Suminagashi Workshop

Overview:

Learn the ancient art of suminagashi which when translated directly means “floating ink”. As the name implies, sumi ink is applied to the surface of water where special paper is used to absorb the design permanently from the surface of the water. Originating in ancient Japan as a way to watermark royal documents due to the way a design is never exactly repeated you can now find suminagashi patterns on everything from modern shoes and fashion to end sheets for books in print. 

Suminagashi is not only meditative but it allows novice creatives to easily connect with creating art without any experience in a satisfying way. Whether it is a warm up activity to get your creative juices flowing or as a pattern for a fancy scarf, suminagashi is an exciting addition to any creators tool kit. 

What you’ll learn: 

We will cover the basic steps, including appropriate materials (paper, ink, brushes, surfactant and tray), for Suminagashi printmaking. Attendees will be able to apply the ink to a water filled tray to make their own design and then “pull” the print translating their idea to reality as the paper absorbs their pattern. We’ll also discuss drying techniques and styles of prints that can be made with Suminagashi. 

All materials needed will be provided for the workshop.

About the instructor: 

Kent Riggs began by his practice by attending online workshops for Suminagashi at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020 and hasn’t stopped pulling prints since. With well over a thousand prints pulled he has taught multiple workshops and advised organizations on the Suminagashi practice since while dabbling in other printmaking styles along the way.