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

Baren Digest                Monday, 1 March 1999        Volume 06 : Number 466

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From: Cucamongie@aol.com
Date: Sun, 28 Feb 1999 10:46:08 EST
Subject: [Baren 3285] Re: brush-preparing 

Gayle - it's hard to know without seeing your brush, etc but perhaps you need
to brush it over the dragonskin for a longer period of time.  I usually do it
for a couple of hours - one teacher told me that the Japanese often brush
their brushes over the sharkskin for 6 hours!  Of course the length of time
also is partly determined by the size of brush - the bigger brushes seem to
require a longer time - perhaps Dave or someone else might have some more tips
for you - the main point that I know of the brush-preparing is to split the
hairs on the brush so you don't get streaking, etc and to have more brush to
pick up the paint.
also - - just to throw out another person's point of view on this brush-
preparing stuff, I know a woman who is a master printer who does not bother to
do the brush-singing, etc at all -- (I'm sure this will provoke some folks! -
but I guess I just bring this up so you don't drive yourself too insane by
this whole procedure)
Good luck!
Best regards,

Sarah

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From: Graham Scholes <gscholes@home.com>
Date: Sun, 28 Feb 1999 08:54:32 -0800
Subject: [Baren 3286] Re: Busted or resawn? 

Hi jean,

I sure would look for another company to do the resaw.
It seems you surely got the run around.

I can do the job on my saw in 15minutes......20 tops.
Trouble is I can only to 12.5 inch stuff.
My shop is set up to handle 12.5 wood.  That is the width of my thickness
planer.

Gees I hate it when people take advantage of people.
Scum of the earth.

Graham

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From: Graham Scholes <gscholes@home.com>
Date: Sun, 28 Feb 1999 09:13:34 -0800
Subject: [Baren 3287] Re: brush-preparing 

We have had some good discussion on this subject and it seems to me that
the end results is not happening for some.  I use a very coarse sandpaper
on a belt sander. The result is the ends of the hair do not split but get
shape to a taper point.  I'm not sure this is a good way to get the best
results. I would love to get a sharkskin and am busy scouting around.
Living on the Pacific coast one would think it would be a matter of running
down to the market and ......well you know.

There is another point I would like to mention.... When you singe, the
brush should not end up flat.  It should have a rounding shape ..convex.
Mine have about a 3 mm convex all around.  When I singe a brush I get out
my trusting Colman stove (onto the back porch) and lay on a piece of sheep
metal and start to singe.  The optimum length of the remaining brisltes
should be about 7/8" or  2+cm  I'm sure these spec are covered in the
pedia.

Maybe Dave is able to take a real close-up picture of the tips of the
bristles to show what they look like.   What say.....

Cheers

Graham

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From: Gregory Robison <grobison@swiftuganda.com>
Date: Sun, 28 Feb 1999 22:09:21 +0300
Subject: [Baren 3288] Re: color test 

Daniel Kelly asks:   
>...Carbon, being an element, is it not also inert?

"carbon" black actually has, in addition to the carbon element, various
mineral impurities in it which give the organic black pigments (lamp black,
vine black, ivory black, etc.) their character. These impurities come from
the organic substances that are partially burned to concentrate the carbon,
and from the nature and probably the imperfections of the process itself,
and also I would guess from the additives in certain black pigments (Ivory
black, for example, is 90% calcium carbonate.)  I think that's why Graham
refers to "warm" blacks and "cool" blacks -- although I think that this
distinction only comes into play when blacks are thinned out or are used for
mixing.  In other words, nobody (except Graham, of course) can tell if a
black is warm or cool when it's used unmixed and undiluted.  The inertness,
on the other hand, has to do with whether a pigment physically or chemically
reacts either to other pigments or with heat, moisture and the atmosphere. I
think just about all the organics, whether natural or synthetic, do react
under circumstances relevant for artists (i.e., under the heat, moisure and
atmoshperic conditions we are likely to encounter, and with the other
substances we're likely to use as pigments), and so do many of the inorganic
(metalic) pigments.  The various carbon blacks are among the few exceptions,
as I understand it.   

Anyway, this whole subject is frightfully complex. In spite of reading
whatever I can on the subject, I am still baffled by color and the related
topic of pigments (i.e., colors as we use them physically in the graphic
arts).  Even such basic distinctions of what's "warm" and "cool" get quite
different treatment by different authors.  

Now I can hear the Great Fulminator saying, "enough already! We're artists,
not chemists f'gawdsake!" And because deep down I agree with everything
Graham says, I know he's right. The ones who make the best prints, the most
memorable images, are not the ones who can pick out selenium from sulphide
at thirty paces.  Fair enough.  But to me, part of the personal maturing
process in the art is a gradual appreciation for the materials themselves
out of which we fashion our works, an appreciation but also humility when
faced with the wondrous complexity and beauty of it all -- the paper, the
woods, the tools...  I am curious about all these things, their names and
their natures.  I love to hear you experienced Baren members talk about it.
At this point I realize I don't even know what black is.  How'm I ever going
to graduate to color?!

Yours,
Greg     
  
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From: Sherpsm@aol.com
Date: Sun, 28 Feb 1999 15:17:39 EST
Subject: [Baren 3289] Re: Wood 

Certainly an informative wood class. I plan to make a trip to Constenteins in
the Bronx. I will check it out. 

I have been using a shina ply however I do have some board (cherry) waiting
for attention. I have heard that once the plank has been cut to print size it
may bend or scoop. To prevent this it is a good idea to cap an end. 
Does anyone have experience or a suggestion on this matter?  (Or the reference
number in the encyclopedia.) 
Thanks Joe

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From: "Daniel Kelly" <daniel@vowel.or.jp>
Date: Mon, 01 Mar 1999 09:32:29 +0900
Subject: [Baren 3290] Re: brush-preparing 

My own experience is that I have a shark skin and used it for toiling hours
years ago. The skin worked great for the first brush, but like anything it
gets clogged and dull. So the brushes I bought later, I never really got
around to it as I needed them immediately. (Several are handy for proofing.)
Now I use the old split hairs for most things. And the ones which I never
skinned are of two types. The nice fine hair ones are just fine and work
well for bokashi or anything. Some of the others have thick hair and are
really just good for laying on big flats, but they still work fine most of
the time. To sum it up, try to buy brushes that have lots of finer hair but
also with enough hairs and stiffness to be able to stand up when the brush
is sitting on them. The shark may be unnecessary.
D.

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From: David Bull <davebull@woodblock.com>
Date: Mon, 01 Mar 1999 10:04:04 +0900
Subject: [Baren 3291] brush stuff ... 

Graham wrote:
> Maybe Dave is able to take a real close-up picture of the tips 
> of the bristles to show what they look like.   What say.....

Okay, okay, I can take a hint ...  

These are from the Encyclopedia entry on brush preparation, which I am 
sorry to have to say, isn't written yet ...

http://www.woodblock.com/encyclopedia/entries/001_11/images/hair.jpg
http://www.woodblock.com/encyclopedia/entries/001_11/images/shape_2.jpg

But the general procedure as I follow it:

- - trim the hair down to a manageable length (if too long)
- - burn the brush to the shape I want, either on a flat metal 
plate (frypan, whatever ...), or rolling it through an open
flame (candle, etc.)
- - soak it in warm water (tip of hair only, _not_ the wooden body)
- - rub it on the sharkskin until the tips are soft and gentle,
rotating it to ensure that all sides are done.

Note also that a brush, once done, is not _done_.  During use
the hair tips break off, fall out, stiffen up with paste etc., 
and the brush has to go back to the sharkskin at intervals ...

(I have never had any luck with sandpaper or a rasp.  I've never
tried that dragonskin stuff you barbarians mention ...)

***

Gary wrote:
>  How can you determine the abrasiveness and whether
> it's rough enough or not?   Dave mentioned that some are too 
> smooth, and perhaps others too coarse, is there a good way to tell? 

http://www.woodblock.com/encyclopedia/entries/001_11/images/shark_rough.jpg
http://www.woodblock.com/encyclopedia/entries/001_11/images/shark_fine.jpg

Here are two shots from the skin I'm currently using, and which is
coming to the end of its life.  (I just picked up a replacement from
Matsumura-san, but haven't prepared it for use yet.  That's another
long and mucky job ...) The divisions on the scale are millimetres.

The 'rough' shot is taken around the spine of the skin, and the 'fine'
shot is from the small 'flipper' area.

http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~xs3d-bull/hyaku-nin-issho/1993/summer/shark.jpg
shows the skin in use.

As to 'is there a good way to tell?', I have to say that I don't know.
I get most use out of the 'fine' areas of my skin - at least that's
when I see the most brown 'dust' coming off the brush as I rub it.

But what species of shark is best ... I'm sorry I have no idea ...

***

Sarah wrote:
> one teacher told me that the Japanese often brush
> their brushes over the sharkskin for 6 hours!

When I first got that skin, I was having trouble.  No matter how long
I rubbed, the brush never seemed to change.  I went down to Matsuzaki-san
for advice (one of the pro printers here in Tokyo).  When I told him
that I had been rubbing for an hour or so, he fell over laughing.

"Give me your brush ..."   I passed it over.

He got out his board with a scrap of skin glued to it, dipped the
brush into his water bucket, and started rubbing.  About sixty seconds
later he showed me the brown 'lint' starting to build up on the 
skin.  About five minutes later he passed me the brush.  

Soft!

His hands were a blur on the skin, and boy I tell you he was digging
in.  I don't pretend to be able to get the same results, but I have
to say that six hours seems rather excessive.

Maybe Miyagawa-san the brush maker would be happy - you'll be back
to see him often!

Dave

P.S.  I'm supposed to be printing this morning, but the tatami maker
took away my workshop floor an hour ago, and won't be bringing
it back until around lunchtime ...

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From: Graham Scholes <gscholes@home.com>
Date: Sun, 28 Feb 1999 19:44:20 -0800
Subject: [Baren 3292] Re: brush stuff ... 

David,

Thank you so much for these pictures. I can see now that the hair shape of
my brushes are not as finely tapered.

>P.S.  I'm supposed to be printing this morning, but the tatami maker
>took away my workshop floor an hour ago, and won't be bringing
>it back until around lunchtime ...

Have you considered paying your rent......or is it a tip that is required.

Regards,

Graham

More work need on my inkers so ...... goin' fishin' .....here shark shark
shark.

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From: Graham Scholes <gscholes@home.com>
Date: Sun, 28 Feb 1999 19:58:40 -0800
Subject: [Baren 3293] Re: color test 

Greg wrote.....
>In other words, nobody (except Graham, of course) can tell if a
>black is warm or cool when it's used unmixed and undiluted.

In art school were could only use black in the first year to learn the
technique of watercolours.   Yes, I know black, be it warm or cold. Gawd
that was 45 years ago and I remember it like it was yesterday.

>I am still baffled by color and the related topic of pigments
>(i.e., colors as we use them physically in the graphic arts).
>At this point I realize I don't even know what black is.
>How'm I ever going to graduate to color?!

It sort of goes like this Greg. First you learn the basic of drawing,
prespective ... both atmospheric and linear, values of form and line in
relationship to composition.  After that... 20 years of learning to draw.
And during all of that time and the rest of your life you try to make
colour work.  I don't think any artist ever lives long enough to complete
that journey.

Good posting Greg.  Thanks

Graham

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From: Wanda Robertson <robertson@canby.com>
Date: Sun, 28 Feb 1999 21:43:18 -0700
Subject: [Baren 3294] Re: brush stuff ... 

Wonderful! Where else in the world can you get such detail and "hands
on" practical information? This is so great - I'm ordering some brushes tomorrow!
Can't wait to try this. Now, where did I put that shark?

Wanda

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End of Baren Digest V6 #466
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