Gyotaku

Gyotaku is an ancient artistic method that uses real fish or other sea creatures to create an impression on paper. The traditional Japanese technique uses Sumi ink, but modern techniques allow many mediums. I practice the Direct Method by painting directly on the fish using acrylic paint, and gently pressing handmade paper over them. When the paper is lifted, the impression of the creature on the paper. At this point, the final touches are added such as the eye and traditional signature. (Traditional Gyotaku does not paint the eye to make the original impression.) My traditional signature is my name in Japanese.

brown octopus Gyotaku on speckled mulberry paper

Lionfish Gyotaku on green mulberry paper

brown octopus Gyotaku on elephant dung paper

brown octopus Gyotaku on natural mulberry paper

Lionfish and coral Gyotaku on speckled mulberry paper

Triggerfish Gyotaku on plain Shoji paper

Triggerfish Gyotaku on cream Shoji paper

Hogfish Gyotaku on bleached mulberry paper

Hogfish Gyotaku head only on speckled mulberry paper

2 Mahi Mahi Gyotaku on speckled mulberry paper

Pompano fish Gyotaku on natural mulberry paper

Spadefish striped fish Gyotaku on blue mulberry paper

3 blue crab Gyotaku on speckled mulberry paper

silver, gold and blue Spanish mackerel Gyotaku on black mulberry paper

fern plant Gyotaku rubbing on speckled mulberry paper

fern leaf rubbing Gyotaku on speckled mulberry paper

Maple leaf rubbing Gyotaku on Shoji paper

Gyotaku (sort of) – Foodie Series

Today, Gyotaku is not limited to fish and Sumi inks. Artists are branching out and experimenting with subject, paper and color. That’s exactly what Odessa has done. Her Foodie series uses real vegetables, plants, fruits and even steak.

Beets vegetable Gyotaku rubbing on speckled mulberry paper

Steak dinner with asparagus and wine stain rings Gyotaku rubbing on Shoji paper

Carrots rubbing Gyotaku on speckled mulberry paper

A note from Odessa...
Here’s a short video I made of one of my first octopus Gyotaku.
I also have a 5 part “how to” video series available if you’d like to learn more.
You can find the How to Make a Gyotaku videos on YouTube and Vimeo.

GYOTAKU

Gyotaku (sort of) – Foodie Series