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

Baren Digest                Monday, 21 June 1999        Volume 07 : Number 604

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From: April Vollmer <jy6@columbia.edu>
Date: Sun, 20 Jun 1999 16:59:12 -0400
Subject: [Baren 4718] Barens 

Dear Graham and Barbara, thank you for all your efforts to get me a baren!
Graham, your Yoshida barens are certainly a steal! any chance I could order
some?

I tried calling Barbara as you suggested, but seem to have got the number
wrong. So I will try Judy Mensch's suggestion of New York Central.

We're all looking forward to the report on your class!

April Vollmer

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From: Kat Pukas <toyinblood@netscape.net>
Date: 20 Jun 99 14:32:30 MST
Subject: [Baren 4719] Re: X-Mailer: USANET web-mailer (M3.2.0.17) 

hi all.  i just received a 18 mm surikomi bake, some black and red sumi, and
some shina from mcclain's, and now i'm wondering what i'm supposed to do with
it!  i've read the baren encyclopedia almost cover to cover, trying to figure
out the japanese woodblock technique.  i still have a few questions (anyone! 
please do help!  i'll be your friend!):

1. do i need to add paste to sumi ink to use it in printing?
2. i think i read some paste recipe in the baren encyclopedia that said to use
"all-purpose flour" and water--was i hallucinating??  is that possible?  not
rice, but plain old kitchen all-purpose flour?
3. someone's printing process included shellacking the block with 50% shellac
and 50% alcohol--does this interfere at all with the ink soaking into the
wood?  i have some plywood around that i prepared by staining and putting a
layer of 100% shellac on them--can these be used for the japanese technique,
or only for oil-based (western) technique?
4. is the surikomi bake used for putting the ink on the block?  (how?)  what
are the differences (in use) for each of the brushes?  there are at least four
or five different kinds of brushes, and i understand that they are named for
the different kinds of hair used in making them and that one of them (them
one?) is used for sizing the paper (dosa) . . .  but are the other three to be
used for specific things?

hmmm, trying to figure things out.  thanks for any assistance, you wonderful
people.

love <3 & lint * !
kat & reuben

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From: Mariten@aol.com
Date: Sun, 20 Jun 1999 19:40:04 EDT
Subject: [Baren 4720] acid test 

From Maria in LV
This is a question for the conservation experts in the group. I am purchasing 
hand-made papers from diverse sources these days, quite beautiful and varied 
stuff with the disadvantage that sometimes there isn't any information 
available on the paper itself. I am not so concerned about what the paper is 
made out of, but I am about long life, specifically, the pH of the paper. 
Question: is there a way that I can test this at home with some sort of 
acidity test? I have seen pH test kits in Light Impressions catalogs, anyone 
have any experience with these kits or how accurate they are, how difficult 
it is to test paper, etc?
Thanks,
Maria in 107 Las Vegas (but remember, it's a dry heat, which means the life 
gets sucked out of you slooooowly)

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From: Gayle Wohlken <blueman@nacs.net>
Date: Sun, 20 Jun 1999 22:00:11 -0400
Subject: [Baren 4721] Re: Baren Digest V7 #603 

I'm back from Tennessee and see we are all 
thinking of a self portrait for Exchange #4.  
I think I've jumped the gun on this for Exchange #2!
But if you don't mind, I don't mind and would love
to do another for Exchange #4.

* * *
Jean, if you can reach a state of meditation often,
I think some very good things can happen healthwise.
I heard a monk speak just before I left and he said 
when we are in a pure state of being, our cells can
process healing, unblocked.  

* * *

Who is planning to go to New York in October?
I definitely want to be there for the Manhattan
Graphics show.  Judy, is the opening date set
yet?

Gayle

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From: Gary Luedtke <GLuedtke@compuserve.com>
Date: Sun, 20 Jun 1999 22:27:27 -0400
Subject: [Baren 4722] acid test 

To Maria in LV,

There is an inexpensive ph tester which is like a magic marker, but as to
its accuracy, I can't vouch for that.   I got mine at Dick Blick, but I
suppose any Artist's Supply should carry them.   You mark an inconspicuous
corner or back of the paper and if it stays one color it is acid free, and
if it turns another color it is acidic.    If I find it, I'll get back on
and give you the name of it, but it's been awhile since I've used it and
I'm not sure where it may be hiding.

Gary, in Kooool KC  (87 today)

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From: Gary Luedtke <GLuedtke@compuserve.com>
Date: Sun, 20 Jun 1999 22:42:54 -0400
Subject: [Baren 4723] acid test 

Maria,

    I did find it.   Here's the info.   It is called a "Paper and Board PH
Testing Pen" made by Lineco, Inc.
Catalog #L533-0019.   The pen itself says ABBEY Ph Pen (Chlorophenol red). 
 You draw a line on the suspect paper and read it as soon as it dries.  
Yellow=acid, purple=neutral or alkaline.
    That's it.   Assuming of course the pen doesn't melt first on your way
home.   And tomorrow's the first day of Summer!

    You might check with Jack, our resident Conservationist, about the
quality and reliability of such a pen, I'm no expert on these things.

Gary

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From: Graham Scholes <gscholes@home.com>
Date: Sun, 20 Jun 1999 22:54:59 -0700
Subject: [Baren 4724] Re: Barens 

April wrote:
>Dear Graham and Barbara, thank you for all your efforts to get me a baren!
>Graham, your Yoshida barens are certainly a steal! any chance I could order
>some?

April,

Yes I can arrange to get you some of these barens.....
Let me know how many and I will ship them or get them shipped by Noboru
Sawai out of Vancouver.

Barbara has the Daniel Smith barens here at the workshop.
Did you want some of them?

>We're all looking forward to the report on your class!

We're workin on it.

A great day is the feed back.
Tied barens, sharpened knives, prepared inking brushes....you know the burn
and shape then fine tune with the shark skin. and finally prepared shina
with sanding and varnishing ready for the image transfer tomorrow.

Gawd am I pooped.....off to bed....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Graham

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From: Jack Reisland <reislandj001@hawaii.rr.com>
Date: Sun, 20 Jun 1999 22:17:49 +0000
Subject: [Baren 4725] Re: acid test 

Mariawrote:
> anyone
> have any experience with these kits or how accurate they are, how difficult
> it is to test paper, etc?

The tests used by conservation labs to test the pH of paper are more accurate
and more complicated than the Light Impressions kit, and often require
electronic equipment. Although I have not used the kit from Light Impression, I
believe that they will be accurate enough for your purposes, and should be
relatively easy to use.

Jack

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End of Baren Digest V7 #604
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