Gyotaku Lakefish Printing Pop-up

We will be hosting guided fish printing of locally caught Wisconsin Lakefish onto T-Shirts, Paper, and Patches during the Elkhart Lake 4th of July Parade. All skill levels are welcome and we will have a wide variety of colors and gradients available.

 Fish printing, also known as Gyotaku originated in the later half of Japans Edo Period (1603-1867.) A time of peace, political stability, and economic growth known for its vibrant art, literature, theater, and total closed borders after exclusively trading with the Dutch for many years prior.

Japanese fishermen initially created Gyotaku, directly translated to fish rubbings, as a way to document and record their catches before the widespread use of photography. This tradition allowed them to preserve the size, species, and intricate details of their catches while still allowing them to sell or use the fish for food. Gyotaku also played a role in fishing competitions, where the prints were used to determine the winner based on the size and appearance of the fish.

Today Gyotaku is certainly a lesser known/celebrated printing technique. But artists and fish lovers are still creating unique images of marine life all over the world!