[Baren]: The mailing list / discussion forum for woodblock printmaking. Baren Digest Wednesday, 4 November 1998 Volume 05 : Number 331 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Graham Scholes Date: Tue, 3 Nov 1998 07:59:46 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Baren 1991] Re: beginners Wanda wrote >Graham, I think the pigments at Sinopia are just that: pigments to be >made into ink, watercolor, oils or acrylics. They also have the binders, >etc. to do just about anything with them. So they must be powder pigments......!!!!! >Does the place you recommended >have a catalog? No they don't. I can understand, that to purchase them would be a pig-in-a-poke for anyone. However I recommend them highly and as they are a water base they are extremely easy to use. I have compared them to Winsor Newton watercolours for intensity and they are equal, yet one hell of a lot cheaper. Graham ------------------------------ From: "David Stones" Date: Wed, 4 Nov 1998 01:32:48 +0900 Subject: [Baren 1992] RE: Method of printing colors Dear Chris and All, I'd like to add "my process" to the list for printing colours/blocks... it may be nothing new though to many out there in [Baren] world as it's only a variation brought into woodblocks from the "old job" of commercial printer. As I experimented to understand the "Japanese" process and learn the basics, I found a colour/block order developing that started with the usual lighter colours (but no grey keyblock first) and in which the actual keyblock dropped somewhere midway - and was usually black... The normal process of yellow, magenta, cyan followed by black on the machine press wasn't considered but the position of the main plate (usually black) did influence things I guess, and I began to print the full outline block after most of the main blocks were done, often letting the "rough" texture of the blocks come out as they were overprinted (much to teacher's annoyance as I was not following "accepted traditional" methods). A reasonably stable colour/block order has now come about due to this but I do continue to alter a new print's colour/block order until things fit the original concept which (I repeat myself from a previous post) should have been thoroughly considered before even carving. (The only caution is to NOT tinker too long!). Each colour is then individually printed for all the day's prints in the stack. The main thing then, if I'm to add a useful 2 yen's worth, is to try and bring about what you would like to create (already clearly thought out) and only use the experience of those before or those who have written, as a guide and not to just copy a process. Your own style will evolve and, sometimes, will surprise... I might add though that it doesn't mean that the "traditional ways are out" - by no means - but, I do think, woodblock today offers so much in such a variety of materials and combinations of colour that it cannot fail to satisfy most - in everything - except for maybe speed?! Print on... Dave S ------------------------------ From: "Roger A. Ball" Date: Tue, 03 Nov 1998 10:56:21 -0700 Subject: [Baren 1993] Re: Clarification..."Esposito method" Ray and Jim: Thanks for the kind responses to my dimness. The shipping box needs to be appropriate for the 29 prints. Other wrappings optional. Check. >"...The Esposito method is to grab ...green... ...and...hey >man, go for it. The results are.....well, surprising. :-)>>>" While I print each color in turn after I get going, Ray's description of the rest of his printing process sounds uncanningly similar to mine! Just have to watch that the prints don't get slurred and bleary... I suspect other members might adopt similar fuel (contraband or not) during the printing process --(and feel free to disagree...) it seems so appropriate somehow. Interesting... Also many of the "how-to" books specifically mention to beware of staining the paper with your pipe tobacco... Cutting like crazy, just as you suggest, Jim. Joy to you, - -Roger :o)~" ------------------------------ From: Marco Flavio Date: Tue, 03 Nov 1998 10:01:59 -0800 Subject: [Baren 1994] Re: beginners Hey Graham, the pigments are pure and can be mixed with an oil base (lineseed for example) or water and paste. The medium is up to you; I have made oils for painting and water pigments for woodcuts from them. Take care, Marco Flavio ------------------------------ From: "Ray Esposito" Date: Tue, 3 Nov 1998 13:33:24 -0500 Subject: [Baren 1995] Re: Clarification..."Esposito method" >I suspect other members might adopt similar fuel (contraband or not) during >the printing process --(and feel free to disagree...) it seems so >appropriate somehow. CONTRABAND......CONTRABAND....what do you mean, contraband. That is a negative term. Those of us who grew up in Haight Asbury in the 60's perfer to think of it as "nector". :-)>>> Cheers ------------------------------ From: "Ray Esposito" Date: Tue, 3 Nov 1998 13:35:26 -0500 Subject: [Baren 1996] Re: beginners Marco wrote: >the pigments are pure and can be mixed with an oil base ......."lineseed" Marco This sounds line something I smoked in the 60's, not something you use for art. :-)>>> Come to think of it...I can't remember what we did with it. Cheers ------------------------------ From: Marco Flavio Date: Tue, 03 Nov 1998 11:15:03 -0800 Subject: [Baren 1997] Re: beginners You can't remember because you were SUPPOSED to paint with it but you smoked it instead! Cobalt and Nickel will do that to you! :-) Take care, Marco Flavio ------------------------------ From: Marco Flavio Date: Tue, 03 Nov 1998 15:54:18 -0800 Subject: [Baren 1998] Printing multiple colors part 2 I have a detailed question for you all. It is my understanding from what I read and from the e-mail of yesterday that in hanga yopu print all the copies of 1 color and then mix the second color and proceed to print that one. My question is how do you keep the paper between colors? If you dampen it again won't the color bleed or transfer to other sheets? And if you let it dry won't it shrink and therefore not register properly with the other blocks? If I print all the prnts w/one color can I print the other at a later date or do I have to do it right away? Thank you, Marco Flavio ------------------------------ From: David Bull Date: Wed, 04 Nov 1998 21:26:27 +0900 Subject: [Baren 1999] Quotes and Questions Jean wrote: > I apologize for forgetting to erase the previous correspondence > before I wrote and sent my reply. All those <<<<<<<<<'s just take > up unnecessary space. That was an interesting one; Jean (who is a _digest_ subscriber) forgot to erase the quotes, and thus the entire previous digest got included in her message. Then Ray quoted her and also forgot to erase the quotes, and then somebody else quoted Ray ... and on it went. That's why an extra digest popped out that day; they are triggered whenever the volume of postings gets too voluminous. Anyway, it was kind of a good joke - and a good reminder to all of us: try and keep the quoted stuff to a minimum ... you know, under a hundred lines or so ... *** Marco asked a few questions (which would need a whole book to answer _completely_): >My question is how do you keep the paper between colors? (I'll answer these based on the traditional Japanese 'water-based' methods) The paper is moistened before printing starts, usually the evening before, and _remains_ at or near that same level of moisture right until the end of the final colour. The paper must be kept covered when not actually out in the open on the block, and of course must be wrapped up well at night to inhibit evaporation. >If you dampen it again won't the color bleed or transfer to other sheets? If it _does_ turn out that the paper loses moisture during the process, then one must add more - either by moistening the wrapping and interleaving sheets (the usual way), or by direct application to the paper itself. Colour that has been pressed into the body of the paper by the strength of the baren neither bleeds nor transfers to neighbouring sheets. >And if you let it dry won't it shrink and therefore not register >properly with the other blocks? Yes, and this is one of the reasons that the moisture must be maintained at a consistent level. >If I print all the prnts w/one color can I print the other at a later date >or do I have to do it right away? No problem: dry them off, put it away for a year or so, and then remoisten them and pick up where you left off. If you don't want to go to the trouble of remoistening, then I think I've seen postings on this forum from Matt or Graham who talked about putting a partially finished print in the freezer for a while, and then pulling it out some time later for finishing. The chilling is necessary because the sized wet paper is a perfect breeding ground for molds. We're perhaps cheating future generations by eliminating the possibility of accidentally discovering a new 'penicillin', but that isn't _our_ problem, is it! *** I'm off for an interesting day tomorrow. It's the next installment of filming for the documentary, and we're visiting printer Matsuzaki-san in the morning, carver Ito-san in the afternoon, and then off to a 'social' evening with the craftsmen's association, at which I _pretend_ to drink with the guys while they slowly slide under the tables (easy to do when everybody's sitting on the floor in the first place ...) Dave ------------------------------ End of Baren Digest V5 #331 ***************************