image of the fish has been transferred to the paper. The eyes are left un-inked and added in with sumi ink and a brush/pen once the print has completely dried.
There is another method of Gyotaku printing which is called Kansetsu-ho and involves using either dampened Washi or silk and molding it directly onto the fish. The ink is then applied to the paper/silk and left in place, removing once the ink and substrate are completely dry.