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

Baren Digest              Saturday, 20 March 1999      Volume 06 : Number 497

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From: "David Stones" <stones@mb.i-chubu.ne.jp>
Date: Sat, 20 Mar 1999 12:28:34 +0900
Subject: [Baren 3669] Re: more baren questions 

Dear All,
Sorry... if you're wondering what "(you wish you had therefore hands) to
re-cover. " means in my previous post, it should have been "(you wish you had
three/four hands)." - so much for spell-checkers. Might carve that fixture
out of the program with my 15 mm gouge...

Dave S

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From: agatha <agatha@uswest.net>
Date: Fri, 19 Mar 1999 19:42:46 -0800
Subject: [Baren 3670] Re: spotty gouache 

James wrote:
> It seems you were trying to print the gouache (sp?) without the critical
> rice paste.  etc., etc

thank you, james.

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From: agatha <agatha@uswest.net>
Date: Fri, 19 Mar 1999 19:56:06 -0800
Subject: [Baren 3671] Re: Dan Smith 

Daniel wrote:
> word was going around that Dan might try
> to buy the store back..don't know how true that story is.

i will find out for you.  one of my professors is friends with mr. dan.

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From: dean brink <interpoetics@earthlink.net>
Date: Fri, 19 Mar 1999 20:40:38 -0800
Subject: [Baren 3672] Re: attempt #2 to change the subject 

Thank you very much James for helping me with this transparency problem. 
Can you recommend particular transparent bases or types of ink or paint or
secret formulas for adapting say transparent medium used for acrylic
painting? 

I suppose I would be able to gain much more control over the process if I
used small amounts of pigment with *rice paste.* I haven't logged enough
hours in the traditional mode, though I started woodblocking with Japanese
methods while living in Japan (I got lazy when a local artist/teacher
condoned the use of Speedball inks and I gave into the ease of rolling and
rubbing - and lost control over transparency, fading effects, mixing on the
block, etc.). 

Graham, I didn't intend the red in the lower area to draw the eye there for
any particular reason. I guess I sought an interplay or alternation between
the red and blue "images," and the brightness of the red was not exactly
what I was striking for, but being limited in experience and pressed
(barened) for time, I relented to the red. 

dean

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From: Graham Scholes <gscholes@home.com>
Date: Fri, 19 Mar 1999 21:30:37 -0800
Subject: [Baren 3673] Re: Dan Smith 

>i will find out for you.  one of my professors is friends with mr. dan.

It will be good the get the story straight....we wait with baited breath Agatha

I had heard that it was not a sale of the company, but an business
partnership with Dan being silent. The new guy screwed up and were ruining
the Smith name so Dan was endeavouring to get back and rebuild the
reputation.

hummm

Graham

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From: David Bull <davebull@woodblock.com>
Date: Sat, 20 Mar 1999 16:06:00 +0900
Subject: [Baren 3674] One-Point lesson ... 

Here is this week's 'One-point' lesson 

(contributed by Dave Bull)

********** ********** **********

(#35)  Moistening the Printing Brush ...

One common mistake made by inexperienced woodblock printmakers ...
(please understand that the term 'mistake' here refers specifically to
traditional Japanese methods) ... is to have too much water splashing
around everywhere during the printing process.  The paper itself must be
moist, but not soggy; the wood should be damp, but must not have 'loose'
water on its surface; the pigment in the bowl should not be too 'runny'
...  Although we _need_ water in all these components, too much will
make a blotchy mess of the work.

If the printing brush too, becomes saturated with water, this moisture
will 'leak' out during the brushing, upsetting the balance between
pigment and block.  I have watched professional printers at work here in
Tokyo many times, and have noticed that they almost never add any extra
moisture to the brush beyond that which is already present in the
pigment/paste mixture.

When they first start any print run, they make an application of the
pigment and paste to the block, and rub it out smoothly with a clean and
_dry_ brush, but do not follow this up by taking an impression on the
paper.  This procedure is repeated three or four times allowing the
brush to 'fill up' a bit with pigment, so it is then loaded and ready to
begin the printing proper ...  It is not necessary to soak the brush, or
even to dampen it in any way, before beginning.

If however, during the printing process the wood surface becomes too
dry, as sometimes happens when only a very small area is being printed,
it becomes necessary to 'touch up' the moisture in the brush.  Dip it
into the water bucket?  No way; the flood of water will spoil the next
impressions.  

A good solution is to keep the water bucket by your side while printing,
with the 'mizubake' - the brush with which one moistens the paper -
sitting in it.  If you carefully lay the wet mizubake across the top of
the bucket (an illustration of this is in the Encyclopedia version of
this lesson), the printing brush can then be gently dabbed against the
tip of the mizubake, picking up 'just' enough moisture.  The lightest of
dabs is usually enough ...

Water in printmaking is like oxygen for humans - vital but absolutely
poisonous!

********** ********** **********

Next week -  TBA  ...

These 'One-point' lessons are being collected into a section in the
[Baren] Encyclopedia of Woodblock Printmaking.
http://www.woodblock.com/encyclopedia/updates.html

Contributions from experienced printmakers for future 'One-pointers' 
are eagerly solicited.

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End of Baren Digest V6 #497
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