Gyotaku Printing Evolves With World Wide Popularity

Gyotaku fish printing is an Oriental art form, that originated during the 1800's. Gyotaku, pronounced gee-oh-tac-ooh, has been gaining world wide popularity since the 1960's. In famous fishing locals, such as Japan and Hawaii gyotaku is used as a methodical method of documenting the size and girth of a prized catch. Many modern day artists employ traditional gyotaku techniques, while incorporating new mediums and "subjects" to enhance and evolve the art form.

In Japanese Gyo=Fish, and Taku=Imprint, therefore traditional Gyotaku art uses freshly caught fish and other sea life to create unique imprints on paper and cloth. The "subject" is recorded for posterity, then ready to eat, as gyotaku uses non-toxic pigments to create one-of-a-kind imprints.

Prior to the the 1800's, the art was more commonly known as "gyo-shu" or "uo-zuri", which means "to print" or "to rub" a fish. Since the materials used to create gyotaku, including the paper and ink, were not readily available outside of Japan, China and Korea, it has led many to conclude that this is where gyotaku originated. The oldest known gyotaku imprint was made in Japan in1862...a prized fish caught by Lord Sakai of the Yamagata prefecture. The Emperor made a big catch one night, and to preserve the memory he had gyotaku prints created. After that many Japanese fishermen would create gyotaku to methodically preserve the records of their catch.

Traditionally gyotaku imprints were made using rice paper, with a carbon-based sumi ink. Today modern gyotaku is printed on a variety of paper and cloth materials. Artists often substitute non-toxic acrylic or other pigmenting materials, in place of the traditional sumi ink. Most gyotaku prints are created using freshly caught fish, shells, or other marine life. Modern day gyotaku artists may also use rubber replicas, especially when it comes to printing endangered and protected species, such as the sea turtle.

Another evolution to traditional gyotaku is the inclusion of plant life prints. European artists have been printing plants since the 1400's, and today many artists are incorporating the plant kingdom into their gyotaku. Collage work, or the layering of papers and cut-outs, is giving modern day gyotaku multi-colored, textured and layered effects. Modern day artists may also use colored pencils, stains and paints, to enhance the detail and design of their print.

Gyotaku is now world famous, and as a result there are many workshops and artists who offer this unique art form. Not only does gyotaku continue to evolve as new artists and cultures merge their artistic interpretation, but the style of the gyotaku print changes with the location of the artist. The primary subject of (most) gyotaku, is fish, sea creatures or plants, which change dramatically depending on location. As gyotaku continues to expand its artistic horizons, new locations offer up a variety of different species for the canvas.