[Baren]: The mailing list / discussion forum for woodblock printmaking. Baren Digest Friday, 22 January 1999 Volume 06 : Number 420 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Wanda Robertson Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1999 08:28:14 -0700 Subject: [Baren 2752] Re: From logs to lumber Thanks, Jacob. I was afraid it would be complex. :-) Wanda ------------------------------ From: "Jeanne N. Chase" Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1999 11:39:31 -0500 Subject: [Baren 2753] Re: Varnishing Graham Thanks so much for the lesson. I have been using cherry and poplar. When the first color is put on , it sure absorbs the paint in a hurry. And when the clean up starts, the paint is really hard to clean off in preparation for the second color. By the time the keyblock is ready to print, something weird happens to the wood. Now I will look forward to using your formula for the next woodcut. My next one will be a watercolor "hanga" print. I have been putting it off as so many of you out there in Baren Land seem to have heaps of problems with watercolor, rice paste and so on. When I see the delicacy of the oriental prints and especially the translucency of the paint, something you cannot get with oils, it really does inspire me to try it. When I read REALLY good info on Woodblock printing, just like our David's One Point lessons, I print them out for my text book. What a big help. I wonder if I will ever go back to my oil painting? THanks to everyone for their support!!!! Jeanne ------------------------------ From: "george aar" Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1999 08:30:33 -0500 Subject: [Baren 2754] Baren Digest From George Aar, geoaar@premier1.net In response to Wanda Robertson's querie about her cherry trees: Your trees might not be large enough to produce a usable block, but you may be able to have the narrow planks of good lumber you get from them "bisquit-joined" to make a wider block. This is common practice in cabinetry and furniture making. A small oval of plywood (the "bisquit") is inlet into the edges of the boards just prior to gluing and clamping them together. When done right, the resulting board is stronger and more stable than a wide "natural" one and the joint is virtually invisible. To Jean Eger: The name of the book I got at the Hokusai exhibit in S.F. is "Hokusai and Hiroshige", "Great Japanese Prints from the James A. Michener Collection, Honolulu Academy of Arts" published by the Asian Art Muesum of San Francisco, University of Washington Press. ISBN: 0-295-97766-3 A wonderful book, it has all the prints from the shows (Hokusai and Hiroshige) reproduced in full color with lots of explainations and info. To Dave B.: Sorry about the "groupies" analogy, just part of my "gift" of exagerraton. All I was really trying to say was how amazing it was to me that the native people are so receptive to you in spite of the fact that you are a gaijin. If you were to come to the U.S. to put on a show about, say, how to be good cowboy, or how to make apple pie, I don't think you'd get as warm a reception. To Graham Scholes : No, I am residing in the U.S., just happened to have the opportunity to spend a little time in Japan and went for it.(lest you think me to be a globe trotting bon-vivant you should know this was our first vacation in 5 years, our second in 13 years) Regards, George Aar ------------------------------ From: Wanda Robertson Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1999 08:48:42 -0700 Subject: [Baren 2755] Re: Books! Gary Luedtke wrote: > Good luck in finding it. Just go to Dave Bull's favorite book-finder. (He's got me hooked on it too!) I'm willing to bet there's a bunch of them for sale somewhere, at a reasonable price, too. Wanda ------------------------------ From: Wanda Robertson Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1999 09:28:16 -0700 Subject: [Baren 2756] Re: Books! Oops! Sorry folks, I forgot to put in the URL: http://www.bookfinder.com/ Good luck in finding one! If there's one out there, this is your best chance of finding it. I do think there are some more on the Michener collection, but not specific for this exhibit. I remember seeing them while looking for the "Tokaido" series. (I did find one - love it) Wanda ------------------------------ From: Graham Scholes Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1999 10:14:17 -0800 Subject: [Baren 2757] Re: Cherry blocks, in continuum Wanda wrote.... >This may be a stupid question, but I have several cherry trees on our >farm. These are not producing trees, but seedling trees that have been >let grow. One clump of them (about 4 trunks about 12" in diameter) blew >down in the last wind storm we had. Do you think they would be good >candidates for woodblock blocks? There are cherry trees and there are cherry trees that grow in Japan. Unless the tree trunk you have is a Japanese type cherry tree, I don't believe it will be any good. Even if it were it may not work because of the growing conditions here cause the wood to be different. We have trees here and I have looked at the grain of the wood. Ours is very pronounced and is not any good for plates. The Japanese has a subtle grain and small growth rings. If you are in the Pacific north west (as they say) then your tree may not be any good. The only way is to cut a thin piece off the base and look at the rings. If they are large and pronounced it probably won't cut well. Cheers Graham PS This is a 2 cents worth posting......observations and seat-of-the-pants-for what its-worth approach. No scientific backup. ------------------------------ From: Graham Scholes Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1999 10:14:14 -0800 Subject: [Baren 2758] What a great problem...... Dave wrote.... >But there's not much I can do for these people who are calling. I've >now booked more orders that I have prints left in the storeroom, and >it's time to make a big decision - do I go ahead with a new printing of >the poets' series? I understand where you come from on this. I have not had the problem and never will as I only do limited editions. Ah ha, a damn fine reason for the limited edition prints. I have two sold out and that is it ....... I will never have to face what you are going through Would you like to reconsider your appraisal of limited editions David??? >I don't want to even think about such a thing. I want to just get going >with the new surimono prints. To do a hundred copies of one of the >poets would take three/four days ... multiply by 100 ... add in some >days off ... and we're looking at two years of _just printing_! No way. > >Another way to do it would be to send the blocks out to some of the guys >in the craftsmen's association, and have them do an 'edition'. Simple >prints like these would run around 900 ~ 1,000 each for a printing fee. >But I don't really want to go that route either. Up to now, I've made >and sold these prints _directly_ from myself to the collector. To farm >out the work would just turn it into a business ... Ah ha......crank 'em out sausage factory type stuff only hand made. I don't think so David. It would be a serious mistake. If I were the buyer who was at your show and had heard the blah blah blah about the tremendous work by this printmaker which influence my buying decision and found out he didn't print the print...... Ooow. It brings to mind an adage "Hell hath no fury like a women's scorn". >But to just turn away all these orders? Avon, the worlds biggest cosmetic company has an policy....... "Never turn down an order." Why? ... because *THAT* order will never ever come back. >Still another option is to tell these people that yes, they can have the >set, but only one-by-one ... one each month ... over ten years. That >way, I can just re-print _one_ each month (alongside my normal work). It's your best plan of attack. Commit to the orders and ask the buyer if they can be patient for the delivery. Explain the situation and let them know you want to see how many prints have to be made in the next printing and then determine the time frame required. After that you can fit this in with your new schedule and .... do both. You will find people will wait a year or two if they understand the situation. Art has that wonderful built-in factor. 'They want it, they will wait' You see, there is no substitute. So don't, give them a substitute or facsimile. It will haunt you for the rest of your time and will damage the reputation you have worked for these last 10 years. >But do I want to commit myself to keeping this series going for another >ten years? Are you assuming that the orders will just keep coming and coming or do you in fact have 100 orders. In a few weeks or a month the fever could well slow down and ...... well you must make hay.... and you know the rest. >Decisions, decisions, decisions ... Not really........just hard work. Regards, Grampa Scholes PS. You can legitimately bring in an apprentice and handle the situation that way. However you must be a part of the printing operation in some way. PPS. Turn that phone back on. ------------------------------ From: Wolfenhnd@aol.com Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1999 15:01:40 EST Subject: [Baren 2759] Need info for repairing press roller I have lately acquired a small "clam shell" type press that I hope to use in conjunction with my carved prints to make small artbooks. The press is in great condition except for the roller (of course!). Does anyone know who refinished these things? And how do you determine, on a shrunken, rotten roller, what the original size was? or does the refinishing company do that for you? Thanks all, - -giselle ------------------------------ From: Jacob Roquet Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1999 17:23:04 -0500 Subject: [Baren 2760] repairing press roller Giselle wrote: >The press is in >great condition except for the roller (of course!). Does anyone know who >refinished these things? And how do you determine, on a shrunken, rotten >roller, what the original size was? or does the refinishing company do that >for you? Go to http://www.diamondroller.com/main.html They're in Atlanta. Another is Pacesetter Graphics in Atlanta or Marietta, GA as well, I think. If this doesn't work let me know 'cause I have a list of others. I didn't realize my rollers were made of gelatin and left them in an attic for two years. I was uo there this last summer and something smelled horribly... something dead.. As I tracked in down ... with my nose of course... and found my box of rollers completelt rotted. I have been meaning to get mine fixed.. let me know whether thay can do this. I've been told they wil rebuild from your roller and probably know what diameter to make them. Regards, Jake ------------------------------ From: Graham Scholes Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1999 18:10:52 -0800 Subject: [Baren 2761] Re: Baren Digest George wrote.... >you get from them "bisquit-joined" to make a wider block. This is common >practice in cabinetry and furniture making. A small oval of plywood (the >"bisquit") is inlet into the edges of the boards just prior to gluing and >clamping them together. When done right, the resulting board is stronger >and more stable than a wide "natural" one and the joint is virtually >invisible. This does not work with basswood and I doubt it will work with other woods. The reason being as soon as you ad the water base pigment the grains on each of the board react and move in different directions and this cause a line to show in the print. I have tried it several times and don't waste my time anymore. I have used it where I know the design works around the join line. Not easy to do but possible. > To Graham : No, I am residing in the U.S., (lest you think me to be a >globe trotting bon-vivant you should know this was our first vacation in 5 >years, our second in 13 years) OK you are forgiven. Graham ------------------------------ From: Gregory Robison Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1999 18:00:40 +0300 Subject: [Baren 2762] Re: Need info for repairing press roller Kampala, 22 January 1999 Giselle: I have been gathering info on this very question through the Letterpress Discussion List. (To subscribe contact LISTSERV@LISTSERV.UNB.CA and reference LETPRESS; See the heading "Kelsey rollers" for pertinent contributions since 17 Jan 99.) I was amazed at how much info I could get on this in 48 hours... on the other hand, no one has been able to answer my question about whether the material (i.e., specification for the rubber or plastic) should be given to the roller manufacturer, or whether you can just send your old cores to the company and say, "gimme a couple of 9 inch letterpress rollers..." But I see our chairman reaching for his gavel and the rule book for this Group, so maybe we should talk about this over there in the corner where the press people congregate. Greg ------------------------------ From: Matthew.W.Brown@VALLEY.NET (Matthew W Brown) Date: 21 Jan 99 22:54:33 EST Subject: [Baren 2763] Press rollers Giselle, For new rollers: NAGraphics, 970-387-0212. For 'reconditioning' (save a few $): Brown Re-grinding, (don't know address, somewhere in Minnesota, I think). Matt ------------------------------ From: Graham Scholes Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1999 20:36:35 -0800 Subject: [Baren 2764] Hiroshige--- The James A. Michener Collection >Just go to Dave Bull's favorite book-finder. (He's got me hooked on it >too!) I'm willing to bet there's a bunch of them for sale somewhere, at >a reasonable price, too. You can find these at Amazon web site. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/generic-quicksearch-query/002-0333228-5435408 You can find almost any book at that site even mine which is out of print now. Graham ------------------------------ From: Jean Eger Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1999 21:19:14 -0800 Subject: [Baren 2765] Re: Baren Digest V6 #419 Dave, Well, you asked...what should I do? Congratulations on your fame and fortune. Speaking from a brief flirtation with fame: I made it on to a TV ad against breast cancer, which ran over and over again in this area. They showed me making a sculpture which I had donated to a hospital. (It had been a student piece.) Then the hospital hired me to do a portrait sculpture, which was OK. Unfortunately, I was in college trying to get a teaching credential, so I didn't have the time to follow up on the financial benefits of the publicity, so I had to say no to the next sculpture request. The obvious solution is for you to spread the wealth around to your fellow craftsmen who obviously took pleasure in your good fortune. That way you can fulfill your customers needs and increase the wealth for everyone! It can only benefit your Surinomo project, ultimately. Business is a good thing, not a bad thing. Most business people I have met are scrupulously honest and have true professional pride in what they do. Jean Eger ------------------------------ From: David Bull Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1999 15:05:45 +0900 Subject: [Baren 2766] Replies ... Graham wrote: > There are cherry trees and there are cherry trees that grow in Japan. >Unless the tree trunk you have is a Japanese type cherry tree, I don't >believe it will be any good. I don't have any experience with other types of cherry, but I suspect that Walter Phillips might have a different viewpoint on this, Graham. Unless I misunderstand what he wrote, he made nearly all of his prints on his local Canadian cherry ... *** George said: > sorry about the "groupies" analogy .. No 'sorry' necessary George. I took no offense at this ... It was fun being on 'centre stage' for a while! > people are so receptive to you in spite of the fact that you are a gaijin. They're just happy that _somebody_ is doing it. People here do seem to have the feeling that they have 'thrown away' a lot of their traditional culture, so to see some of it being preserved by a foreigner is sometimes a bit embarrassing for them. Overall the response I get is extremely gratifying. (But then of course I never hear from those who hold a different view!) *** Greg wrote (re inking rollers): > But I see our chairman reaching for his gavel and > the rule book for this Group, I don't see _any_ problem at all with this sort of discussion. It's about people putting pigment on wood, and that's what we're up to! Please don't think that I have any bias against those who don't use rice paste and a baren. This forum is about woodblock printmaking, hopefully in _all_ its forms. And who knows, if I see enough interesting discussions about that sort of thing going by, then maybe one day I too might be encouraged to try using some of that dirty, sticky, messy, unhealthy, gooey, grimy 'ink' ... Maybe! Dave ------------------------------ End of Baren Digest V6 #420 ***************************