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

Baren Digest             Thursday, 12 November 1998     Volume 05 : Number 341

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From:  <hudson@panther.middlebury.edu>
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1998 08:01:57 -0500 (EST)
Subject: [Baren 2066] Transferring drawing to the block

This is from Ray Hudson in Vermont.

Having done a drawing I trace it onto a very thin sheet of sized paper
using a water soluable pen (I use a papermate ultra fine flair).   This
tracing is placed inkside down on the prepared wood.  A weight is placed
on it to hold it in place.   Folding the drawing back, I apply a mixture
of Elmer's glue & water to the wood.   This is a bit tricky as too much
glue doesn't work well and too much water causes the drawing to bleed.
The drawing is carefully lowered to the wood & I repeat the process on the
other part of the drawing.   Then, before the paper is stuck, I lift it
off the wood and low and behold, the drawing is transferred.   The Elmer's
glue also helps to seal the woodgrain a bit; and for waterbased work, it
washes off at the end.   Usually I then trace over this transferreddrawing
with a
 fine permanent ink.   It's important that the glue is
thoroughly dried before doing this or the pen will pick up some glue &
stop working.   Then, when this is dried, I cover the whole block with a
light black ink & carve away.
Welcome to all the new members & MANY THANKS to everyone for all the great
suggestions of late.

Ray Hudson

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From: Cucamongie@aol.com
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1998 08:25:34 EST
Subject: [Baren 2067] repairing blocks 

One suggestion in response to Lynita's question about repairing gouges, etc.
in blocks -- something I have used to repair small gouges, cracks, etc in the
block (this doesn't seem to work so well or filling in large areas, though
since it can get a little crumbly over a large area) is Elmer's Carpenter's
wood filler.  You just apply it w/a palette knife, etc. and sand after it
dries -- I work w/water-based inks Japanese style, and this seems to work
fine.  
Sarah

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From: "Roger A. Ball" <beckorro@inquo.net>
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1998 08:52:09 -0700
Subject: [Baren 2068] Welcome aboard, etc 

Good to hear from people like you, Greg.  I ususally have about twenty
photocopies of the laserjet printed scan of my final drawing before I start
carving.  Like you, I use these to set color combinations.  I also use them
to keep registration by shimming them to fit my kento.  Basically, I just
get my drawing the same size as what I want--10" x 15" for the latest.
Then not being a purist, I carve kento into my mounted, two-sided wood 'L'
frame (I use screws in my mount board opposite the frame to secure the
block).  I get all my blocks the same size and glue the drawing to the wood
using the kento for exact alignment.  Before I even start cutting, I should
be damn close and small adjustments are easy within the frame by either
smimming or planing after proof.  The hard part for me is committing
"forever" to where the print will fall on the page.

Another benefit of this method is that there is no need to keep the drawing
glued-on or --GASP--varnished over-- on board for reduction.  Although I
haven't tried it yet, I believe that I could even glue another copy of the
drawing on top of a previously carved block and stay in registration.
Adding a color later to "punch-up" an area is also a lot easier because I
can start carving quickly knowing I'm already aligned.

I really want to show grain.  I can't understand a need to varninsh or
shellac, especially if you use oil-based and oil the block for
cleaning/conditioning.  Help me understand why the varnish helps --is it
just to keep the drawing there for later reduction?  I have always reduced
just by outlining first and carving down by eye within the lines...I guess
it sort of depends on complexness and sureness of carving.  Lastly I would
mention that if you are getting chip-outs in your detail work and think
glue or varnish will fix that (it may), try a harder wood!  I can see using
ply/pine/bass for most work, but there are times when you want the kind of
detail that only harder wood can deliver.  My two-cents for now.

Cheers!

- -Roger

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From: jimandkatemundie@juno.com (James G Mundie)
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1998 12:39:52 -0500
Subject: [Baren 2069] glue 

Another bit about the use of white glue:

I too use this, but generally after I have begun cutting.  If there is a
passage of particularly tiny dots (as I am wont to do), I will smear a
dab of glue across the area, wiping it carefully across the surface of
the uncarved wood so as not to leave too much residue behind and forcing
the glue down into the crevices.  This will ensure that the dots will
hold up to repeated printings and any additional carving I might do in
the area.  I print on pine with oil-based ink, by the way.

Another thing white glue or a good carpenter's wood glue is good for are
those occasions when a hunk of wood goes missing from somewhere it
shouldn't.  If I can locate the chunk, I dab some glue on its posterior,
stick it in its hole and hold it in place for a few seconds.  The
resulting bond is stronger than the natural one which saw fit to let the
little fellow leave in the first place.

The board I'm working on now looks to be in need of some glue in two
areas.  I'm cutting an old board I've had lying around for several years.
 It's the center plank from the tree, so there is a vein of incredibly
hard wood running nearly up the center, but somewhat softer wood toward
the edges (but pretty damn hard for pine all the same).  A few weeks ago
I had cut two nearly horizontal lines across the grain and set the board
aside for a couple of weeks to attend to other matters.  When I looked at
the board yesterday, there were lots of tiny little chips along my nice
clean lines.  It seems this old board will need some encouragement to
stay completely intact

James Mundie, Philadelphia USA 

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From: Steiner <steiner@mbox.kyoto-inet.or.jp>
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1998 11:56:34 +0900
Subject: [Baren 2070] sticking to it 

Gayle asked (Baren 2047) if I wash the Elmer's off after
carving the block. No, because it is a waterbased glue and will
eventually disappear anyway. But, I use it only for narrow lines, where
any resistance on the part of the glue to the pigment will never show
up.  

As for the oil colors you use, I have no experience here, but my guess
is that the glue will have no influence whatsoever on the oils.  But,
you'll have to try to really find out.

When most of the lines run in one direction, but there are a few which
are contrary, I will not go to a second block but put them on the first
block and carve very carefully.  

Yes, I do lose lines, even with Elmers.  But the reason is that the
plywood we use hereabouts occasionally is missing some glue between the
ply (plies?). When I get to some unglued area, the upper wood simply
flips off the block.  If is can find that piece, I will glue it back in
place with a water-resistant glue.  If I can't find it, what to do? 
Inlay work.  Where the missing section of line is, I carefully flatten
and lower slightly the carved away space with one of my flat knives,
look for some unused wood near the edge of the block (the same block's
wood must be used;  it is related to the missing piece, the two having
grown up together in the same tree).  I will cut out a piece a little
larger that the missing line, inlay it into the cleaned and lowered
space, trimming it if necessary, and fix it there using any
water-resistant binder, like airplane cement (if it still exists).  No
doubt, the inlaid piece will stick up higher that the block's surface.
Not to worry.  After the cement has dried and the inlay is permanent,
sand its surface down to the rest of the block's surface.  If there is
a tiny gap between the inlay and the rest of the wood, it is no problem
since the wood will swell when it is moistened and the gap will
naturally close.  Draw in the line, carve it, you are finished.

If you have accidentally carved out a piece with one of your gouges,
find the piece if possible and glue it back in place. If you can't find
it, do the above, or use any of the many wood-fillers on the market. 
Patch the area in, let the filler dry well, sand it down to the same
surface lever, and recarve.  Printing wood filler presents no problems
at all.

Mundie's well-reasoned reply to Gayle (Baren 2051) is
worthwhile reading for us all, experienced and newbie.  Thank you,
James.

Ray Hudson wrote (Baren 2066) about transferring the image
to the block via a thin sheet of paper (washi) and diluted Elmer's.
Ray, you then lift the washi off leaving the image, which you then 
have to redraw it with a fine permanent ink pen. 
I suggest that you simple leave the thin washi on the block, carve thru
it, and when finished carving, wash any remaining washi off.  This is
the method used by the earlier carvers, as Dave (and I) have written,
and it works just fine.  Saves a lot of time, too.

Steiner/Kyoto

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From: Gayle Wohlken <blueman@pantek.com>
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1998 23:42:34 -0500
Subject: [Baren 2071] Re: Baren Digest V5 #340 

Graham wrote:

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

 Proofs I'm talking about.  I proof my designs to see if I need to do
more with the wood.     My proofs are also black oil based ink.  Once I
clean the oil based ink off and proceed to work more on the wood, that's
when I can sometimes have a mess to contend with.  And yes, I probably
do not wait the 12 hours you say it takes to set up the shellac. I
usually shellac the board, then wait til it seems dry and proceed to
work.  So maybe the glue would be better because
it wouldn't take that long to dry.  

Andrea said:
> I have tried shellac but found that it blurred the original drawing. 
 
 Maybe that is what is happening with my drawing then.  Thanks , both
Andrea and Jeanne for the tip regarding acrylic varnish spray.

* * * 

Welcome to Greg.

* * * 
So saying "Baren" in the native tongue sounds like badlin' only you
curl your tongue away from the roof of your mouth just as it's about to
hit for the "d"?

* * *
I like Gosho-san's use of the wood texture in the skies of his prints.
http://www.ne.jp/asahi/gosho/baren/newpage4.html

Gayle Wohlken

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From: David Bull <davebull@woodblock.com>
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1998 21:46:54 +0900
Subject: [Baren 2072] Re: tongue twister 

Gayle wrote:
>So saying "Baren" in the native tongue sounds like badlin' only you
>curl your tongue away from the roof of your mouth just as it's about to
>hit for the "d"?

Well, if I knew what _badlin'_ sounded like, I'd be able to answer!  But
yes, your comment about 'curl away just as it's about to hit' does sound
like the right idea ...

***

>I like Gosho-san's use of the wood texture in the skies of his prints.
>http://www.ne.jp/asahi/gosho/baren/newpage4.html

Did you write and tell him?

Dave

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End of Baren Digest V5 #341
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