This is a handmade woodblock print. Wow! I can't believe how good this looks. We really are making great progress with our apprentice printmakers.

I love the background paintings in this film - I could stare at them for days! And even though it's not a perfect fit, I wanted to approach this magical world with my own traditional block print aesthetic. To capture as much detail as possible, I decided to work in the modern Shin-hanga style, which is known for its realism and complex color schemes. I think the final design came out pretty well!

The caption reads 彩輝萬夢, which is an abbreviated kanji-only translation meaning 'Endless Dreams in Paint and Light".

I've teamed up again with apprentice printmaker William Francis to produce this handmade print. William is still at an early stage in his training, so his work isn't at the level of Dave and his Tokyo team.

We are also setting a very low price for such a complex print. This is a great opportunity to own a piece of our history, as we slowly train up the next generation of printmakers. We thank you for investing in the future of this craft! In the process of making this print, William learned a ton! 

This design requires many individual impressions to achieve a full range of color. William uses the finest quality of yamazakura (mountain cherry) to carve his printing blocks. The wood is capable of holding a very fine level of delicacy – every last detail is printed by the wood left standing, after the rest has been cut away.

The paper is handmade Echizen Hosho Washi, made by national living treasure, Iwano Ichibei IX. This is the exact same paper printers used over 200 years ago! You can see a video of Mr. Iwano at work here.

This print is in the traditional koban format – 6.5 x 9 inches (17 x 24 cm).