[Baren]: The mailing list / discussion forum for woodblock printmaking. Baren Digest 1900 Volume 10 : Number 845 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Mary Krieger Date: Mon, 03 Jan 2000 07:53:50 -0600 Subject: [Baren 7448] Re: What is hanga? > What is hanga? What other styles are there and what are their qualities? As several others have posted, hanga is generally used to refer to Japanese style woodcuts. More specifically, it is generally used on this forum to indicate the particular technique of inking and printing. The block is inked with pigment and starch paste mixed directly on the block using a stiff brush. Dampened paper is placed on the block and a baren ( a circular tool covered with a bamboo sheath) is used to apply pressure to transfer the ink to the paper. The printing and inking method developed in Europe uses an oil based ink applied to the block with a brayer (roller). The prints may be made using a press or by applying pressure to the paper with a hard smooth object like the back of a wooden spoon. Waterbase inks for this method have been developed in recent years in response to concerns over oil based materials and their solvents in the studio. Wood engraving uses the same inking and printing methods as the European method described above. It differs in the way the wood is prepared and the tools used to cut it. Both the hanga and European woodcut use wood on the side grain. The face of the block runs parallel to the growth of the tree. Wood engraving uses blocks made from the end grain; the face of the block runs perpendicular to the growth of the tree. The primary tool used to cut the block is the burin, the same tool that is used to make engravings in copper. These three methods form the basis for most relief printing. The scope and variety of artists practice is extremely wide and individual. We are fortunate to be able to stand on the shoulders of a great tradition. Mary Krieger ------------------------------ From: "Daniel Dew" Date: Mon, 03 Jan 2000 10:16:59 -0500 Subject: [Baren 7450] Wanna See ? To all those who have asked or wondered what type of work I do, the American Print Alliance finally has my work posted (after only four months of pestering). It can be found at http://www.printalliance.org/ga_dew_tn.html. Interested in hearing any comments. Dan Dew ------------------------------ From: Maria Arango Date: Mon, 03 Jan 2000 07:54:51 -0800 Subject: [Baren 7451] Re: Password and info Also, for those looking for basic information on hanga, including a wonderful page of definitions of Japanese terms with pronounciations included, I found it very helpful to browse the encyclopedia. When I first started in Baren I spent countless hours browsing through the information, downloading books from the library, studying the definitions, reading archived posts and one-point lessons, etc. etc. An hour a day will get anyone up to speed on Baren, woodblock printmaking, and all its wonderful derivatives. Also recommended is to spend some time browsing through members' websites to get to know all a little better. Health to all, Maria ------------------------------ From: CHRISTY BLANK Date: Mon, 3 Jan 2000 09:39:07 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Baren 7453] Re: Printing problem I just got back and read 4 days worth of messages. You guys seemed to have pretty well covered the subject, but no none had mentioned this prepective, so..... FYI: I mentioned earlier I'm in a historical research group. One part of my focus is medieval and renaissance printing. In western Europe the solution to this problem would be to treat the block with a wax resist. 1) melt the wax to a very liquid state and brush it on to the block. 2) buff the wax into the block 3) sand lightly over the area you would like to print, until you have removed the wax. (I have discovered that sand paper wrapped on a small piece of board would not lower my surface unevenly and effect my printing surface.) 4) re-ink and proof your sanding job. This way may sound slow, but a friend who restores books for a living, says that some other solvents used to seal blocks, can effect the paper your printing on, shortening it's lifespan. (Some people do not take into account that paper is not normally treated with gesso to allow it to resist common art solvents.) (Most of what she has seen deterioate is about 50-100 years old and you never know what experimental combinations were used. However, the restorers can tell the chemicals in the paper.) You can see blocks treated like this in most large museums and large libraries. (If you ask nicely at the libraries they will let you examen the articles up close.) This may not be useful for modern printers, but I thought I'd add a little diversity to the group.(grin) Christina ------------------------------ From: "Jeanne Norman Chase" Date: Mon, 3 Jan 2000 14:25:44 -0500 Subject: [Baren 7456] Re: Re; various Hi Dan I am your neighbor, just one hour away in Sarasota. Have been meaning to join the Florida Printmakers but it just gets swept away with all the other things that I should do. Are there many people in the group? How often do they meet and how far away? Jeanne N. ------------------------------ From: Studio Dalwood Date: Tue, 04 Jan 2000 08:22:43 +1100 Subject: [Baren 7458] Kampala and Junintoiro and elephants Hi Everyone Gregory said about #5 "In fact, this could be such an intriguing collection that I would like to include it in a show I have been asked to curate at the National Gallery here in Kampala in May. I would do this only with the permission of the participants in X5, of course, and after some details have been worked out in the months ahead. " Gregory, I think your idea is a good one. I must admit I had to look up where Kampala is (didn't do Geography at school), sorry. I seem to be missing my Atlas, so I might have to drop into the Library this week to find out more. Please accept this as my consent to show my work there. I'm intrigued as to what the rest of the show is going to include? Can you supply us with info on the National gallery? Any websites we can visit? I must admit my knowledge of Uganda is almost non-existent. Thats the beauty of a forum such as this, we can share Australia and Africa. Hideshi, I was just looking at your work. Very nice. I take it you are influenced by Escher? See Web site http://www1.plala.or.jp/Hideshi/ A little story. I can't remember where I first heard this and I'm writing from memory but the theme brought it to mind. There was a group of blind men who had heard of this wondrous thing called an 'elephant' but did not know what it was. One day they were walking in the forest when they encountered one. The first man reached out and touched the tail. Ah, he thought, the elephant is like a piece of rope. The second man felt the leg, Ah he thought, the elephant is like a tree. The third man touched the elephants side. Ah he thought, the elephant is like a wall. The fourth man, touching the ears thought to himself, Ah the elephant is like a fan. The fifth man found the tusk, Ah he thought the elephant is like a spear. The sixth man found the trunk and thought Ah the elephant is like a snake. I've been thinking of Barthes and audience, signs and signifiers, and a rose misnamed. The theme is about difference. Its about multiplicity and narrative. I've carved one block. Think I may carve several before I am finshed here. Wonder which one I will send? Am back at 'work' now and will be updating the entire site of Print Australia this week with lots of new links in each section. Stay tuned. Newbies its at http://www.acay.com.au/~severn enjoy Josephine ------------------------------ From: Peter Klasen Date: Mon, 3 Jan 2000 23:28:42 -0500 Subject: [Baren 7459] Hello from Holland Dear Bareners, Hello, and Happy NewYear to all of you. Please let me introduce myself: I am Peter Klasen and live in The Hague, the Netherlands. Many years ago I finished a school for cabinet-making in Rotterdam. But soon after I started working with mentally retarded people, a job that I do since 15 years now. Nowadays I work as an activity-therapist (is this the proper term ?) and practice some crafts with the clients of the center I work in; e.g. lino-cuts. So a new interest was born. I gathered some information, and made my first woodcuts the last few weeks. A work, that pleased me very much; especially the printing. First I looked for some information on the web; and a search-engine guided me to your group. So; I also subscribed to the discussion forum, and received a lot of usefull information this way. Actually the last year I have been working in my spare time on a marqueterie-table (inlaid wood), which is quite a major project. So...woodcutting...is for the time being an intermezzo. But, since I had a lot of pleasure cutting, I will dive defintely deeper into the matter. As soon as things have more body; I will publish some material on my homepage. In the meanwhile I will follow the postings in the forum with interest and will contribute when I feel ready to do so. btw Quite a medium "the woodblock", a piece of archetypical information-technology I would say. Greetings, Peter ------------------------------ From: michael schneider Date: Tue, 04 Jan 2000 00:04:35 +0100 Subject: [Baren 7460] Re: Hello from Holland Peter Klasen wrote: > Hello, and Happy NewYear to all of you. happy new year to you too, happy to have another continental on the group. michael ------------------------------ End of Baren Digest V10 #845 ****************************