Mokuhanga, WTF?

We would like to introduce you to the wonderful world of Mokuhanga!

Here you will learn all about this ancient, eco-friendly printing technique where artistic interpretation and craftsmanship go hand in hand.

Do you want to know why we actually love Mokuhanga and what all our plans are?

Would you like to learn how to make a Japanese woodcut yourself?

Would you like to know who else is enchanted by this technique and where to go for interesting podcasts, books, materials or exhibitions?

In the coming months, we will continue to build our site and take you all the way.

Feel free to book us for a talk, demonstration or workshop!

Have fun exploring!

About mokuhanga

Japanese woodcut or Mokuhanga is a form of printmaking that developed from Chinese woodcut. It took on the distinct character we know today from prints such as Hokusai’s ‘The Wave’ in the mid-17th century.

Each print is the result of a collaboration between the artist/designer, a cutter and a printer. Japanese woodcut is one of the simplest printing techniques: a drawing is cut from a block of wood, then ink is applied to the block using brushes. A paper sheet is then placed on the inked block and a ‘baren’ is rubbed on the back. In this way, the ink is pressed onto the paper. A different wood block is cut for each colour.

Mokuhanga, or Japanese woodcut, is a traditional and highly craft embedded form of relief printing. The important thing about Mokuhanga is that no chemicals or solvents are used. No printing press is even needed to print; every part of the process is done manually.

Furthermore, the detailed drawing of these woodcuts and the rich, painterly use of colour are particularly striking.

About us

Mokuhanga Magic! is a project by Vladimir Ivaneanu and Soetkin Everaert.
We are two artists with a shared passion for the technique of Japanese woodcut.

Vladimir is a printmaking artist specialising in relief printing and Japanese woodcut. He went to Japan in 2007 to learn the tricks of the trade.

Soetkin has a background as a sculptor and draughtsman. She was a student of Vladimir at the Academy of Ghent.

In 2024, Vladimir and Soetkin will travel to Japan together to work with Japanese masters to see how they can better use craftsmanship, evaluate their own practice and reflect on the future.

Master / apprentice

Since January 2023, we have been participating in an master-apprentice program.

This scholarship is awarded by the Flemish community and supports passing on craftsmanship. For two years, Vladimir will pass on his know-how of the technique of woodcutting and printmaking to Soetkin.

We will also explore together the possibilities that Japanese woodcut can offer in the European printmaking landscape as an accessible, innovative and ecological technique. We will both apply that knowledge in our own artistic work. We hope to share our passion and knowledge with as many interested parties as possible and spread the magic of this fantastic technique.