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

Baren Digest            Wednesday, 11 November 1998    Volume 05 : Number 340

----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Steiner <steiner@mbox.kyoto-inet.or.jp>
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1998 22:22:10 +0900
Subject: [Baren 2055] Kyoto Craftspeople 

Richard Steiner/Kyoto
Dave B. wrote about the situation in Tokyo (Baren 2006) with regards to the
number of craftspeople and the sort of parties they have.  From his
description, sounds like they have a lot of fun. He said that he didn't
know the situation here in Kyoto, a hint for me to get out and run this
info down.  I did.  Here it is.
There are actually two woodblock artesian associations in Kyoto, the
Ukiyo-e Mokuhanga Cho-shu Gijutsu Hozon Kyokai, and the Kyoto Mokuhanga
Kogei Kumiai.  Perhaps, in english, they would be rendered: The Association
to Promote Ukiyo-e Woodblock Carvers and Printers, and the Kyoto Woodblock
Artician Union.  The difference is that the first is devoted to training
young people the skills necessary to keep woodblock printmaking alive,
whereas the second is a working man's union, as it were.  Members of the
second, all middle-aged or older, are also members of the first.
The first is only 20 years old;  the second dates from way before the war,
and is probably  the descendant of the Edo Period gang.
There are (according to the catalog of their Second Exhibition held last
year, in Tokyo and Kyoto, so, probable, the same source Dave referred to)
in Kyoto10 carvers (one a woman) and 21 printers.  This is out-of-date
information.  The Kyoto Chief, the printer Mr Sato, told me that at least
10 new people have become members, and they include a couple women, one of
whom works for Sato and just graduated from college.  At the exhibition
last year, I met the other women, a carver.  Two of my college students
have been working for Sato for several years, both in their late 20s now.
I asked if everyone was busy, and Sato replied that, while not exactly
busy, work for everyone was steady throughout the year.  What work? As in
Tokyo, pro-carvers and printers do reproductions of ukiyo-e prints, holiday
greeting cards, special one-time commissions for individuals, and, where
the money really is, reproducing famous Japanese painters' paintings for
department stores and mail order sales.  Editions are nearly always over
100, number of colors is 40, 60, 90.  Interesting Experience Telling Time:
many years ago I visited the studio of one of the top carvers in Kyoto, Mr
Kikuta (passed on in his 90s a few years ago).  He and his assistant had
finished carving the blocks for a three-print series of a well-known
painter's works, commissioned by a leading department store in Tokyo. He
put two identical pieces up against the wall and asked me to indicate which
one was the original watercolor and which the woodblock copy.  As I am
alive and telling this to you all now, there was no way to distinguish them
apart from any distance, until I got up very close, took off my glasses (I
am uniquely near-sighted) and looked for the tell tale embossing marks
running along the sides of the printed areas. I found some on one of the
pieces and said That is the print, which was correct. The carving and
printing were beyond belief.  How many colors? Over 100.  Both cherry and
linden blocks used.  The printer was a man I hadn't heard of, living way
out in the western part of Kyoto.
I wonder is the young people entering the craft today will ever be able to
reach that level of skill?  Our Dave is good, as you can see from the
prints on his home page.  But he will be the first to admit that his skills
are still far from really great, great as they are.
The preponderance of carvers and printers live in Kyoto and Tokyo, but
there are some in the prefectures of Nagano (the winter Olympics), Ibaragi
and Chiba, both near Tokyo, and in Shizuoka, where we can find the sixth
generation of a family who did and still does both the carving and
printing; very rare, said Sato (and Dave recently, too).
By the way, the Kyoto association was awarded some award from the Japanese
Government's Ministry of Culture for the work they are doing to preserve
and maintain the craft. I can hear the applause, so on that note,
Steiner/Kyoto

------------------------------

From: Gayle Wohlken <blueman@pantek.com>
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1998 09:08:08 -0500
Subject: [Baren 2056] Re: Baren Digest V5 #339 

Graham wrote:

> Some time back I explained the use of Varnish before and after carving the block.
> If you apply two very thin coats (Varnish cut 50% with thinners) it will
> tough up the wood to allow very fine lines.

I'm afraid this is a little long.

Graham, I use oil based ink and was told to use shellac instead of 
varnish since shellac is dissolved by denatured alcohol.  In the long
run the drawing underneath is protected because in cleaning up oil based
ink, one uses baby oil and finally mineral spirits or turpentine.  The
turpentine doesn't dissolve the shellac, but if I were to use varnish, it 
would.  Does this make sense?  

I still sometimes get a messup with my drawing beneath
unless I'm careful to remember to varnish over each change.  I've never
been able to remedy this problem totally.  That's why the glue idea
appealed to me.  I thought, chemically, something different would 
happen.  Maybe it would make matters worse.  By the way, the under
drawing is usually with permanent markers.  I would appreciate hearing
from other oil-based ink users as to how they keep their drawing intact
after cleanups if they are still working on design elements that can
only be solved by proofing and cutting.

Whenever I cut wood the James Mundie way (with razors and needles)
I positively lose the drawing after the first proofing and then it
becomes impossible to see what to do next because of how much ink stain 
has gone into the wood.  That's why when I do it his way ( four times now)
I try to get it right the first time.  I consider most of these
unfinished.

By the way, I'm not a James Mundie Wannabe, but some of his techniques
would work well for certain areas in my woodcuts (for instance the one
I'm working on now for the exchange has a swath of wind going through
it.  Needling the ends of it as it goes off into the distance would make
it seem more ethereal.

* * * *

Thanks for encouragement from Baren members Jeanne and
James.

Gayle Wohlken

------------------------------

From: Elizabeth Atwood <elizuno@midcoast.com>
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1998 11:22:41 -0400
Subject: [Baren 2057] Block drawing 

Gayle......I approach my woodblocks differently........I create a key block
which contains all the major elements and transfer that to several blocks.
Then working with that image on those blocks, I have the freedom to change
and manipulate.....sometimes even throwing out the key block.
The original drawing is used only to mark in pencil on the first block or
"key".
I'm delighted with the Elmer's glue suggestion.....I use white pine which
is very soft.

Welcome to newcomer Lynita from northeastern Conn. I know the area.....hope
you find it hospitable to printmakers!

Thanks to all for the wonderful stories surfacing lately.

Eliz Atwood

------------------------------

From: Graham Scholes <gscholes@islandnet.com>
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1998 09:14:40 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [Baren 2058] Re: Baren Digest V5 #339 

Gayle wrote....
>Graham, I use oil based ink and was told to use shellac instead of
>varnish since shellac is dissolved by denatured alcohol.

The shellac will give the same kind of support as the varnish.
Two thin coats will work fine.

> In the long run the drawing underneath is protected because
>in cleaning up oil based ink, one uses baby oil and finally mineral
>spirits or turpentine.  The turpentine doesn't dissolve the shellac

Baby oil and finally mineral spirits or turpentine......These will not
desolve varnish once it has set and cured. It takes 12 hours for the set.
So, I'm wondering what varnish you are using or other solvent that causes
the varnish to desolve.?

I am confussed here......why do you need to retain the drawing on the plate
once you start printing.........reduction method?

Graham

------------------------------

From: <DARICH@prodigy.net>
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1998 10:22:34 -0800
Subject: [Baren 2059] for Gayle 

Dear Gayle,

Like you I am printing with oil base inks.  I transfer my original drawing
using carbon paper so my drawing on the block is in blue ink and if I am
using reduction method it helps to seal the block to save the drawing.  I
have tried shellac but found that it blurred the original drawing.  What
works for me is a light spray of clear acrilic varnish.  I use a spray can
and spray the block after transfering the drawing.  Spray it lightly, let
it dry, spray again a few times and sand it very lightly at the end.  I use
a paint thinner to clean the block between printings but very little. 
Remove 98% of the ink by rubbing with a rag first and just put a small
amount of solvant on a rag to wipe the last bit of ink off.  This light
cleaning doesn't remove the varnish.  Easy, and it works for me.

Andrea Rich

------------------------------

From: StudioJNC@aol.com
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1998 13:45:05 EST
Subject: [Baren 2060] Re: for Gayle 

Another reply to transferring the drawing to the block.

I use tracing paper. Draw the image from my original drawing on the tracing
paper. I then outline the tracing paper drawing with a litho pencil onto the
block. Then I use a marker to retain the lines.
If I have many colors I trace the same way only make the tracing in the colors
needed. I line them up and use a hole punch to keep them registered. Usually
hole punch them twice on the top and twice on the bottom.
I also spray with a two or three spritzes of Acrylic spray.
I like the idea of the glue to make thin lines.
Everyone is so helpful!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jeanne

------------------------------

From: Greg Bonnell-Kangas <bonnell-kangas.1@osu.edu>
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1998 17:20:52 -0400
Subject: [Baren 2061] Newbie alert! 

Hello everyone,

My name is Greg Bonnell-Kangas and I'm relatively new to the world of
woodblock printing (I've long admired them, but only recently tried to make
one). I'm a graphic designer by profession, and I suppose that my interest
in woodblocks is partly fueled by the virtual disappearance of hand work in
my chosen career. The few prints I've done so far have been in my spare
time (not easy with two kids, as I'm sure David Bull can attest) and solely
for my own pleasure.

So far I haven't tried the traditional Japanese watercolor printing
techniques, but I'm anxious to give it a whirl. The subtlety and richness
of the color in the prints I've seen in real life is just amazing.

I'm already enjoying the liveliness of discussion among baren members. Just
to weigh in on a few issues I'll say that I DO use the computer, but not as
a drawing or production tool. By scanning in the final drawing I can
quickly test different color combinations (an area of great indecision for
me) and narrow down the number of colors I actually wind up testing on
paper. Time IS an issue for me. Like many others, I appreciate the glue
suggestion. Also, please continue to post those stories and experiences
with printing --whether positive or negative --  as they serve as a
powerful source of inspiration to those of us just starting out. IMHO.

Finally, how the heck does one pronounce the word _baren_? Is it just like
the Red Baron? I've never heard another human being say it (maybe I'm
hanging out with the wrong crowd) and I haven't seen a phonetic rendering
in print.

Greg B-K

------------------------------

From: David Bull <davebull@woodblock.com>
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1998 08:56:50 +0900
Subject: [Baren 2062] New link ... 

A bit of good news ... bad news ... this morning.

The good news is that Gosho-san the baren maker has now opened up his
own web site.  It came on line last night at:

http://www.ne.jp/asahi/gosho/baren/

The bad news is that so far it's all in Japanese, and most of you thus
won't be able to read anything.  You _can_ see the images though, and
there is a sampling of his printmaking work on the sub-page at:

http://www.ne.jp/asahi/gosho/baren/newpage4.html

His email address is also on the page, so drop him a line if you like -
but go easy on the English; no complicated sentences or overly long
missives ...

And so far, his site is purely 'non-commercial'.  He intends to do
prices and info on barens later ...

***

Welcome to new members Lynita and Greg.  Nice to see you diving right in
...

I've 'filed' for now Lynita's question about block repairs.  This is an
interesting topic.  Repairing a slip of the knife or gouge sometimes
looks like a very complicated job, but there are a number of
'techniques' to it (and a couple of specialized tools), and it's not so
difficult at all.  

I intend to do an Encyclopedia page on this 'real soon now' ... (after
the exhibition, I guess ...)

***

Greg asked:
>Finally, how the heck does one pronounce the word _baren_? Is it just like
>the Red Baron? I've never heard another human being say it (maybe I'm
>hanging out with the wrong crowd) and I haven't seen a phonetic rendering
>in print

I'm not much of a language purist, so I guess I would simply recommend
'ba' as in 'bath' and 'ren' as in 'rent' ...   I guess that's the
closest that English tongues can probably come to it.

But you all know how much trouble Japanese people have with 'R' and 'L'
in English, and the reason for that is the fact that there is a group of
Japanese syllables that falls just about halfway between the two.  And
the 're' in 'baren' is one of them.

The actual sound falls somewhere in-between _three_ English sounds:
're' as in 'rent'
'le' as in 'left'
'de' as in debt'

The 'ba' you can handle.  For the 'ren' - try keeping your mouth slightly 
open ... lightly flick your tongue up onto the roof of your mouth as in 
saying 'debt', but _don't_ let your jaw move ... 'think' 'R' but 
'speak' 'L' ...

Confused?  It's no harder to _say_ than it is to _use_ ... and that's
plenty hard!

Dave

-----------------------------

From: Gary Luedtke <GLuedtke@compuserve.com>
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1998 19:13:25 -0500
Subject: [Baren 2063] Newbie alert! 

Welcome to Baren, Greg.    I know you'll enjoy the diverse personalities
here and the wealth of experience they have.   I look forward to seeing
some of your work.   

Gary Luedtke

------------------------------

From: Graham Scholes <gscholes@islandnet.com>
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1998 17:59:14 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [Baren 2064] Re: Newbie alert! 

>My name is Greg Bonnell-Kangas and I'm relatively new to the world of....

Welcome  aboard.......

>I'll say that I DO use the computer,

Hey and so do I......to do  PR stuff... its sure is a wonderful tool.....

Finally, how the heck does one pronounce the word _baren_? Is it just like
the Red Baron?

Yep .... but don't confuse it with Royalty......

Graham

------------------------------

From: Graham Scholes <gscholes@islandnet.com>
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1998 18:05:33 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [Baren 2065] Re: New link ... 

Dave wrote.....
>Confused?  It's no harder to _say_ than it is to _use_ ... and that's
>plenty hard!

Hell it has taken me years to say Lemon.......so I will pass....

Graham

------------------------------

End of Baren Digest V5 #340
***************************