MokuHanga a Firenze--June 9-10: Upcoming workshops.

My next small-group beginners' workshop for Japanese woodblock will be next month in Florence.
June 9-10, from 9:30am-6pm.  This class is targeted to Italian speakers but I'll be hosting another class later this summer specifically for English speakers if there is enough interest.

And remember, private classes for 1-2 people in English or Italian are possible and can be tailored to fit students goals and schedules and are suited to beginners who want to get a jump on the technique through one-on-one instruction as well as for advanced students (linoleum or oil-based) who want to to learn the Japanese method of printing but already have a good sense of carving techniques.
I'll post additional dates and venues as they become available.

Japanese Woodblock workshops in 2017: February in Florence

I'm starting to organize some short and long workshops in moku hanga/Japanese woodblock for 2017.

 My first 2017 introductory class--a 2-day crash course in the basics of watercolor woodblock prints will be held in the San Giovanni School of Art, the cooperative studio I share with 3 other artists on other side of the Arno from the city center.
One of the studios has recently vacated so I have room to host a group with space for at least 6 participants plus room to demonstrate carving and printing.

My February class is now open:
Feb 18 and 19, 10a-6p, limited to 6 students (4 places are still open as of today)
Via San Giovanni 23, Firenze--near Porta San Frediano/Viale Ariosto--easy access to the train station and adjacent (but only intermittently vacant) parking.
€180 for the class includes inscription, materials (2 blocks, paper and pigments) the use of our studio's sharp, student-grade and professional level tools, chisels, and barens for printing.
In addition, the tools used during the workshop: a set of 5 basic knives and gouges, a student baren, and a Japanese stencil brush can be purchased after the class at cost.
Students will be able to print a small edition of a 2-4 color print during this 2-day intensive class.
Email me for information and inscription details at: andrewstone1@me.com

2017 18 & 19 Febbraio: Corso introduttivo di moku hanga--la xilografia giapponese.
Sabato e Domenica 10a-6pm;
Via San Giovanni 23,  L'Accademia d'Arte San Giovanni
Zona San Frediano/Viale Ariosto. Facilmente raggiungibile dalla stazione con l'autobus o a piedi o con i mezzi propri. 
Prezzo del corso e' €180 (€150 corso e €30 materiale: 2 blocchi shina (tiglio japonica), carta, pigmenti e l'uso durante il corso di attrezzi, baren e sgorbie professionale e da studenti del nostro laboratorio.). Gli studenti possono creare il loro stampa di 2-4 colori e stampare una piccola edizione su carta giapponese.   Il docente e Andrew Stone, Americano che da 12 anni lavora principalmente con questa tecnica. Il workshop si svolgera' in Inglese ed Italiano.
Limitato a 6 studenti.
Per inscrizione o informazione contattare Andrew Stone; andrewstone1@me.com
C'e un sconto disponibile per studenti e soci LAILAC.

Coming:
Ravenna (Fall 2017)
Padova (not yet confirmed)
Also I'm hoping to repeat my 2 or 3-day class in Ravenna in October and perhaps teach in a new venue in Padova in late Spring or early Summer. 
Plus I'm getting increasing interest for small sessions (1-2 people)  interested in single day or half-day sessions in the basics---image management and carving, basic and advanced printing, managing registration with multiple blocks, printing an edition with good paper and assistance so I hope to set up a series of day classes with a structured but flexible set of units.

Moku Hanga a Roma

                             

                                     

 Last weekend's woodblock print class went by in a blur.....so fast and busy that I only once tried to document the workshop with photos but my camera died and I never did get a chance to recharge. Thanks to Francesca and Giulia instead who took lots of photos and forwarded them to me.

It was a great group. Five energetic, really enthusiastic and dauntless artists happy to spend 3 full days learning something new.

This was designed as a 3-Day class: We talked a little bit about the history of moku hanga, looked at slides and I did a general printing demo followed by an introduction to tools and methods.
We went over the drawings and transferred them to the blocks and the group got carving.
Day one ended with the keyblocks carved.....
I forget sometimes how difficult it is for new carvers to learn how to hold the knives and work without fatiguing. 

Day 2 was devoted to looking at some beautiful antique prints; I demonstrated color printing and multi block registration. Color blocks were carved.

Day 3: we looked at slides of contemporary moku hanga artists;  I did a demo of bokashi gradation printing and and printing tips. And we discussed traditional and non-traditional barens.
PRINTING for the better part of the day.
We finished reviewing each persons works and ended the day, late, with a demonstration of how
 to tie the bamboo skin/leaf on the baren.

As I said before it was a great group.
The artists and graphic designers all had a good grasp of color separations and image manipulation.
The one beginner had a strong art history background (but had never carved either lino or wood) had some challenges with carving but was persistent, careful, and determined and managed to pull off a three-block image with a bokashi background and a cute character that everyone but me recognized as "SPANK"?

Registration was pretty good all around and the only real issues were the loss of some of the keyblock lines..from carving issues with the toh and gouges on the first afternoon....but that gets better with practice and by the second day all were already clearly more in control with the toh and chisels.  Each participant definitely got a sense of how the process works and what to work on for their next prints.

Claudia's "Spank". They say it's a dog?

 I had a great time; it was fun to teach and a great group to be a part of.
Thank you Betterpress lab for the invitation and a big thank you to the participants themselves for their effort and energy.

Moku Hanga in Florence--3 day workshop

Moku Hanga Class Flyer (Italian Version).

I'll be teaching (assuming I have students) a class in early December here in Florence at the San Giovanni Art School where I have my studio. There is ample space to host 8-10 students and I've been slowly putting together supplies for a three-day class.  I hope to cover not only the basics of carving and printing but also have time for demonstrations of bokashi gradation printing, how to make a homemade baren, wood and paper preparation, image manipulation and transfer.....plus there'll be a discussion about the history of the method and the trajectory taken by modern practitioners. Oh, I hope to be doing this in Italian and English....
During my demonstration in two weeks at the LAILAC Japanese festival,  I'll have these available for interested onlookers.

(Oh, I wish the work on the right was by me.....)