You say Art but David himself doesn't regard what he does as Art but instead a beautiful manufacturing process. He just translates a said Art from the Artist to the said process. But the process is a beautiful amazing thing to behold in itself.
@@seseragistudio I'm so jealous! How difficult is it for people in the US to participate in the auctions and I wonder if most sellers on there are willing to ship to the US?
Well, I do need to eat, but plenty of people _do_ 'pay' me for my activities, either by picking up one of our prints, or through the Patreon. The patronage of both of these groups keeps it going for everybody! (I'm just thankful that CZcams seems to keep recommending these things, even though we aren't running ads on them. I guess they are just happy to have the eyeballs ...)
@@seseragistudio I can personally say that I stumbled across your work because of a CZcams rec. Woodblock carving has been something I've been interested in for as long as I can remember. Once I found your videos, I went to task to absorb as many tips and tricks in your videos as I could. After finding a supplier in the US with the proper tools and supplies, tried my hand at it. A few sample trials and prints later, I realized that I had much more to learn, so I went looking for more info. On the suppliers website, (imcclains.com/catalog/books/index.html for anyone also interested) I found a link to a very reasonable priced e-book and scooped it up with out much thought. And who did I stumble across? :) I'd like to thank you for being so open and sharing your years of hard earned experience to promote this amazing art form, and had only wish that I had been came across your work years earlier!
What a pleasure to hear this man speaking. Intelligence, passion, humor, good taste, good manners, exquisite way of turning thoughts into well constructed phrases... Thank you sir, you are a master in so many senses.
Dave, a few of your prints in my small and humble collection, my memories of my visits to your workshop last year and the passion you share on your work are truly heartwarming on these times...
I've always been interested in visual art; however, this, I must admit, was my entree into the world of woodblock printing. As fascinating as it is beautiful. Your passion and consummate mastery of your craft is by itself an example to all. Thank you for this series!
Hey David! I love watching your videos. They make me feel relaxed and peaceful. Your videos are really educational, interning and fun. I’m glad that your still here enjoying what you do. Thank you for everything you have taught us David! 😁
Your passion for printmaking is a pleasure to watch! Providing high resolution versions of the prints for us to browse really is above and beyond! Thank you!
Are these scripted? It doesn't seem like it, but he never stumbles or says "Um", just seems to naturally tell the story of the print with great ease and enthusiasm.
The video was uploaded ten minutes ago, is almost 20 minutes long and yet there are already comments on it. I guess this shows how much appreciation we have for his videos.
Your videos are a bright spot in an otherwise dark year and I cannot thank you enough for the hard work you do and the peace you bring to many! Thank you for another amazing video!
I am so delighted to have come across your videos David! You have given me such an appreciation for a style of art I previously knew nothing about. I thoroughly enjoy your insights and excitement about printmaking! What a wonderful calling to keep alive the tradition and encourage new generations of appreciation!
I'm surprised to learn that paper and wood of the highest possible quality cannot be obtained today, like it could 114 years ago. The wood I understand, maybe; environmentally we're a lot worse off today than in 1904; perhaps the trees needed to make the best wood blocks simply haven't been regrown in sufficient numbers. But the paper surprises me! Can we not make better paper today than we could at the turn of the 19th century? Or maybe it's not a question of "can"...maybe there's just not enough demand for paper of such extremely high quality, so no one produces it anymore? Surely the processes have not been lost? Anyway, it just feels like such a shame, here in 2020, that access to proper materials should be the thing that prevents a group of artists from achieving their most. What else is the future good for but access to bloody everything we can think of? 😉
David talked about it in a previous video some years ago. The last paper maker in Japan died some years ago and no one is skilled enough to continue making that handmade high quality paper. It is a delicate endevour
Paper quality is one issue. The other issues are the wood blocks. Boxwood is just not harvested anymore. You need good sized planks of boxwood, at most they aren't any larger than 4 inches in width. The cherry used in most woodblocks are selected for general wood purposes, which is not the same as having someone who is an expert in woodblock printing selecting the trees. So the quality might be good enough to make furniture out of but they aren't good enough for woodblock carving. On top of that you have several craftsmen who supply printmaking tools dying out from old age and no apprentices to take their place.
Another awesome video! However I would never say that the work you and your staff have done "falls short". The amazing work that you folks at Mokuhankan do can't be overstated
these have inspired me, to them they are just living their life in the 18th century, but to us everything they do is rare and exceptional, and it made me think about the world around us, people wearing high vis vests and moving boxes, maybe in 100 yrs time no one does that, so i have drawn up some concepts and emulated a bit of the style. thanks mr for sharing this.
Dear David. The catawiki auctions are also quite popular for woodblock prints. Thanks for this very interesting continuation. I was - again - spell-bound by your great enthusiasm. I enjoy your framed prints every day at my house. I will send a photo by email. Greetings from a Danish follower 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
He’s making my obsession with printmaking worse. Once I’ve learned enough Japanese, graduated from high school, and have a stable income I’m definitely gonna come to Tokyo and take some classes from you. Thank you so much for making me realize that there is so many different kinds of art making me wanna travel the world to see different cultures and the art; old and new. You’ve inspired me to do at least some kind of printmaking for my AP portfolio. I wanna show people the beauty of the art of printmaking.
A dream of mine to get to a point of David Bull... Completely submerging my world into my art without societal distractions of the world. I love hearing the excitement in his voice. I hope everyone has their own untamable joy in their own craft.
Thank you David, for all the passion you put in your work, I think you're doing a wonderful job, even if the materials are not the ones used many years ago, maybe you could find someone sharing your same passion, to select the wood, and another one making the paper, maybe also one doing ink and another one providing good steel for your tools! I think this can happen and I wish you all the best! Stay safe!
Dave might be the foremost English speaking expert on Japanese woodcut prints and carving, truly a master in his own right even if he may not think himself so
I HIGHLY recommend looking at the prints on the site, zooming in to see the beautiful detail, and then zooming out so that the print is ~5 inches on your screen to gawk at the simply wild precision.
You’re a phenomenal story teller, David. It’s a pleasure watching each and every video you produce. Not only because the content and topics are so interesting, but because the way you present is so genuine, and seemingly effortless, that I know from the moment I’m welcomed to your carving bench, or to the flea market, or to your Print Party room, I’m in a safe space.
David is amazingly well spoken and then it dawned on me that woodblock carving and speaking/teaching have similarities. You are on a tightrope of sorts with each. You are performing refined actions on the fly, and you can't take back mistakes (That is, if you don't edit the video, which you rarely do). Fascinating!
That is a very nice print set, you got one hell of a deal on it. I would like to see the entire set in another video if you would be so kind. You should try to work with a master paper maker over there to make the extremely high quality paper you are looking for. For the boxwood you would need to reach out to the woodworking community to source the material and create the carving blanks.
David thank you for making this. I'm new to collecting Ukiyoe prints, i just bought one of these post card sized prints before watching this and had no idea what they were. I hung it up on my wall and just thought i somehow got a small novelty print, but i knew there were others out there like it, and sure i enough i just stumbled upon your video. i wish i had an expert to look at some of the prints i got, cause i have a passion for these like you. I have some beautiful reproductions and one i got that claims to be an original hiroshige. But i'm not sure. Either way, i love my prints so much and look at them daily with awe..
It's always a good day for woodblock prints when they're bought by Dave to be added to his collection and be appreciated instead of rotting in some garage or attic.
This entire video was excellent, but I particularly love your bit about “shogunai!” Craftsmen like yourself have my infinite respect, and I hope that one day we might be able to have a world where genius, hardworking people like you and your staff are not a specialty of the world. Wood blocking to me represents the importance of art and craftsmanship in work, and your ability to connect with “the youth” (I say as an 18 year old haha) about these important topics is even more important. People like you give me great hope :-)
Magnificent! I took my time to slowly watch each of the magnified photos of the full set. On a 32" size monitor. I'm jealous that Dave has this set of prints, and that I don't have it. And, to be honest, I think that 38,000 Yen is a steal for this set of prints. I would have expected that these sets would cost a multiple of that.
Hi Dave, I am loving the channel. I've been watching your videos through the weekend. It was recommended to me through an ASMR (?) channel. Serendipitously it has greater value for me: I'm studying for a degree in graphic design, and I also visit Tokyo once or twice a year (for the past 20 years) to visit the in-laws and have a nice week or two vacation. We just made it back to London this year before lockdown. No plans for 2021 yet, but I'd love to visit the studio when things are back up and running. Warm regards from London
Dave you are getting better at this... Please post videos weekly. Also can you make show-n-tell episodes on CZcams from your twitch videos.... those are damn interesting.
Thank you David, yet another wonderful video. I'm glad you have a good group of people around you to help facilitate and help make these videos. Do what you love and others will see the passions and begin to share your passions.
I love how much passion this dude has for his art
I was just about to comment the same thing. Nothing gets me more motivated than hearing this man talk about woodblock prints
Dave's the man
You say Art but David himself doesn't regard what he does as Art but instead a beautiful manufacturing process.
He just translates a said Art from the Artist to the said process.
But the process is a beautiful amazing thing to behold in itself.
@benjamin phillips ssw
Saw s s as was mu
That level of detail is astounding. I don't even understand how carving something that small is possible
Yes, I can nearly taste the 'how?'.
1 part good wood, 1 part sharp knife, 1 part good eyes and light, 10 parts patience.
... and 87 parts practice ...
@@seseragistudio I'm so jealous! How difficult is it for people in the US to participate in the auctions and I wonder if most sellers on there are willing to ship to the US?
2:36
I'm in love with woodblock print making ever since I stumbled across you
David, you spoil us. This continues to be one of the channels that I cannot believe is free.
Well, I do need to eat, but plenty of people _do_ 'pay' me for my activities, either by picking up one of our prints, or through the Patreon. The patronage of both of these groups keeps it going for everybody! (I'm just thankful that CZcams seems to keep recommending these things, even though we aren't running ads on them. I guess they are just happy to have the eyeballs ...)
@@seseragistudio I can personally say that I stumbled across your work because of a CZcams rec. Woodblock carving has been something I've been interested in for as long as I can remember. Once I found your videos, I went to task to absorb as many tips and tricks in your videos as I could.
After finding a supplier in the US with the proper tools and supplies, tried my hand at it. A few sample trials and prints later, I realized that I had much more to learn, so I went looking for more info. On the suppliers website, (imcclains.com/catalog/books/index.html for anyone also interested) I found a link to a very reasonable priced e-book and scooped it up with out much thought. And who did I stumble across? :)
I'd like to thank you for being so open and sharing your years of hard earned experience to promote this amazing art form, and had only wish that I had been came across your work years earlier!
What a pleasure to hear this man speaking. Intelligence, passion, humor, good taste, good manners, exquisite way of turning thoughts into well constructed phrases... Thank you sir, you are a master in so many senses.
This guy's channel is literally him just geeking out so hard on Japanese wood block prints...
And I love it.
First stumbled across this listening to an ASMR thing. Now I watch them because they're just generally interesting.
Next video: supplement supplement - "I talked to them and they sent us the original blocks"
that's probably what you get when their is no internet, tv, smartphones and Tinder around. A lot of time to perfect a craft :)
Oh I'm sure he's reached out to ask!
You are the Bob Ross of Japanese wood engraving, is equally relaxing and interesting to watch your videos.
Dave, a few of your prints in my small and humble collection, my memories of my visits to your workshop last year and the passion you share on your work are truly heartwarming on these times...
You can really feel the love and passion this man holds for his craft and the joy when sharing it.
Yes! Another video! Watching a David Bull video has become an evening routine. You are a much needed calming presence in these crazy times. Thank you.
I've always been interested in visual art; however, this, I must admit, was my entree into the world of woodblock printing. As fascinating as it is beautiful. Your passion and consummate mastery of your craft is by itself an example to all. Thank you for this series!
Hey David! I love watching your videos. They make me feel relaxed and peaceful. Your videos are really educational, interning and fun. I’m glad that your still here enjoying what you do. Thank you for everything you have taught us David! 😁
Your passion for printmaking is a pleasure to watch! Providing high resolution versions of the prints for us to browse really is above and beyond! Thank you!
always enjoy your content David. You're giving a chunk of history to me that I never knew I'd love so much.
Are these scripted? It doesn't seem like it, but he never stumbles or says "Um", just seems to naturally tell the story of the print with great ease and enthusiasm.
Such a pleasant surprise getting two videos back to back!!
The video was uploaded ten minutes ago, is almost 20 minutes long and yet there are already comments on it. I guess this shows how much appreciation we have for his videos.
I love the excitement of David it is encouraging to me to find something to be so passionate about.
Your videos are a bright spot in an otherwise dark year and I cannot thank you enough for the hard work you do and the peace you bring to many! Thank you for another amazing video!
Bob Ross of Carving
Only in demeanor I think. I consider Bull to be a better artist than Ross
I’m not an artist by any sense of the word but I would consider them t both be masters.
Yay another video so soon!
😃
I am so delighted to have come across your videos David! You have given me such an appreciation for a style of art I previously knew nothing about. I thoroughly enjoy your insights and excitement about printmaking! What a wonderful calling to keep alive the tradition and encourage new generations of appreciation!
I adore these videos. Thank you for a calm introspective moment in an otherwise turbulent world.
Thanks Dave for the supplement. Soooo interesting as usual
His work is incredible yet he is so humble and seems like a very pleasant man.
Dave, thanks to you I've learned some marks of quality to look for. These prints are mind-blowing, even to my untrained eye.
I'm surprised to learn that paper and wood of the highest possible quality cannot be obtained today, like it could 114 years ago.
The wood I understand, maybe; environmentally we're a lot worse off today than in 1904; perhaps the trees needed to make the best wood blocks simply haven't been regrown in sufficient numbers.
But the paper surprises me! Can we not make better paper today than we could at the turn of the 19th century? Or maybe it's not a question of "can"...maybe there's just not enough demand for paper of such extremely high quality, so no one produces it anymore? Surely the processes have not been lost?
Anyway, it just feels like such a shame, here in 2020, that access to proper materials should be the thing that prevents a group of artists from achieving their most. What else is the future good for but access to bloody everything we can think of? 😉
Well paper is also made from trees, so there might be something there as well.
David talked about it in a previous video some years ago. The last paper maker in Japan died some years ago and no one is skilled enough to continue making that handmade high quality paper. It is a delicate endevour
@@Miss.V.M This is a lovely reply, thank you :)
Paper quality is one issue. The other issues are the wood blocks. Boxwood is just not harvested anymore. You need good sized planks of boxwood, at most they aren't any larger than 4 inches in width. The cherry used in most woodblocks are selected for general wood purposes, which is not the same as having someone who is an expert in woodblock printing selecting the trees. So the quality might be good enough to make furniture out of but they aren't good enough for woodblock carving.
On top of that you have several craftsmen who supply printmaking tools dying out from old age and no apprentices to take their place.
Dave's passion never ceases to inspire me
Thank you for all your work you put into these videos. These are always wonderful.
Love ya Dave ✌️
Another awesome video! However I would never say that the work you and your staff have done "falls short". The amazing work that you folks at Mokuhankan do can't be overstated
Your presentation skills are sublime and your passion is truly enviable and inspiring ^.^
My God, the detail of this is mindblowing for something printed using carved wood and ink.
I’m for sure buying one of these in the future, They are DEVINE!!! Love it
Another Mr. Bull's video!! Ahh, this feels like Christmas for me. :)
these have inspired me, to them they are just living their life in the 18th century, but to us everything they do is rare and exceptional, and it made me think about the world around us, people wearing high vis vests and moving boxes, maybe in 100 yrs time no one does that, so i have drawn up some concepts and emulated a bit of the style. thanks mr for sharing this.
Everyone needs to be as passionate about something as you are with woodblock prints, David. Keep giving us this level of passion.
Excellent and passionate sharing of this wonderful artform. Thank you!
God bless you, your family, and your coworkers David Bull!
Dear David. The catawiki auctions are also quite popular for woodblock prints. Thanks for this very interesting continuation. I was - again - spell-bound by your great enthusiasm. I enjoy your framed prints every day at my house. I will send a photo by email. Greetings from a Danish follower 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
09:44.... But it's not garbage Dave 😉
just my thought
I’m so glad I came across this channel. There’s so much to discover here
Absolutely incredible stuff. Thank you so much for making the effort to share these, Dave!
He’s making my obsession with printmaking worse. Once I’ve learned enough Japanese, graduated from high school, and have a stable income I’m definitely gonna come to Tokyo and take some classes from you. Thank you so much for making me realize that there is so many different kinds of art making me wanna travel the world to see different cultures and the art; old and new. You’ve inspired me to do at least some kind of printmaking for my AP portfolio. I wanna show people the beauty of the art of printmaking.
A lovely video to brighten up a wet and windy Wednesday morning. Thank you for sharing this wonderful collection.
A dream of mine to get to a point of David Bull... Completely submerging my world into my art without societal distractions of the world. I love hearing the excitement in his voice. I hope everyone has their own untamable joy in their own craft.
Thank you David, for all the passion you put in your work, I think you're doing a wonderful job, even if the materials are not the ones used many years ago, maybe you could find someone sharing your same passion, to select the wood, and another one making the paper, maybe also one doing ink and another one providing good steel for your tools! I think this can happen and I wish you all the best! Stay safe!
Dave might be the foremost English speaking expert on Japanese woodcut prints and carving, truly a master in his own right even if he may not think himself so
I HIGHLY recommend looking at the prints on the site, zooming in to see the beautiful detail, and then zooming out so that the print is ~5 inches on your screen to gawk at the simply wild precision.
Just bought my first wood block prints from a local antique dealer - an interest born from this channel.
I feel like watching him carve out a woodblock version of a Bob Ross painting would be peak asmr
😊
You’re a phenomenal story teller, David.
It’s a pleasure watching each and every video you produce. Not only because the content and topics are so interesting, but because the way you present is so genuine, and seemingly effortless, that I know from the moment I’m welcomed to your carving bench, or to the flea market, or to your Print Party room, I’m in a safe space.
I don't know if I like Japanese wood block printing, but I like hearing Dave Bull talk about them.
Such PASSION for your art David!!! So enriching to watch your videos!!! Thank you!!!
David is amazingly well spoken and then it dawned on me that woodblock carving and speaking/teaching have similarities. You are on a tightrope of sorts with each. You are performing refined actions on the fly, and you can't take back mistakes (That is, if you don't edit the video, which you rarely do). Fascinating!
Your enthusiasm is so wonderful. Thank you showing us this incredible portfolio.
Always interesting stories beautifully told. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you very much for yet another superb exposition, David. This video made my Sunday GREAT!
Thank you David. #11 as told by you has been enthralling.
amazing, it's like finding hidden bonus material on a DVD. Thanks for sharing, David!
Amazing. Very amazing. Bless you Mr. Bull.
love your twitch stream when I can get on . love how much history Japanese printmaking has...
Congratulations on 100,000 subscribers David!
I love art and this isn't even my thing but, there is something soothing and hypnotic about his videos.
Even knowing all the process to make those prints I can't understand how it is possible to have that level of detail in the carving, I simply can't!
That is a very nice print set, you got one hell of a deal on it. I would like to see the entire set in another video if you would be so kind.
You should try to work with a master paper maker over there to make the extremely high quality paper you are looking for. For the boxwood you would need to reach out to the woodworking community to source the material and create the carving blanks.
David thank you for making this. I'm new to collecting Ukiyoe prints, i just bought one of these post card sized prints before watching this and had no idea what they were. I hung it up on my wall and just thought i somehow got a small novelty print, but i knew there were others out there like it, and sure i enough i just stumbled upon your video. i wish i had an expert to look at some of the prints i got, cause i have a passion for these like you. I have some beautiful reproductions and one i got that claims to be an original hiroshige. But i'm not sure. Either way, i love my prints so much and look at them daily with awe..
Another fantastic video! So glad to see another video so soon after the last one.
It's always a good day for woodblock prints when they're bought by Dave to be added to his collection and be appreciated instead of rotting in some garage or attic.
This entire video was excellent, but I particularly love your bit about “shogunai!” Craftsmen like yourself have my infinite respect, and I hope that one day we might be able to have a world where genius, hardworking people like you and your staff are not a specialty of the world. Wood blocking to me represents the importance of art and craftsmanship in work, and your ability to connect with “the youth” (I say as an 18 year old haha) about these important topics is even more important. People like you give me great hope :-)
Magnificent! I took my time to slowly watch each of the magnified photos of the full set. On a 32" size monitor. I'm jealous that Dave has this set of prints, and that I don't have it. And, to be honest, I think that 38,000 Yen is a steal for this set of prints. I would have expected that these sets would cost a multiple of that.
Nice side road through these tiny prints
those little blocks are incredible
Hi Dave, I am loving the channel. I've been watching your videos through the weekend. It was recommended to me through an ASMR (?) channel.
Serendipitously it has greater value for me: I'm studying for a degree in graphic design, and I also visit Tokyo once or twice a year (for the past 20 years) to visit the in-laws and have a nice week or two vacation. We just made it back to London this year before lockdown. No plans for 2021 yet, but I'd love to visit the studio when things are back up and running.
Warm regards from London
Another video! Fantastic!!!!
Ah, the Bob Ross of Japanese woodprints is back. Dare makes my day. Definitely gonna see if I can get some wood prints from him for my mum.
ive done prints and i cant imagine how they did such fine micro detailed carvings. NUTS!
Time for a slide show and another round of tea and biscuits. Many thanks!
Thank you for putting the collection online.
Always enjoy these !
David is the Levar Burton of woodblock prints.
These regular uploads feel like an early Christmas present :)
Dave you are getting better at this... Please post videos weekly. Also can you make show-n-tell episodes on CZcams from your twitch videos.... those are damn interesting.
Good morning and evening...thank you for sharing this wonderfull art. Greetings from Costa Rica. Be well.
This upload made my day! Thanks Dave
I'm glad I wasn't the only one to run to ebay after the video to try and fine that exact small book
Don't worry about these mere prints, the presentations are top notch.
Lovely prints. if not stunning. Also Loved the message of the video.
Oh, I wasn't expecting another video this fast! Beyond excited, thanks!
You passion and enthusiasm is contagious. Thank you for sharing these prints with the world. ❤🌅🌵😷
your videos are so loveable, thank you infinitely
Very interesting, best story teller.
It has be interesting for me and glad you do what you do plus keep up the great work.
"A drone shot" :D
What a find! Absolutely exquisite
This is the kind of guy you wanna meet at a pub.
This is great!
Thank you David, yet another wonderful video. I'm glad you have a good group of people around you to help facilitate and help make these videos. Do what you love and others will see the passions and begin to share your passions.