Hawaiian Fishermen Keep The Art Of Gyotaku Alive

Gyotaku fish printing is an Asian art form that originated during the 1800's. This unique form of printing uses freshly caught fish, aquatic life, flowers and plants to create imprints on paper or fabric. In Hawaii gyotaku artists still use this artistic method to document the size and girth of a fishermens prized catch. The "subject" is recorded for posterity, then ready to eat, as gyotaku uses non-toxic inks and paints.

In Japanese Gyo=Fish, and Taku=Imprint, therefore Gyotaku art uses fish and other sea life to create original prints. Traditionally gyotaku was created using rice paper and carbon-based sumi ink. Today most gyotaku is printed on a variety of paper and cloth materials, and artists will often substitute the sumi ink for non-toxic acrylic paints. Gyotaku artists will also incorporate color pencil, paints or pastels in order to create colorful, life like renditions of the original species.

For time out of mind, fishing has been an integral part of daily life for the peoples of Hawaii. In ancient times Hawaii's coastal regions were home to numerous seaside villages, fishponds, and reservoirs for the collecting precious sea salt. Today Hawaii has become world famous as a fishermen's paradise. It has also become a creative hot spot for unique gyotaku fish prints, with a strong niche in prints that are native to the Hawaii. The entire Hawaiian archipelago is comprised of hundreds of islands and atolls, spread out 1,500 miles. The topographical layout of the Hawaiian coasts offers fishermen and divers an underwater playground that is teaming with endemic fish. Because of Hawaii's rare isolation approximately 30% of fish, 20% of mollusks, 20% of the corals found in Hawaiian waters are native to the islands.These endemic, or native species prints, stand out as distinctly Hawaiian Gyotaku.

Octopus (or He'e / tako) is a very popular gyotaku subject in Hawaii, as are some common fish such as the ahi (yellowfin tuna), mahi mahi (dolphinfish), ono (wahoo), ulua (giant trevally), onaga (red snapper), opakapaka (pink snapper), and an abundance of other colorful reef fish species. Tropical Hawaiian flowers and bamboo are another form of gyotaku printing that is unique to the islands. Hawaii also has numerous types of sharks. which make unique and haunting shark species.

Gyotaku captures the imagination with it's realistic depictions of life in the deep sea. As the art continues to expand it's horizons, each new location offers up a variety of different species for the canvas. The flora and fauna of the Hawaiian islands is incomparable to any place on earth, and as a result it offers up it's own "Hawaiian style" interpretation of gyotaku.