Menai Strait Lobster, Gyotaku Printed in Blue, Green and Gold ink

Menai Strait Lobster, Gyotaku Printed in Blue, Green and Gold inkThis lobster was caught in a pot by a local fisherman here in North Wales. It was caught in the Menai Stait. Lobster are a challenge to print as they are so 3 dimensional. Its very tricky printing the legs and their antenna. This lobster is printed on Chinese mulberry paper measuring 69. 5x34cm. Ive used a high quality screen printing ink that is both light fast and permanent. Each print I make is unique as I apply fresh ink before each print is taken

I've swapped it around so in some places I've applied yellow then red then blue

I've used one of my Gyotaku prints and worked on it digitally along with some water colour to come up with the design

the meticulous execution

when the print is finished

The print measures 69cm x34cm and is on a Chinese mulberry paper

I do this using the authentic Japanese method of Urauchi

They are very popular print

The tail is just waste and is discarded usually so it's great to use something that would otherwise just go to wast and make art from it

The ink is Japanese Sumi

the work focuses on the natural flow and surface textures of this distinctive seaweed

In doing so you can remove all the creases from the paper and the second sheet bonds to the first making the print thicker and better for framing or mounting on board

The print is supplied unframed and is simply wrapped in an acid free tissue paper and posted in a tube