Sarasa Page
innovative printing techniques spawned through wonder and misunderstandings
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below are some of the many classes I offer on this subject
Sarasa One
working with stencils
Sarasa Two
working with vegetables
Sarasa Three
working with wood blocks
Sarasa Four
direct painting
sarasa related topics
programs related to or that augment sarasa techniques
Soy Vey!
working with soy
Tegaki
Japanese approaches to painting directly on silk
Maiwai
designing and dyeing your own fisherman's robe
Katazome
traditional stenciled rice-paste resist techniques
Bingata
Okinawan rice-paste resist with a focus on pigment dyes
Advanced Stencil Design
in-depth coverage of design, carving, and working with stencils
sarasa
更紗
Sarasa was introduced to Japan through the extensive trade routes spanning the known world during the Ming Dynasty of China. They came from a variety of exotic lands – India, Indonesia, and by some accounts, even Africa. Richly patterned, they were highly coveted. As result, many creative attempts were made to reproduce them. However, unknown to the Japanese of the times, they had actually been produced by a wide range of techniques. One of the great advantages of being able to work with creative ignorance is the birth of innovative techniques. Wazarasa (Japanese sarasa) is one such example.
a few well known categories of sarasa
EdoZarasa
EdoZarasa is typically produced using a series of stencils. This is the process from which silk screening was eventually developed. There are two basic ways to apply the dyes. Synthetic dyes may be added to rice paste and spread through consecutive layers of stencils. The other choice is to use the same stencils with natural (or synthetic) dyes and brush them through directly. The latter approach allows for more nuanced shades of color.
WaZarasa
WaZara may be producd using any one of a number of techniques. The defining factor is the imagery. It should originate in Japan, even though at times it may be heavily influenced by Indian prints or Indonesian batiks. Typical patterns might be Dutch traders, adding a touch of exotic in the theme, while depicting local occurrences of the times.
YasaiZarasa
Yasai means vegetable in Japanese. While potatoes are most commonly used, just about any part of a plant may be pressed into serve. Potatoes are easily carved, but many vegetables have naturally interesting shapes when sliced in half. Lotus root, celery, and even okra are all good examples. Typically, these were employed as you might use a rubber stamp on fabric, sometimes taking advantage of the plant's own ability to stain.
