Gyotaku (Japanese 魚拓, from gyo "fish" (say “joe”) + taku "rubbing") is the traditional Japanese method of printing fish, a practice which dates back to the mid-1800s. It is believed that fishermen used the prints to record their catches to enable competition between remote fishing campsites. It has become an art form of its own. Paint or Ink is applied directly to a fresh fish and prints (impressions, rubbings) are made. Much like Batik, imperfections are a part of the process.
THE INDIRECT METHOD
