Modern Day Gyotaku Incorporates Jin Shofu Collage Techniques

Gyotaku fish printing is an Asian art form that originated during the 1800's

. In famous fishing locations from Asia and Hawaii gyotaku is still used as an artistic method of documenting the a fishermen's prized catch. Today the art form is evolving and has expanded to include a variety of new "subjects" and artistic mediums, including jin shofu (wheat paste) collage techniques.

In Japanese Gyo=Fish, and Taku=Imprint, as Gyotaku printing is an art form that uses freshly caught fish, plants or other sea life to create life like imprints or outlines on rice paper or cloth material. The gyotaku "subject" is recorded for posterity, then ready to eat, as gyotaku printing uses non-toxic paint/pigments.

Traditionally gyotaku prints were created using rice paper and a carbon-based sumi ink. Today most gyotaku is printed on a variety of paper and cloth materials, and artists often substitute the sumi ink for non-toxic acrylic paints. Artists may also incorporate other mediums such as color pencils, watercolors and pastels, to create colorful renditions of the original species.

Most gyotaku subjects are fish, but there are also a lot of other unique specimens that make wonderful gyotaku "subjects". Octopus, with it's long tentacles covered in suckers is a relatively new and very interesting gyotaku subject. Some gyotaku artists even highlight the octopus prints using real octopus ink! Another modern gyotaku subject is sea shells and coral. Artists can place an octopus or small reef fish around the shells/coral to create and underwater scene.

Collage, or the layering of different papers and cut-outs, has become a very well received form for interpreting gyotaku art prints. This form of of jin shofu collage, or wheat paste paper fusing, began in Japan as a scroll mounting technique. To create a gyotaku jin shofu piece the artist will start by printing the fish (or other gyotaku specimen) onto lacy or see through paper. This print is then backed with two or more extra pieces of various colored/textured rice paper. The end result is a fusion various colored0 paper and textures fused into one new piece of paper.

Rice paper, which is also called washi, is made from parts of the rice paper plant or other plants materials such as hemp, bamboo and mulberry. Rice paper has been used for centuries for writing, drawing and gyotaku fish prints. It is also a useful medium for making kites, lanterns, surfboards, collages, shoji screens and artificial flowers. Today most rice paper is made using the rice plant straw, bamboo, hemp, mulberry, wingceltis and gampi. The jin shofu collage technique is a wonderful way for the artist to highlight the beauty, texture and coloring of the rice paper. Very often by placing a lacy paper over top another colored/textured paper, it will create a multi-dimensional coloring scheme creating a visually stunning contrast for the gyotaku print.

by: Joe Feesh

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