[Baren]: The mailing list / discussion forum for woodblock printmaking. Baren Digest Thursday, 3 June 1999 Volume 07 : Number 582 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Cucamongie@aol.com Date: Wed, 2 Jun 1999 09:30:16 EDT Subject: [Baren 4507] Re: Baren Digest V7 #581 Somebody wrote: > Any good print shows in New York this summer? Sarah, you could hone your > critical fluency by writing reviews for us! (I'd better be careful, they > might want me to do the same in San Francisco.) Between working on art stuff and working (office temp stuff & some art teaching) to pay rent, I end up not seeing as much art as I would like sometimes! But I will definitely mention any interesting shows I hear about or have the opportunity to see in NYC. One non-print show (or at least I think it's mostly paintings) that I'm interested to see at the Metropolitan Museum is a collection of Dr. Gachet, who was Van Gogh's doctor. I was also interested to hear that Dr. Gachet used homeopathic remedies, which I think are wonderful, and have helped not only me but my cat! Anyway, I'll keep you folks posted - Also, welcome to the new members, I've enjoyed reading the introductions - what a varied & interesting group we have here! Best to all, Sarah ------------------------------ From: Barbara Mason Date: Wed, 02 Jun 1999 07:41:52 -0700 Subject: [Baren 4508] Welcome Lezel And welcome to anyone I have forgotten. So many new people lately I have them confused. This is great to have so many new members! I have taken a workshop from Raymon Murilla, who studied with Keith Howard. I think these non-toxic methods are really wonderful, something the wood block people already knew!! Barbara M (I am adding the M as I think there are two Barbara's now) ------------------------------ From: Elizabeth Atwood Date: Wed, 2 Jun 1999 11:14:17 -0400 Subject: [Baren 4509] New members What a WEALTH of new members! Welcome all! Is it time to have a listing of the countries, etc. of the membership? (I wish I had kept track.) Also, would like to know....from Sylvia....more about the state and reception for printmaking in Ireland. Pleased to hear about your interest in reduction printing......it has a great thrill factor. And Lezle.......need to know about that listerv for beginning italian speakers.....thank you....ElizA ------------------------------ From: James G Mundie Date: Wed, 2 Jun 1999 11:56:16 -0400 Subject: [Baren 4510] greetings and a technical question (or two) Welcome to all the new members from around the globe who have recently joined us here at Baren. I do believe we now have at least one representative from every continent except Antarctica. I look forward to the valuable viewpoints and discussions that I am sure will start up in the near future. Sylvia, my wife and I will be in your "neck of the woods" next month. Perhaps when we are in Belfast we can stop in and say hello. Lezle, it's nice to see yet another WEN member on Baren. *** Now, a technical question for the group. I am presently working on a block that I intend to print in my normal fashion as a single black impression with oil-based ink. However, it occured to me that it might be kind of fun to make a second edition of this print incorporating some color blocks. Because I'm a glutton for punishment, I thought I might even take the opportunity to try my hand at some of this water-based printing Dave is always going on about ;-D. So, here's what I'm thinking I might do: I'd like to print the block as it presently stands in my usual fashion. After that edition is complete, I thought I might try and seal the block with some sort of varnish for the water-based portion. Why? The block is pine, which I think would be inclined to swell upon exposure to water, and unevenly at that because of the uneven coating of oil-based ink already on the block. I hope that if I seal the whole thing, that would eliminate the uneven expansion problem and allow me to get on with the sumi. It should then be a simple matter to cut some color blocks to play with. Does anyone see any problems with proceeding like this? Any suggestions? One more thing: I don't own a baren and don't forsee that I will pick one up in the very near future. I normally print with a bamboo spoon, but on dry paper. Could someone list the relative comparisons of baren vs. spoon on moist washi? Mise le meas, James Mundie ------------------------------ From: Jean Eger Date: Wed, 02 Jun 1999 11:28:16 -0700 Subject: [Baren 4511] Re: Baren Digest V7 #581 WElcome Leslie, Jan, Bhearn and Arye. Arye, thanks for the sharpening recipe. I have jewelers rouge and a drill with a fluffy wheel but never really figured out how to work it. I wonder if Dave will publish a list with people's names and countries. It certainly is an exciting international community. Isn't the time near for Graham's workshop? Green with envy because i have to stay home and can't go there, I am hoping for daily reports on progress and certainly for a display of work produced there. What about it Graham? How about some photos of folks working hard in the workshop, lounging in the garden, and singing songs around the campfire? At least I could live vicariously, while I chip away at Baren II in the kitchen. (For you newbies, Graham Scholes and his wife have a bed and breakfast place in Vancouver and he is hosting a workshop which you can see at http://www.members.home.net/gscholes/workshop.html Jean Eger ------------------------------ From: Graham Scholes Date: Wed, 2 Jun 1999 12:47:53 -0700 Subject: [Baren 4512] Re: Baren Digest V7 #581 Jean wrote: >Isn't the time near for Graham's workshop? Thanks for the promo.... I dropped by Noboru Sawai in Vancouver yesterday, to pick up all the goodies for the workshop. Oh my what a wonderful batch if tools and brushes. It is a delight to the eyes and is most seductive to the creative process. Yum Yum. .. (Not to be confused with G&S Makado). We have room for one more male and one female person by the way. We can offer this on the time plan should anybody be keen about attending. It would be great to post some goings on..... Oh for a digital camera. I am going to work on it. Regards, Graham ------------------------------ From: Graham Scholes Date: Wed, 2 Jun 1999 12:55:11 -0700 Subject: [Baren 4513] Re: greetings and a technical question (or two) James wrote.... >One more thing: I don't own a baren and don't forsee that I will pick >one up in the very near future. I normally print with a bamboo spoon, >but on dry paper. Could someone list the relative comparisons of baren >vs. spoon on moist washi? Before answering this James I would like to know what is the size of your bamboo spoon. How much of a convex has it. Cheers Graham ------------------------------ From: David Bull Date: Thu, 03 Jun 1999 08:37:23 +0900 Subject: [Baren 4514] Re: greetings and a technical question (or two) Jim wrote: > I thought I might try and seal the block > with some sort of varnish for the water-based portion. > Does anyone see any problems with proceeding like this? Any suggestions? If the varnish really seals the surface of the wood totally, to the extent that water can no longer sink down into the wood, then you're a dead duck. That's the main reason that those of us trying to do fine-line work, don't use woods much harder than cherry, say ebony or something. Hard they are, but they are so close-grained that water will not easily sink in, beading up on the surface instead. The pigment/paste/water mixture will not lie smoothly on such a surface, and the block can't be printed. The block _must_ be able to absorb water, leaving it damp on the surface ... As far as the baren/wooden spoon question goes, the spoon will certainly work, but you would find that a baren gives you far more 'even' coverage, as the number of 'press points' is so much greater ... But because of that, you'll have to work harder ... *** Jean wrote about Graham's workshop: > I am hoping for daily reports on progress > and certainly for a display of work produced there. You're not the only one! Graham, surely _one_ of the attendees must have a digital camera in their bag, no? Or pull some strings, and get one of your VMUG friends to come over, shoot some pictures of the activities, and put up temporary web pages somewhere ... As I'm going to be out of town and away from my computer from the 19th to the 25th, Sidney BC can become 'Baren Central' for that week ... reports every day, pictures of the action, sound files, etc. etc. What, you're 'busy' that week? Hey, there are 24 hours in a day - use them! ;>) Dave ------------------------------ From: "Brad A. Schwartz" Date: Wed, 2 Jun 1999 16:46:00 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [Baren 4515] Re: greetings and a technical question (or two) James wrote: - ->I'd like to print the block as it presently stands in my usual fashion. - ->After that edition is complete, I thought I might try and seal the block - ->with some sort of varnish for the water-based portion. Depending on the composition/image, wouldn't it be easier if you use your oil based block as a key block, transfer to your color blocks... carve the color blocks, etc... Then print your waterbased blocks and overprint them with the final black oil based block... It should work without having to mess with sealing the oil block, etc... Brad ------------------------------ From: horacio Date: Wed, 02 Jun 1999 23:49:17 -0300 Subject: [Baren 4516] Re: greetings and a technical question (or two) James wrote: > Does anyone see any problems with proceeding like this? Any suggestions? James I don't know if I've correctly understood your question, but I'll try to help you anyway. Before I've definitively decided to work only with black and white prints, I made some enjoyable experiences with color on the background of main blocks and I would like to describe one of the methods I've tried. After printing the main block, I cut, with a blade, as many acetate sheets (overhead projector transparent sheets) as the colors of the background. Then I print the different background colors pressing the entinted roller on the stencils. (You could apply water-base ink). Finally I print the main block (in black) over the colored background. The result was very good. Hint: I print the main block over the different acetate sheets before cuting. Do you understand? Horacio or Horatio PS: I'm sure that, for you, my postings are unsolvable charades. Every time I write more than 3 lines in English (even with the help of Mr. Gates' MS Word) I get extremely tired and, because of that, I have to drink about 3 double scotch whiskies. Thanks God I don't have to write in Japanese ------------------------------ From: Wanda Robertson Date: Wed, 02 Jun 1999 23:26:24 -0700 Subject: [Baren 4517] Re: greetings and a technical question (or two) Horacio, After 3 double scotches, I'm surprised that you can type at all! Your messages are not charades at all - you have a wonderful style to your words! Thank you for the biggest laugh I have had today! And James, thank you for asking this question. I had been mulling it over in my mind, too. So these answers are very interesting to me. Wanda ------------------------------ End of Baren Digest V7 #582 ***************************