Star Wars Scenes Told Through Japanese Woodblock Printing
Via DesignBoom.com
How do you reignite interest in a centuries-old craft, where patience, dexterity and technical mastery exceed the standard of today’s poster-making practices? the ‘rythem force’ project suggests introducing a contemporary cult classic, like star wars, to the scene.
The project, debuting on japanese crowdfunding site makuake, comprises three compositions that unite star wars characters, settings and scenes with traditional woodblock prints known as ‘ukiyo-e’. this genre flourished in japan from the 17th through 19th centuries, typically depicting popular themes of the time such as kabuki actors, sumo wrestlers, folk tales, landscapes, and flora and fauna.
These motifs have been reinterpreted and reconsidered to suit images sourced from the film franchise, like darth vader wielding a lightsaber and a scene from the battle of hoth. each graphic has been meticulously hand-carved by a wood sculptor, who creates multiple blocks for each represented color created by the painter. finally, another craftsman prints the final result on japanese paper — 200 limited edition copies have been made of each star wars composition.
More photos including a pictorial of the entire carving process can be found on DesignBoom.com