[Baren]: The mailing list / discussion forum for woodblock printmaking. Baren Digest Thursday, 24 June 1999 Volume 07 : Number 606 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Cucamongie@aol.com Date: Tue, 22 Jun 1999 09:34:19 EDT Subject: [Baren 4733] a framing question I have managed to finally mat & frame my prints that are going up in a juried "Printwork 99" show at Barrett Art Center in Poughkeepsie, New York (it's running July-August, the opening is July 10) - anyway, I have a goofy question. I used raw frames, plexi, matboard, etc and it's being held in by brad nails & sealed w/framer's tape in the back. Of course after going through all this, I noticed that there was a little stray hair that had sneaked into one of the pictures - it's pretty obvious, with a white mat for a background! Anyone have a tricky way of getting it out or somehow moving it to the bottom of the frame so I don't have to take the thing all apart again?? best to all, Sarah ------------------------------ From: Ruth Leaf Date: Tue, 22 Jun 1999 09:48:15 -0700 Subject: [Baren 4734] Re:self portraits websites etc. I think a self portrait exhchange is a wonderful idea. I would love to participate. I've been reading about all the activities going on and have been really envious. I came from New york a year or so ago and would have participated in the show there and gotten to meet some of the Baren members. I now have a website, not too professional, but I would very much appreciate feedback. http://www.ecom.net/~leafr Ruth Leaf ------------------------------ From: "Jeanne N. Chase" Date: Tue, 22 Jun 1999 13:19:55 -0400 Subject: [Baren 4735] Re:self portraits websites etc. Dear Ruth Just did a look at your Web Site. It looks professional to me. It is very easy to access and not complicated like a lot of sites I have seen. Enjoyed all of the prints and was especially attracted to your Coney Island series. Were they a combination of different printmaking techniques; woodblock, etching, lithos, etc;? Or did I miss that somehow. Jeanne ------------------------------ From: "Jean Eger" Date: Tue, 22 Jun 1999 10:35:07 -0700 Subject: [Baren 4736] Re: Baren Digest V7 #605 Graham, have you considered using a regular camera and getting prints developed at a 24 hours place, then scanning them? But your written description is almost as good. My thoughts are with you as I prepare for the first chemo on Friday. I'm working on a print with barbed wire in it. "Rushing to the other side, I was caught on a fence of love." Oops, probably shouldn't have told you that because it's for Exchange #3. Jean in CA ------------------------------ From: "Kimberly Shields-Tapper" Date: Wed, 23 Jun 1999 08:13:18 -0400 Subject: [Baren 4737] newbie introduction and request for help Hi! Your site has been informative and a great resource to me as I'm beginning printmaking! Thanks! I have read from the encyclopedia, visited members web sites, and enjoyed the slide shows of work! I have contacted two members and they have been helpful. My name is Kim Shields-Tapper. I am an elementary school teacher, who minored in painting in college and took a woodblock reduction course from artist Don Gorvette of Maine at Plymouth State College the summer of 96. That's when I was bitten by the woodblock bug. I didn't expect to connect with this art form in this way. As we were finishing the class, Don was asking us about our experience, many students like one part of the process more than the others, I was surprised to hear myself say that I enjoyed the whole thing each part has it's own joys and challenges. The product of that experience is a small set of prints that have seven colors. I really experimented with color, so of the 15 prints three are the same. Well, the challenges of doing this at home have been much more than those in class!! I am a very committed teacher and can only devote vacation time to my printing. Although I've snuck some weekend time in too. The first problems were knives that would cut wood with the same precision I had experienced in class. Then the selection of wood, in class we'd used birch plywood, and ink, in class we used oil based printers ink and etching press, at home I need to use water based ink (Graphic Chemical's product) and baren, well actually what's working better for me is a marble rolling pin and stainless steel spoon. A visit to a woodblock artist in Vermont, inspired me and solved the knives and wood problem, she introduced me to McClain's in Oregon! Wow, what a break through after two years of struggling with clumsy, difficult to sharpen knives. That happened for me in Feb. of this year. I've done two prints since and have truly enjoyed the freedom to cut where I want and to and have the allshina plywood be so cooperative. So I'm left with the problem of ink and paper. Mary and April both suggested going to oil based ink. I've just about got the water based ink to the point I think it needs to be at by using vehicle and extender. (I live in an open concept home and hesistate to use oil based ink due to clean up needs.) The paper isn't receiving the ink in a uniform fashion although the ink is uniform on the block. Dampening student grade hosho left me spending an hour trying to get the paper off of the block!! Graphic Chemical and Ink have been helpful, they suggested tableau paper. That seems to receive the ink better. I used a press in class and thought maybe that would do the trick. What do you think? Matt encouraged baren use. I've read David Bull and William Paden's pieces in the encyclopedia, I have a plastic baren with wooden handle and a bamboo one from Graphic Chem. I'm not sure if it has a cord inside. I guess I haven't explored their potential enough, I was pushing hard and the paper was fraying, but if I put a blotter in between there isn't enough pressure. How do I get enough pressure? Should I coat the block with gesso, would that help it release the ink better, or maybe an acrylic fixative so I can still see the lines? Any thoughts and hints will be greatly appreciated. I'm very excited to get to work this summer, today is my last day at school. Thank you! Kim ------------------------------ From: Cucamongie@aol.com Date: Wed, 23 Jun 1999 09:32:14 EDT Subject: [Baren 4738] Re: After Five Digest V1 #142 Yeah I did end up taking the whole darn thing apart - the funniest part about it though was that it looked like a cat hair and the print was one of my cat! Sort of like he was playing a little joke on me -- anyway, I think I have the pictures ready to go, now I just have to figure out how to pack them the best way - any tips, you professional folks out there? I'm packing 3 framed pieces, 16X20, I was thinking of putting bubble plastic around each one, foam board in between each, then bubble plastic anywhere else to pad it and everything in a big cardboard box. Is it OK to have the bubble stuff against the plexi, or should I have something else in between? Please excuse the ignorance, this is the first time I've had to ship framed work out. Best to all, Sarah ------------------------------ From: "Jeanne N. Chase" Date: Wed, 23 Jun 1999 10:48:48 -0400 Subject: [Baren 4739] Re: After Five Digest V1 #142 Sarah I had a cat in my studio for awhile, then took her to my home instead. i am still finding cat hairs in my work. Be sure that you do not overdo the packing as it is costly when it grows and grows. 16by 20's should be easy as they are all the same size. I usually put bubble wrap between each framed pic, then around all of them and tape the bubble wrap very tight. Leave about 1 inch around the pics and then stuff the edges with newspaper. I really have had good luck with this method. If you take it to a Mail box USA , they get very huffy about the packing. Seem to think that a 10 ton box will be on top. So they really want to box it up. After several tries at their money making enterprize, I just take it to the Post Office and send it their. I think they are reliable, and cheaper, and not so fussy. Good luck on your show. It is fun to be included in a print show. I have'nt tried to submit any prints yet , but I am getting ready. i am used to shipping large paintings and large drawings to shows. I think submitting prints, which are small will be a piece of cake. Jeanne ------------------------------ From: Graham Scholes Date: Wed, 23 Jun 1999 08:43:10 -0700 Subject: [Baren 4740] Up and running...... >Graham, have you considered using a regular camera and getting prints >developed at a 24 hours place, then scanning them? We're in business......Sometime today you will see some images on the web site. Individual report as of Wed morning......gawd three more days to go.....I don't think "THEY" will last. Everybody (except John) was in bed before Marnie and I last night. John?? He was into the varnish getting ready to print this morning. The turtle is motoring now. And of course Marco is still "heads" ahead of everybody....actually it was him....or is that he....that finally twigged this computer to work with the digital camera. Gads ..... these clever young guys have such sharp minds. Greg got into the barley solvent last night so his lights went out early. Wanda is into the nectare......her carving is sweet. May be printing in a week or so. I suggested last night that she could not leave here until the printing was finished so worked until 11pm. Barbara is digging in and baren down ready to do her first colours of her organic offering. Marnie is cooking. Graham is out of here. Cheers ------------------------------ From: Ruth Leaf Date: Wed, 23 Jun 1999 08:51:47 -0700 Subject: [Baren 4741] Re: Baren Digest V7 #606 Dear Jeanne, The prints are all woodcuts except for the very top untitled print which is a collograph printed in the viscosity manner. The Coney Island series is on wonderful cherry wood I was lucky enough to come by. The color woodcuts are on shina from McClain. The color is done on two sometimes three blocks. The color is a little too green on some of the prints. Thank you for the feedback....Ruth Leaf ------------------------------ From: "Jean Eger" Date: Wed, 23 Jun 1999 12:44:08 -0700 Subject: [Baren 4742] Re: Baren Digest V7 #606 Dear Ruth, What a treat to be able to view your print images online. I too espcially liked the coney island series. It has a wide range of values and expressive cuts, yet has an intense cohesiveness and atmosphere. I made it into wallpaper for my desktop, but was disappointed when I tried to send the "Coney Island" image to my son as a mail attachement. I was unable to download any of the images! That's a new trick! They show up as html files or alphabet soup. Only suggestion: I think you must love figurative work, although you only have one print there of there three shadow women on the music. It is different from all the rest, so I wondered why you put it so prominently out there on the first page. It makes me think that you love figurative and want to do more, but also want to put your traditional work online. I looked for more figures like that, but there weren't any! Well, I am sure that you can say the same thing about my web site. Thank goodness for Gayle, she suggested I go ahead and do more flying horses. Pretty soon I'll have a series! Jean in CA ------------------------------ From: "Jeanne N. Chase" Date: Wed, 23 Jun 1999 16:21:34 -0400 Subject: [Baren 4743] Re: Baren Digest V7 #606 Dear Jean (from Ca) Good for Gayle. I also love all of your horses. Your new print was wonderful with all the colors and the emotion the print evokes. I still love "Horsefeathers". Jeanne (from Fl.) ------------------------------ From: Graham Scholes Date: Wed, 23 Jun 1999 23:45:47 -0700 Subject: [Baren 4744] The workshop stuff Go have a looky lou...... at http://www.members.home.net/gscholes/wksp.html All the folks in Lotus Land. ------------------------------ From: arafat alnaim Date: Thu, 24 Jun 1999 02:32:18 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [Baren 4745] Re: The workshop stuff Dear Graham, Thank you for informing us about what is going on the workshop. It's really creative and great effort. Regards to all of you. Arafat ------------------------------ End of Baren Digest V7 #606 ***************************