Linda

A four-block mokuhanga portrait of a named subject, printed on [washi](/glossary/washi). Within Lyon's figurative series, four-block works represent a distilled approach in which each layer must carry significant tonal responsibility. The water-based pigments used in mokuhanga layer differently from oil-based inks: each successive pass modifies the underlying tone rather than simply covering it, building a luminous depth that characterizes the medium. Washi's absorbency and slight surface texture contribute to the soft rendering of skin, hair, and clothing, preventing the tonal transitions from appearing mechanical despite the CNC precision of the carved blocks. The intimate scale and direct naming of the subject place the print firmly in Lyon's practice of portraying people known to him personally.