Nature printing

Early printing

In the attempt to accurately recreate nature, early printers devised various ways to get prints DIRECT from the original. Leaves, flowers and plants were pressed into lead plates, from which traditional printing plates were made.

Some book illustrators bypassed this complicated process by applying the ink directly to the leaves and making impressions from them.

Various other items can be used for printing. Animals ranging in size from butterflies, to horses! and ouf course various parts of human anatomy (including bottoms).

Round the other side of the world, the Japanese have been using nature to create art, for many centuries.

GYOTAKU

Fish or plants, carefully painted with non-toxic waterbase ink, then pressed on paper or fabric. When lifted, a detailed, mirror image of the fish or plant is revealed. Known as GYOTAKU, this ancient process has been used in the Orient as a method of scientific documentation before the age of cameras. Gyotaku (gyo=fish / taku=impression) offers a clear and accurate "picture" of nature.