Focusing on the Positive, A-Z; Day 24: Xylography

X is an insane letter to try to do a FotP post with. I have learned the meaning of so many different X words this morning just trying to find one that could apply to this series. To top off the frustration I was having, Merriam-Webster.com is going to start charging for the use of the site. Right now, you can sign up for your 14 day free trial. I am less than happy about this. Anyway, xylograhpy is the closest I could get. This is going to be more of an informative post, but learning is a positive thing so…well, here we go. 😉

Xylography (noun)

the art of engraving on wood, or of printing from such engravings.

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This is really a very interesting topic. Well, to me it is, which isn’t surprising since I love to learn new things. Due to time restrictions this morning, this is going to be pretty brief, though I am sure I will probably spend more time later today finding out more about the art of xylography.

Xylography is the oldest known relief print making technique. (about education) It originated in China and later caught on in Europe sometime around the late 14th century. (Encyclopedia Britannica) A piece of wood,usually a block of wood, has a picture or whatever carved into a flat surface of the wood. If it is going to be used for printing, the picture must be carved in reverse and in the negative format with the parts that are wanted to transfer the in being the raised parts. Simple, right? Well, not so  much, in my opinion. It takes skill, and patience, and the ability to see things in the reverse or negative format. Anyway, the end result is something similar to the picture above.

I have to admit that I find this art to be amazing. Sure, the prints that can be made from these finished works of art are cool, but I honestly love the carvings themselves. Many of the ones I saw on Google Images are quite intricate and beautiful. There are some artist that are adapting the art for their own style. One artist pictured was making a print of the cut part of a stump. What he was peeling back was intriguing.

As much as I love learning, I love creativity. I am a creative soul myself so I find new (to me) forms of creative expression quite captivating. As I was looking at the different images, my mind began to search for ways that I may be able to accomplish this form of art myself. It’s not that I want to turn that into a career or even a hobby. I would just like to try it myself. I’m a hands on person and feel that one of the best ways to understand something fully is through experience. Isn’t that part of what life is about? Experiencing as many things as possible in one short lifetime?