Capsule history of nature printing

Nature Printing is a relatively simple technique that utilizes inks or pigments to transfer images of nature to paper, cloth or other surfaces. Few art forms so simply or precisely record the subtle distinctions of natural subjects. And certainly no other method is so ingenious as to let you feel shapes and textures while at the same time expressing the intrinsic designs of nature. The graceful contours and delicate surface relief of plants and animals, rocks and other found objects serve as templates for prints that capture the striking beauty of nature.

The origins of nature printing are lost in time. The earliest prints – faded impressions and silhouettes of hands associated with prehistoric cave paintings – stand in silent testimony to the dawn of man’s creative drives. A variety of techniques have evolved independently in many parts of the world. All are variations of two basic methods. In the indirect method pigment is dabbed or rubbed onto a piece of wet paper or cloth that has been molded over the surface of the object to be printed. In the direct method ink is brushed or rolled directly onto the surface of the subject. A print is obtained by placing a piece of paper or cloth over the subject and rubbing to transfer the images.

INDIRECT METHOD

Indirect prints using “wet rubbing” techniques first appeared in China during the start of the Han Era about 200 B.C. The technique known as tapian was developed to study characters incised in stone by early calligraphy masters. For centuries in the Orient, pictoral scenes have been carved in stone or metal for the sole purpose of being reproduced by rubbings. Outside the Orient, the indirect method shows up in less complicated dry rubbing techniques employed with monumental brasses and gravestones. Brass rubbing flourished in England in the 1500’s and then all but disappeared until its recent revival. Today gravestone rubbing is a popular pastime in New England.

Fish printing had its origin in Japan. Although the oldest fish prints date only from the mid 1800’s, the techniques are a direct extension of age-old Chine stone rubbing. The earliest prints were commissioned during the Tokugawa Era to celebrate fishes caught for a lord’s feast. Today, the indirect method is widely practiced and prints of trophy catches decorate fishing tackle stores all over Japan. During the last 30 years Japanese artists have refined basic wet rubbing techniques into a highly sophisticated art form know as gyotaku.

DIRECT METHOD 

Printing techniques in which ink was applied directly to the subject evolved in the 1400’s in Renaissance Europe, in response to the need to produce illustrations of herbs and medicinal plants. Major improvements in the direct method were made during the 1700 and 1800’s by Austrian and English printmakers. The fidelity of detail achieved during this period with subjects such as algae, ferns, flowers, snake skins, bat wings, lave and even polished agates has never been surpassed.

Nature printing was introduced into the American colonies during the 1700’s. Prints of leaves were commonly used to illustrate regional floras and were used on paper money to prevent counterfeiting. By the late 1800’s, the invention of the halftone process and the advent of photography brought the golden age of nature printing in the Western world to a close. The techniques that held such unique possibilities were all but lost and forgotten.

During the last several decades there has been a remarkable resurgence of interest in nature printing in the United States and elsewhere in the world. The simplicity of techniques, the ready availability of subjects, and the low cost of supplies make the art form accessible to anyone with an interest in nature. In 1976 the Nature Printing Society was formed. Devoted to the preservation of this unique art form, the Society seeks to encourage an exchange of information and ideas through its newsletters and through workshops, demonstrations, exhibitions and publications.