Octopus Drawings

The Chinese printing method of Gyotaku transfers in minute detail what normally may go unnoticed. The inside is exposed to the outside as Colman uses the actual squid ink and fish innards to develop an image by layering thin layers of gouache over each inky trace. He reworks the image over and over, honing in on the details he wishes to portray in capturing the essence of movement and aquatic presence. This technique utilised by Colman dates back to 1700’s. The idea for this series of drawings was brought about after reading ‘The Book of Curious Fish’, a story about an Irishman who was transported to Australia in the 1700’s for robbing fish.

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