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“Ukiyo-e Heroes” Turns Video Game Characters Into Japanese Woodblock Art

By August 8th, 2012

“Ukiyo-e Heroes” Turns Video Game Characters Into Japanese Woodblock Art

Illustrator Jed Henry loves the old Japanese art of ukiyo-e, a type of woodblock printing (The Great Wave off Kanagawa is a wonderful example of this technique.) Henry also has a fondness for video games, and as artists like to do, he decided to mash both passions together.

In Ukiyo-e Heroes, Henry has researched and drawn a selection of Nintendo video game characters in the Japanese ukiyo-e style. There are currently 12 designs that feature Mario, Link, Samus, Mega Man, Donkey Kong, Simon Belmont, and a wonderful panel of Street Fighter characters. Have a look at some of Henry’s artwork after the jump.

To make these digital prints a reality, Henry has contacted Dave Bull, a craftsman who has been at Japanese woodblock printmaking for the last 30 years. Bull has carved the “Rickshaw Cart” and with funding, a run of prints can be done. With 22 days to go, Henry’s Kickstarter project has already reached its goal amount. If you’d like to back the project, have a look at the video below.

[via Technabob]


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2 Comments
  1. Shan (Reply) on August 13th, 2012

    It was painful watching that video at the end there. Constant buff lags.

  2. prawn1 (Reply) on August 13th, 2012

    I can’t seem to find that video on YouTube or Vimeo.

    There is a clip of Bull’s first proof of Henry’s “Rickshaw Cart” design. It might be worth a watch.