Note: First Published in January 2014 and republished in March 2014. I was informed in March 2014 that the Ukiyoe app is no longer for sale in the Apple iTunes Store or available at all. It may still be used if it was downloaded on a device previously.

As I mention in my May 2013 post, I tried out the iPad as a tool for art in March 2012.  I eventually became especially attracted to the Ukiyoe app, since it allowed me to create woodcuts virtually.  The Ukiyoe app is named after the Ukiyo-e genre of 17th to 19th century Japanese woodblock printmaking.  The process of creating a hand-made woodcut has several steps.  #1) A design is carved into a flat block of wood with knives and gouges.  #2) Ink is applied to the part of the flat bock that is still raised.  #3) The ink impression is printed onto a surface usually paper or fabric, similarly to a stamp.  The hand-printing method includes pressing the paper or fabric onto the inked blocks with a wooden spoon or barren.  Alternately, a printing press may be used to transfer the image, usually a letterpress or etching press.  #4) Then prints are usually printed in a limited number of impressions, called a limited edition.  The Ukiyoe iPad app translates the first 3 steps virtually, but #4, the actual process of editioning, is not translated to this process.  Editioning is a tradition born out of practicality.  The woodblock will only allow so many impressions to be printed before the design naturally begins to breakdown.  Though, limited editions also add value to prints by adding uniqueness.  

In the Ukiyoe iPad app the wood does not eventually break down, since it is digital art.  As I ponder why it is officially digital art, my thoughts go back to graduate school when I did not understand why my photos converted into lithographs were considered traditional prints, not photographs.  It was because the lithographic process of printing used was considered officially printmaking.  Similarly, Ukiyoe iPad art, although created based on the woodcut printmaking process, is a digital image.  

In June of  2012 a very established artist told me he had a strong appreciation for the art I was creating with this app.  He suggested to me that I create the digital images as actual woodcuts.  I wrestled with this idea for a while and decided that the reproduction of the virtual images as actual woodcuts would not look exactly the same.  Then I began to ponder whether I should reproduce the prints of the digital images as limited editions.  After studying printmaking throughout my education, it was hard for me to break away from this convention.  In October 2013 I decided to step out on a limb and I considered selling my Ukiyoe app prints through a print-on-demand service.  Print-on-demand allows prints to be created on a wide variety of materials as they are requested.  There are many options for archival quality ink and paper prints to be produced. However, I decided to stick with limited editions.  I also create monoprints (one impression prints) for private commissions and unique prints through hand-drawing or painting on top of the digital prints.  

Here is the process of creating a black and white image with the Ukiyoe iPad app through photos.