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

Baren Digest              Sunday, 24 January 1999      Volume 06 : Number 422

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

From: mmflavio <mmflavio@slip.net>
Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1999 19:58:57 +0000
Subject: [Baren 2778] Re: Baren Digest V6 #419 

Hello again.
I have 2 questions.
The first one is still the one about the problem that occurs when one
prints one color over one other that is still fresh: it rubs off on the
plate. Will drying the first completely, then wetting the paper again
solve it?
Any suggestions?
The second is: Has anybody tried to carve the wood with a fine drill for
woodworking?
Does it leave deckeled edges on the lines it carves? Any info?
Thanks much,
Marco Flavio

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

From: Graham Scholes <gscholes@islandnet.com>
Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1999 09:29:56 -0800
Subject: [Baren 2779] Your lastest effort. 

Regarding my last posting about Hideshi work....

Graham wrote....
An artist by the name of Asher (spelling?) comes to mind.
I see David has asked you a few questions. I will be interested.

Last night I must of been.....was beat ..... and the mind ceased to function.
The Dutch artist is M.C. Escher 1898 1972

Find at
http://www.djmurphy.demon.co.uk/escher.htm
or
http://www.WorldOfEscher.com/gallery/

After look in at the above sites I would have to say that Hideshi latest
work looks much more involved.  Would have to see it for real to assess the
imagery.

Regards,

Graham

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

From: Cucamongie@aol.com
Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1999 14:02:29 EST
Subject: [Baren 2780] Re: Your lastest effort. 

Graham wrote re Hideshi's work:
> An artist by the name of Asher (spelling?) comes to mind.

I'm sure you mean Escher - from seeing Hideshi's work on his website, it
appears that he's been quite influenced by Escher - although, of course,
Hideshi has his own unique take on things - I think his work is wonderful - 

Best Regards,
Sarah Hauser

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

From: Jean Eger <jeaneger@LanMinds.Com>
Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1999 11:08:56 -0800
Subject: [Baren 2781] Re: Baren Digest V6 #421 

April wrote:
>I have been making my color from pigment dispersions mixed with 
>gum arabic as a binder. The sumi ink used in printing has an 
>animal glue for a binder. Do the other colors used traditionally 
>for hanga have a binder?

>The transparency of colors varies from one pigment to the next. 
>For example, cadmiums are quite opaque, pthalos very transparent. 
>Calcium carbonate added to a color will make it more opaque so it 
>covers over another color rather than blending. Is anyone else 
>working with pigment dispersions? (besides Sarah H.!)

April, what exactly do you mean by pigment dispersions?  Do you mean dry
pigment in water? or in alcohol?  What proportions do you mix with gum
arabic and what kind of gum arabic?  Do you mix the calcium carbonate
before or after the gum arabic?  Do you mix in advance or on the block?
What kind of size to you use for your paper and what kind of paper?  Thanks
for your answer.

Jean Eger

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

From: Jean Eger <jeaneger@LanMinds.Com>
Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1999 16:47:07 -0800
Subject: [Baren 2782] Re: Baren Digest V6 #421 

Many thanks to all the people who told me what book came with the Hokusai
and Hiroshige exhibition.  I was unable to find any reference to it on the
web, even though I used the book finders recommended, among other search
methods.  However, I had fun surfing while I was trying.

I've been watching the OLD Dave Bull video and enjoying it immensely.
Please note that Dave has definite guru qualities.  Maybe its the hair and
maybe its the ability to sit on the floor with legs crossed.  Anyway, I did
have a question, Dave. The video showed you pasting down a piece of paper
on to a block.  Then you peel off the paper and there's the image on the
back of the block.  Is this special transfer paper?  

The out door scenese were great.  I liked the bright light on the block to
see what you were doing.  (Though I doubt even that would help me anymore.)
 I noticed you looked like you were using a scorper (?) --an engraving
tool, to clear out the wood after cutting.  Is this what you were using?  

I'll send the video to the next person this week.  Keep up the good work! 

 I am hurrying on a large oil=based woodblock for my women woodcutters, who
may have gone ahead and exchanged prints without me.

Jean Eger

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

From: David Bull <davebull@woodblock.com>
Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1999 12:18:05 +0900
Subject: [Baren 2783] Re: video questions 

Jean wrote:

> Anyway, I did
> have a question, Dave. The video showed you pasting down a piece of paper
> on to a block.  Then you peel off the paper and there's the image on the
> back of the block.  Is this special transfer paper?

Yes and no.  It's a laminate that I make up myself, using a sheet of
standard copy paper, and a layer of thin and delicate 'washi'.  I need a
very thin paper for the hanshita (the paper that is pasted onto the
block), but that of course won't go through a copy machine.  I use a
spray adhesive to laminate them together before copying.  I've got a
series of photos that shows the process up in the Encyclopedia at:

http://www.woodblock.com/encyclopedia/topics/019/019_frame.html


>  I noticed you looked like you were using a scorper (?) --an engraving
> tool, to clear out the wood after cutting.  Is this what you were using?

I have no such engraving tools here, just simple cutting tools.  I work
in three stages:
- - cutting the lines with a knife
- - clearing the wide waste with a shallow rounded chisel and a wide flat
chisel
- - clearing the final waste near the lines with small flat chisels.

The tools shown on the encyclopedia page at:

http://www.woodblock.com/encyclopedia/topics/014/014_frame.html

are the only cutting/carving tools I own.

***

Mario asked:
> about the problem that occurs when one
> prints one color over one other that is still fresh: it rubs off on the
> plate. Will drying the first completely, then wetting the paper again
> solve it?

This will probably work, but it does seem like a lot of extra work ...  
How about changing the order of printing?  Doing the lightest tone
colours first should mean that transferring would be minimized, and
wouldn't affect the outcome much.

Dave

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

From: Wanda Robertson <robertson@canby.com>
Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1999 21:25:10 -0700
Subject: [Baren 2784] Re:Hiroshige books 

Hi Jean,
Try this URL - I just put "Hiroshige" in the title slot and "Michener"
in the extra key word slot. Also try a search on just "Hiroshige" 
with MX bookfinder (or bookfinder.com)- there are some real wonders out
 there, but they *are* spendy!

http://www.bookfinder.com/search/

Wanda

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

End of Baren Digest V6 #422
***************************