here are the steps, and some tips on making gyotaku...the actual printing
of the fish takes only seconds...however, the total process from start to finish
can take as little as 1 - 2 hours or as much as 10 - 15 hours (not including
time to catch the fish), depending on the size and amount of fish you are printing...for
myself, the time that it takes to make a single gyotaku that i am satisfied
with usually spans several days...
1) it all starts with a nice fish... if your fish is bus' up, your
gyotaku may turn out that way too...
if you plan on catching your fish by means of fishing... care must
be taken when gaffing or netting the fish and also when transporting in a cooler,
so as to avoid loss of scales...(however, i suggest placing priority on getting
the fish in the boat versus worrying about the gyotaku, otherwise you'll end
up with a "fishing tale")...
if you catch fish while spearfishing... avoid the "gut shot" and try
to "stone um'", this will give you a good specimen to work with...also, avoid
putting tako (octopus) on the same stringer as your fish, as an angry tako will
sometimes grab the fish and rip out its scales (i have learned this the hard
way)...
or if you plan on catching your fish at tamashiro's (your local fishmarket)...
pick out a fish the same way as if you were buying it to eat...(after all, you
will probably end up eating it after)...look for freshness...make sure that
the eyes are clear and not milky looking, the gills are still bright red, and
the flesh is relatively firm...
you can freeze your fish if you want to print it later, but i suggest that
you not clean the fish to keep the original shape and size of it...i have found
the best way to freeze a fish is to wrap it completely in saran wrap, and then
to cover it in foil (you can also wrap it once more with newspaper for an additional
protective layer)...
2) cleaning and prep work... this step is the most tedious and time
consuming, but is the key to making good gyotaku...
start by removing the slime on the body and fins of the fish... gently
rub the fins and body of the fish with hawaiian salt...be careful not to remove
scales...when cleaning the fins, watch out for sharp spines that poke you (this
is the fishes' payback for spearing him)...the cleaning process can take anywhere
from 5 - 20 minutes depending on the size of the fish...thoroughly preparing
the fish will mean the difference between a nice gyotaku and a mediocre one...
spread open and support the fins... position the fins so that they
are fully extended...carefully insert pins through an inconspicuous part of
the fin and body so that it stays open...do this for the dorsal, pectoral, pelvic
and anal fins...using blocks of wood, or anything that you don't mind smelling
like fish (old magazines work well), support the fins by placing them underneath...
cut out the eye... this part is not necessary if pulling out the eyeball
of a fish freaks you out...however, to get a nice print i suggest doing so,
otherwise the eye ends up looking like a blob...by removing it, the result is
a blank space that you can paint a detailed eye in later...
fill in all open holes... use paper towel or cotton swabs to plug the
fishes butt, gills, eye, and any spear or gaff holes...
to me, the fins are the most important part of the gyotaku...you can get the
most detail out of the fins, and a fish with nice fins looks healthy and
alive...therefore, by paying special attention to preparing the fins the gyotaku
captures a moment in the ocean and not just a picture of a dead fish...
3) get materials ready... mix your ink and cut the rice paper to
the desired size...
if you are using traditional sumi carbon ink, you need to grind the ink
block into powder, and then mix it with water... i prefer using a dark ink
that is not diluted too much...if the ink is too watery, it will be more likely
to run and make blotches on your gyotaku...
to make life easier for those who are new to gyotaku, use a paper that
is proportionate in size to that of the fish you are printing... if you
are only printing a small fish, a good rule of thumb is to cut the paper the
same size as a picture frame that you would use to frame it...this makes the
paper manageable, and gives you more control of how the print comes out...
4) apply ink and print the fish...this step is very quick, it takes
only seconds to make the print...
using a brush, apply the ink to the fish and then wipe off the excess...try
to make sure that there are no dark or light streaks and that the ink is applied
evenly...
take the paper, and place it on the fish...starting from the head,
rub the areas where you want the ink to show up on the paper...make sure that
the fins get printed nicely...you often need to to rub the fins a little bit
more to get a good print because the ink on that part of the fish dries out
the fastest...
usually, you need to make several prints to get a nice one...the good thing
is that if you mess up, you can try again...you can keep making prints from
a single fish, as long as the fish stays cold so it doesn't go rotten...(you
have to eat it when you are pau...you catch it, you eat it)...
5) add final details... sign and frame...
you can use a brush to paint in the eye and add color to the fish...then,
add your signature, and use your hanko to stamp your name on the gyotaku...
pick out a nice frame, and mount your picture in it...i spend a lot of money
making sure that the framing is done well...by dishing out a little bit more
money, you end up with an unbeatable final product that you can be proud of...the
frame and mat can either enhance the gyotaku, or detract from it...i take my
gyotaku to be professionally framed and mounted, so they give me the option
of flattening the rice paper so that most of the wrinkles are taken out...however,
i prefer leaving them because it leaves the gyotaku in its original form and
adds character and authenticity to the artpiece...
so do you feel like making a gyotaku now?? i hope that this information
can help you to get started in doing so...i suggest for everyone to try it
at least once...it will increase your appreciation of the art and of the ocean...
when you find how difficult it can be to make a really nice one though,
check out my gallery and buy one!!!
more questions or comments???
if this information was useful to you, i would like to know...
contact me>>> dkkondo@kondogyotaku.net