[Baren} the mailing list / discussion forum for woodblock printmaking Baren Digest Thursday, 6 July 2000 Volume 12 : Number1067 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Jeanne Norman Chase" Date: Wed, 5 Jul 2000 11:09:55 -0400 Subject: [Baren 10313] Re: giving up? Graham In answer to the "Here I go again, cut, print, toss (not really) "and your reply; "gee wiz Jeanne you forgot "create". Maybe that is why the "toss " is in there!!!! Try, try again. Jeanne N. ------------------------------ From: "Jean Eger" Date: Tue, 4 Jul 2000 08:10:59 -0700 Subject: [Baren 10314] hanga Please allow me to announce that I will be demonstrating hanga printmaking at Utrecht Art supplies in downtown San Francisco Wednesday July 12 from 1-3 and Saturday, July 22, from 1-3! Graham, I look forward to more photos from boot camp. You get a blue ribbon for pampering Dave and Sadako. They deserve it for all their work on Baren. Only two more days of computer class and I am done with courses for my clear credential! We're using Hyperstudio on the Mac and I am making a presentation on art elements and art principles. Friday I get back to work on Exchange #6. Maria, you keep going on 1000 woodcuts. Your web site is really inspiring. Gayle, it was a lot of fun to meet you and your hubby. I'm glad you went back to the Metreon (in San Francisco) because I felt silly when we got up to "Where The Wild Things Are," and realized it was for little kids. Jean Eger http://users.lanminds.com/~jeaneger ------------------------------ From: John and Jan Telfer Date: Thu, 6 Jul 00 00:00:52 -0000 Subject: [Baren 10315] Re: Oily blocks "Baren Digest" Darrell, >I guess the wood I was using was too soft and more absorbent than would be >ideal. Soft wood is OK. The Japanese wood I use is also very soft. > I was printing by hand Yes, that's OK, that's better than printing by press because you can control the amount of pressure you apply to the block and in some areas you can achieve grey tonings with less pressure and with a conservative amount of ink on the block the grain leaves its own pattern. Carefully peel the paper back to check on your Baren progress. Different amounts of effort will be needed for different types of paper...Kozo or Japanese type papers are easier to use because of their absorbency and the ink "shows" through the paper...always use a second sheet of paper (eg litho) on top of the Kozo to preserve the fibres from pilling or rubbing "off". The BFK Rives and 200 gms papers need a lot more elbow grease!! >and the trouble I was having was that using >solvent to clean the block washed it into the cut lines and made it almost >impossible to see when continuing cutting as the whole block ended up quite dark. Are you proofing the block as you progress? In this case someone else in Baren suggested using the old fashion method of "rubbing" - putting a piece of paper on top of the block and use a pencil led flat on the paper to get an impression....or...proof in a lighter (or purple) watercolour and paste solution instead of thick black oily ink. The watercolour will not effect the wood block if you prefer to do your edition in an oil based ink. > I'll use a better wood from now on. No, persevere with the wood you are using. Just be a little more conservative with the ink! > By the way, I saw a couple of >years ago in the book "Artist Beware" >that turpentine vapors are supposed to be more harmful than mineral spirits >[paint thinner.] I don't think I use enough to worry too much. Being in the same room as a smoker would do me more harm! Good luck, Jan ------------------------------ From: Chris Bremmer Date: Wed, 5 Jul 2000 08:48:43 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [Baren 10316] What kind of paper to use with oil based ink Hello, Just about ready to print a new woodblock I'm carving, and I'd like to know where I can get a nice "fibery" paper to print on. (Oil based ink) I've been using some Sumi sketch paper that the local art store had in stock, but they don't carry it anymore. Preferrably inexpensive if possible. Thanks! Chris ------------------------------ From: ArtfulCarol@aol.com Date: Wed, 5 Jul 2000 12:24:01 EDT Subject: [Baren 10317] Re: Re acryl, printing procedure Originallly I went into experimental art to speed things up, no extra steps. At that time waiting for anything to dry was not an option. Little did I know that I was to become hooked on the wonderful world of woodcuts! Thank you Darrell for the gum arabic suggestion. Carol Lyons t thaat time waitig for anything to dry was nto an option. ------------------------------ From: ArtfulCarol@aol.com Date: Wed, 5 Jul 2000 12:40:10 EDT Subject: [Baren 10318] Re: Baren Digest V12 #1066 I remember when we had a discussion about white line woodblock, so here is a course on it: White Line Woodblock with Pia Oste-Alexander, Workshop, Aug 7-9 Woodstock School of Art 2470 route 212, PO Box 338, Woodstock, NY 12498, check this number because aresa codes have just been changed: (914) 679-2388 I'd like to go , but it's the scheduling thing again. Carol Lyons Irvington, NY USA ------------------------------ From: Artsmadis@aol.com Date: Wed, 5 Jul 2000 12:54:16 EDT Subject: [Baren 10319] Re: What kind of paper to use with oil based ink << I'd like to know where I can get a nice "fibery" paper to print on. (Oil based ink) >> Unryu might be a good choice. Very fibery and not expensive. I believe it's about $2.50 per sheet, about 22 X 30 inches or so in size, also available in rolls. I know you can order it from Paper Routes in Dallas, Tx. by phone. I think they have sample books of oriental paper also. Phone # is 214-828-9494. Darrell ------------------------------ From: "Philip Smith" Date: Wed, 5 Jul 2000 10:11:38 -0700 Subject: [Baren 10320] Re: What kind of paper to use with oil based ink Chris,.....go to www.artpaper.com and read about the different papers available,...it'll give you the overview you might need! Philip - ----- Original Message ----- From: "Chris Bremmer" To: "baren mailing list" Sent: Wednesday, July 05, 2000 8:48 AM Subject: [Baren 10316] What kind of paper to use with oil based ink ------------------------------ From: "Maria Arango" Date: Wed, 5 Jul 2000 09:30:46 -0700 Subject: [Baren 10321] Re: What kind of paper to use with oil based ink > Just about ready to print a new woodblock I'm carving, and > I'd like to know where I can get a nice "fibery" paper to This page has some paper sources and suggestions of paper to use for oil based ink. If you tell me a bit more what you mean by fibery, I can suggest something as I like to experiment with papers and have used quite a few kinds. Which reminds me, I need to update those pages, but geez.... http://www.printmakingstudio.com/Studionotes/Paper/Paper1.html Hope this helps, Maria <><><><><><><><><><><><> Maria Arango, Printmaker Las Vegas Nevada USA http://www.1000woodcuts.com Follow along! quest1000woodcuts@hotmail.com maria@mariarango.com <><><><><><><><><><><><> ------------------------------ From: "Jeanne Norman Chase" Date: Wed, 5 Jul 2000 16:15:00 -0400 Subject: [Baren 10322] Re: What kind of paper to use with oil based ink Chris A wonderful fibery paper is Kitataka paper. It is fairly inexpensive and has a great tannish color. I am using it for my Exchange 6 now and it works for me. And I am an oily person! Gayle W. gave me the info. about a year ago and I am sold. Jeanne N. ------------------------------ From: Artsmadis@aol.com Date: Wed, 5 Jul 2000 16:41:03 EDT Subject: [Baren 10323] Re: Oily blocks Jan-- Thank you, that is very useful information for me. Somehow I had got it into my head that the more ink the more the grain of the wood would show--just backwards. I also did not know one could hand print with anything but light Japanese paper, I will have to try some 100% cotton waterleaf paper I've got, I think it might emboss beautifully if my elbow can stand it. And your hints about proofing with watercolor and pencil rubbing are ideas I probably would not have thought of myself either. Darrell ------------------------------ From: Studio Dalwood Date: Thu, 06 Jul 2000 07:42:51 +1000 Subject: [Baren 10324] Sealing wooden blocks Hi Jan said "There is no need to varnish the wood if you are printing with oil based inks...the oil in the ink will lubricate the wood, and the turps will only make the varnish sticky." I think it must be an abberation of mine but I use shellac. Maybe its a carpentry thing? You have this hopefully beautiful wood carving, what else but to french polish it? Then you dont want to adulterate it by applying ink. Seriously though. The shellac is meths based so there are no turps problems and it seals the block which makes it easier to clean if you don't want to leave the block inked. I make the shellac up quite thin and apply it in layers. You can control the amount of woodgrain that prints this way. When you use plywood, this is important as the grain is very strong. You can also control the tones that print too. If you also do that intaglio collograph thing (I know, I know, dont hit me!) try dripping some thicker shellac on as a texture, it prints as beautiful 'bubbly' patches. I did some combined woodcut/collograph prints like this on plywood last year. Josephine Sydney, Australia Counting down till spring. ------------------------------ From: Studio Dalwood Date: Thu, 06 Jul 2000 07:53:37 +1000 Subject: [Baren 10325] Woodblock book. Me again I finally found my woodblock book. Its called, Japanese Woodblock Prints - Their Techniques and Appreciation, by Umetaro Azechi. 1963 Toto Shuppan Co. No ISBN number given. The book includes washi samples and a complementary print by the author (hand printed by Sokichi Kobayashi) (p11) Detailed instructions, comprehensively illustrated, mostly B&W photos. Some of the sample prints illustrated look quite dated, it was the sixties after all. But all in all an invaluable resource. This was a great find for few dollars in a junk store. Do you have a copy of this one Dave? Josephine Yep, still in Sydney ------------------------------ End of Baren Digest V12 #1067 *****************************