Paul Binnie Morning Tears

Paul Binnie “Morning Tears” artwork
Asa ni Namida (Morning Tears) is the fourth and newest design in my series Azuma Nishiki Bijin Awase (A Collection of Eastern Brocade Beauties), and is made in the same format as the previous prints of this set, with image size 38 x 27 cm on paper of 45 x 31cm (17 x 12 inches). I have decided to make something a little more psychological this time and many people have asked me why the girl is crying, and perhaps some suggestion may be found in her disarranged kimono and hairstyle and the cold feeling of 'morning-after' in the blue-silver mica background. In this print I decided to try a slightly unusual printing technique for the shibori (tie-dyed) pattern on the red kimono; the plain paper was first deeply embossed with the small circular pattern in white and then red was gently printed over the surface from a flat block, not penetrating into the depths of the embossing because of the minimal pressure, which gives quite a realistic feel to the dyed silk. In addition, I have added hand-applied 'teardrops' of nikawa (glue-size) in the mica to represent her fallen tears, which are unique to each piece and can only be clearly seen on handling the print."
Paul Binnie, .
Artist
Paul Binnie
Title
Morning Tears
Japanese title
Asa ni namida 朝に涙
Series title
A Collection of Eastern Brocade Beauties
Japanese series title
Azuma nishiki bijin awase 東錦美人合
Date
Medium
Colour woodblock print on paper
Paper dimensions (h × w)
45 × 31 cm
Image dimensions (h × w)
38 × 27 cm
Edition size
100
Carver
Paul Binnie
Printer
Paul Binnie
Subjects
Beautiful Women (Bijin 美人)
Remarks
References
Catalogue number
114 (L112)
Supplementary images