[Baren]: The mailing list / discussion forum for woodblock printmaking.

Baren Digest                Tuesday, 7 July 1998        Volume 04 : Number 205

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From: Bill Ritchie <ritchie@emeralda.com>
Date: Mon, 06 Jul 1998 06:59:08 -0700
Subject: [Baren 1081] Re: Try a B&B 

Sheryl wrote:
>I also never stayed in a B&B before and I'm not sure I'm
>up for that this trip.  

My family and I traveled a lot and when we returned we opened a B&B and ran
it for several years. The best kinds are those that have the breakfast in
your own room.

We found, too, that many are owned and run by independent, creative types
of people like baren-list users. I envision a time when printmakers will
have their own B&B "best places" list.

I don't know if he still does, but Carol Summers and his wife had one in
Mexico; I saw it featured in an Architectural Digest years ago but I never
went there.

Chance encounters are the most wonderful part of travel, IMHO, and the B&B
is the more likely place to find kindred souls.

One thing to watch out for is bad art on the walls, however. you may have
to pack some prints to bring along.

Bill Richie

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From: jimandkatemundie@juno.com (James G Mundie)
Date: Mon, 6 Jul 1998 18:29:28 -0400
Subject: [Baren 1082] practice, practice, practice 

Greetings all,

	There has been much chat lately about the value of sharing
knowledge, something that Baren does exceedingly well.  I came across an
interesting statement by photographer Ansel Adams today.  Adams-- a man
who believed firmly in sharing what one knows with others--  was speaking
about encouraging photography students to master "the basics" before
attempting to be photographers proper, but his comments apply to
woodblock printmaking as well...

    Having learned their "scales and chords", Adams found "the students
progressed rapidly in their craft.  What pleased me most was that
they discovered their latent individuality; once they could visualize
their images and apply their well-practiced craft, they were able to
express themselves with conviction and enthusiasm.  Craft facility
liberates expression, and I am constantly amazed how many artists
think the opposite to be true."

I thought he stated the heart of the matter very succinctly.  

Mise le meas,
James Mundie, Philadelphia USA

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From: amoss@mindspring.com (John Amoss)
Date: Mon, 6 Jul 1998 19:35:02 +0300
Subject: [Baren 1083] print no.1 

Hello again y'all-
I just posted my first real woodblock print on the web. It's a 6" x 7"
image of a crab done in four colors from three blocks. Please see:

http://www.mindspring.com/~amoss/pages/outside.html 

Click on the thumbnail image to see it enlarged.
It took carving 9 blocks in total- I hacked my way through six cherry
blocks, but I finally saw the light and had much better results with
basswood (thanks Graham). Pine was used for the grain textured background.

I spent last two nights and this morning printing- plenty of hair grease
for the ol' baren. I soon realized that the real work was in the printing
and boy, do I have a lot to learn about that! (lots of smears, lots of
paper in the trash).
Thanks to everyone-especially cyber-master Dave for the guidance.

I can't wait to do another!
Have I flipped? (comments are welcome on this).

- -john

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From: Jean Eger <jeaneger@LanMinds.Com>
Date: Mon, 06 Jul 1998 16:38:26 -0700
Subject: [Baren 1084] Re: visiting 

April:
>My mother does a lot of volunteer work at the UCSC Arboretum, so a lot of
>my images come from there. (Including the "friggin' hummingbird"!) I envy
>your wildflower trip.
>
>It would be fun to meet when I go out sometime!

 That really would be great fun.  It is very enjoyable to meet other
printmakers, and especially woodcutters.  Santa Cruz is a wonderfully
beautiful area.  Our wildflower walks get as far south as Pescadero, which
is north of Santa Cruz, where you are.  I especially admire your sea
anemone.  

Now I have put my own mug on the web.  You can see I am no spring chicken.
http://users.lanminds.com/~jeaneger/jeanview.html

Sheryl, I hope you recover soon.  I just got new glasses also.  It is
difficult to figure out where one's feet are for awhile.  The other bad
parts are seeing all my wrinkles, and the dirt on the rug.  Now I can see
the edge of the U-gouge and see if it has teeth instead of a smooth round
surface.  What do I do about that, Graham?  

It was great to see Graham's B&B on the web site.  A trip to Vancouver is
now coming into focus for me and my sweetie.  When we arrive, I hope you
will be available for an actual printmaking demonstration.  Is that
included in the B&B fee?  Of course, you are all invited to drop in on me
when you are in the Bay Area.  Now if I only had the bucks to drop in on Dave!

Sincerely,
Jean

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From: Phil Bivins <pbivins@mindspring.com>
Date: Mon, 06 Jul 1998 23:07:13 -0400
Subject: [Baren 1085] Re: print no.1 

Good job, John. I enjoyed your work.
Phil

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From: Graham Scholes <gscholes@islandnet.com>
Date: Mon, 6 Jul 1998 22:39:32 -0700
Subject: [Baren 1086] Re: visiting 

Jean wrote:
>Now I have put my own mug on the web.  You can see I am no spring chicken.

That is all dependent on the rooster that is doing the observing.
What I was surprised about was you guys were dressed like you was in the
Great North country.....Canada.  I thought is was always mild if not warm
in Sunny Cal.??

>Now I can see the edge of the U-gouge and see if it has teeth instead of a
>smooth round surface.  What do I do about that, Graham?

Roll the wrists when your sharping it.
1st ...lightly with 250 grit stone
2nd ...lightly with 1000x stone
3rd ....lightly with 4000x stone

I use a magnifying glass to look at the edge to make sure there is no
teeth.  Like 10 power job.

>It was great to see Graham's B&B on the web site.

Actually that is Marnie's B&B.   I'm the entertainment.

>A trip to Vancouver is now coming into focus for me and my sweetie.

That would be fun... the prices are great up here now.  Just to remind you
that we are on the Island just north of Victoria.  Vancouver is big city
ZOO. Victoria is EDEN. You will find a good map on my site
http://www.islandnet.com/~gscholes/vanmap.html. The ferry comes in just a
few miles from our front door.

>When we arrive, I hope you will be available for an actual printmaking
>demonstration.

Sure ....No secrets here.

Graham

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From: Graham Scholes <gscholes@islandnet.com>
Date: Mon, 6 Jul 1998 22:47:23 -0700
Subject: [Baren 1087] Re: print no.1 

JOHN AMOSS wrote.....
>I can't wait to do another!

That is where it all starts. That first one seems to either ignite the fire
or douce it totally never wanting to do another print.
It was the way with me and I have not stopped.


>Have I flipped? (comments are welcome on this).

No and the image is most interesting in that the crab has such a personable
look.  The colours work well and the value of reds on the crab give it a
lovely dimension.

Congrats.

Graham

Onward and upward.

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From: Graham Scholes <gscholes@islandnet.com>
Date: Mon, 6 Jul 1998 22:48:48 -0700
Subject: [Baren 1088] Re: print no.1 

Oh and one thing I did not mention in my first posting.

Good composition.  Bang on.

Graham

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From: David Bull <davebull@woodblock.com>
Date: Tue, 07 Jul 1998 21:39:45 +0900
Subject: [Baren 1089] Jim and John 

John wrote:
>I just posted my first real woodblock print on the web ...
>... a crab done in four colors from three blocks. 

Thank you for showing us this John.  Now, may I ask ...?

Three blocks?  I don't quite get it.  Black outlines - one.  Background
pattern - two.  Red crab body plus body gradation - three.  Red crab
arms plus arm gradation - four ...

The only other way I could guess this is done, is that you delicately
brushed the shading on the arms on the _same_ block that covers both
arms and body, but somehow without getting that deeper red onto the face
area ...

Also, does the background block extend _under_ the red?  It seems like
the woodgrain lines match up.  Or is that just because you used a
similar type of wood for both?

>I can't wait to do another!
>Have I flipped? 

If you've flipped, then welcome to the club!

***

James quoted Ansel Adams:
> Craft facility liberates expression, and I am constantly 
> amazed how many artists think the opposite to be true.

I'm sure you can guess my comments on this: It matches my own bias
completely!  Without technical ability, all else is wasted ...

Mind you, in my own case, I guess perhaps it's gone a bit too far the
other way, and I'm open to criticism for being 'only technique - nothing
to say'.

I suppose that like anything, there is a middle ground ...

Dave

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End of Baren Digest V4 #205
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