This woodblock print depicts the characters Simon and Gurren Lagann from the anime “Gurren Lagann.” This specific design was adapted from the show’s eyecatch/bumper art (appearing before and after commercial breaks). I recreated the original image using the Japanese woodblock technique (mokuhanga).

This was my most ambitious woodblock print to date. Not only does it have more colors, but it is also larger than than my previous prints. This was carved on 8″x12″ blocks, whereas all my previous prints were carved on 6″x8″ blocks. In addition to the key lines, there were 23 color areas; requiring 25 total impressions (the text required two separate gradations). These were carved on to 12 block faces (6 physical blocks, front and back), which are shown in the gallery below.

Carving and printing took place between September 2024 and April 2025.

As for the wood, the key lines were carved in American Cherry, which my default wood for key blocks; but for the color blocks, I experimented with some other materials. Some color blocks were carved on solid basswood boards that were glued to a plywood core (similar to the cherry blocks), while other color blocks were carved on basswood plywood.

The solid basswood was a pleasure to carve–very soft compared to cherry–but it had some issues during printing. It seemed that it had some soft or porous spots that would leave a particular pattern of darker colored dots. The grey areas above Simon’s head, and the skin tone around his mouth were particularly troublesome; but overall, I think it turned out decently.

Additional commentary coming soon™.