The INK and the GRAIN

Using the Japanese moku hanga technique, Leon Loughridge creates rich woodblock prints of the American Southwest

- Leon Loughridge

Japanese woodblocks, particularly the work of Hasui Kawase and Hiroshi Yoshida-both considered masters of the Shin-hanga movementhave inspired and influenced my work. There was a great tradition of creativity and innovation in Japanese printmaking during the 18th and 19th centuries. I see the gift of knowledge from former masters not as a dictum of the process, but rather as a springboard for my own creativity.

Moku (wood) hanga (print) is a Japanese printmaking technique distinguished by its simplicity of material: wood, carving tool, water, paper, pigment, rice paste and baren. The mechanics of the process are simple, yet labor intensive, as every step is completely manual. I am physically involved with the control of each step during printing: I can apply ink to a specific area or the entire block; I can blend colors to create a gradation or modulate the subtlety of tone; I can adjust the pressure and texture of the baren to create different effects; I can print using multiple blocks to add detail and depth to a smaller area.

The more I learned about the moku hanga process, the more I moved away from traditional Western style relief printing. What intrigues me most about the hand-printing process is that it is all about touch. As an artist, I learn everything about the language I work in, taking the vocabulary and making it my own. I look at the woodblocks as my woodblock paintings. The more comfortable one becomes with a process, the more fluid and creative one can be.