Baren Digest             Saturday, 24 February 2001     Volume 14 : Number 1333


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From: Mary Krieger <mkrieger@mb.sympatico.ca>
Date: Fri, 23 Feb 2001 07:28:03 -0600
Subject: [Baren 13581] Re: Introduction ... 

Hi Noreen,

There are many more people with greater experience in hanga on this
forum but I have never heard any of them describe soaking their block
before printing. This would be particularly tough on the glue holding
together the layers of any plywood.

The block does have to be prepared for printing by allowing it to absorb
water but this is usually described as accomplished by printing not on
your real paper but on trial sheets until the block is printing evenly.
That is to say the Akua color and the methyl cellulose are placed on the
printing area of the block and mixed together, then proofing paper is
placed on it and the baren applied. The whole process is repeated until
the block achieves a stable balance not only of moisture but also of
color and methyl cellulose. This is generally not so much moisture to
separate the plywood layers.

Hope this helps

Mary Krieger
Winnipeg Canada



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From: B E Mason <bemason@concentric.net>
Date: Fri, 23 Feb 2001 05:56:28 -0800
Subject: [Baren 13582] Noreen's problems 

Wow, Noreen you are really taking on the world working so large. I think 
if you laid wet towels over you block instead of submersing it that 
would help, it might keep the inside from getting so wet. Also if you 
switch to the Russian birch abailable here from Yuri on the baren that 
will also help, you shouldn't get bubbles with his wood. As to the 
paper, put it in the freezer when not in use. It is hard to work 
reductively and keep your paper in good shape, so just keep it in the 
freezer as soon as you print, back in it goes. I don't know if these 
will help you but I think the freezer part might do it.
If not let us know. I haven't heard of anyone soaking a block for 1/2 
hour in a tub, but maybe in the desert it is necessary. Can you work in 
a room with a little more humitity? Maybe get a teakettle going and 
close the doors and windows? That would help you with your wet block. I 
hope others answer, my experience is limited on this large work. I know 
Sarah Hauser uses Akua Kolor for hanga but she lives in NY City and that 
is pretty humid.Check out the baren mall for supplies.
Best to you,
Barbara

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From: ArtfulCarol@aol.com
Date: Fri, 23 Feb 2001 09:55:34 EST
Subject: [Baren 13583] Product Help 

Hi,

There was a clear paste which came in a tube and when added to watercolors 
resulted in a beautiful finish.  The spelling was W h i t  e c o m b  I 
think.  It may be off the market. Does anyone out there know about it or what 
can be used instead?

Thank you
Carol Lyons   Irvington, NY

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From: "Jeanne Norman Chase" <studiojnc@prodigy.net>
Date: Fri, 23 Feb 2001 10:42:46 -0500
Subject: [Baren 13584] Re: Mildew charset="iso-8859-1" 

Thanks Patsy,

I have seen the product DriRite on the shelves. I will try it out.
Have had so many wonderful responses to the mildew problem and intend to
follow them up .

David Stones; Where does one get silica gel?  Is it a hardware store item?
Would like to try that one out too.

Yesterday I took down a n art piece that has been hanging on my gallery wall
for 4 months, took it out of the frame and cleaned the plexi. It had some
sort of spotting on the plexi that I am sure was not good for the art work.
It IS a lot of work but I am taking down one piece every other day til' they
are all cleaned. Fighting mildew is an ever ending task.

Jeanne N.


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From: "Jeanne Norman Chase" <studiojnc@prodigy.net>
Date: Fri, 23 Feb 2001 10:47:52 -0500
Subject: [Baren 13585] Re: Mildew, Yuri's e-mail address charset="iso-8859-1" 

Michelle
Since Florida is almost always in a state of humidity and heat, I have the
AC.s on about 9 months of the year, so guess that does not effect the rate
of mildew.
My only solution, if all of this good advice does not work, is to move to a
better climate!!!!!!
Thanks
Jeanne N.

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From: "Maria Arango" <maria@mariarango.com>
Date: Fri, 23 Feb 2001 08:26:14 -0800
Subject: [Baren 13586] Re: Mildew, Yuri's e-mail address

There's always room in my house for another woodcut printmaker!
Scandalous weather report from Las Vegas, verbatim from yesterday's news:
"Humidity on the rise! ...average relative humidity has risen from 12% (low
3.5%) in the 1980's to 18% in the 90's. This is due to the city's growth,
artificial bodies of water such as lakes and pools, and the imported
vegetation and grasses being planted by most businesses and home-owners.
If the trend continues, it is expected that woodblock printmakers from all
over the world will consider this the ideal place to live and move in hoards
to Las Vegas. Needless to say, construction companies are licking their
chops at the expected population influx."
Okay, I made part of that up... :-}

Health and humor to all,
Moldless and Mildewless Maria (what _does_ that stuff look like anyway?)

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Maria Arango
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
http://www.1000woodcuts.com
maria@mariarango.com
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><>


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From: Wanda <robertson@canby.com>
Date: Fri, 23 Feb 2001 09:15:35 -0700
Subject: [Baren 13587] Re: Introduction ... 

Noreen, you are to be congratulated - you have really bitten off a big chunk,
literally & figuratively. I'm sure you are going to get lots & lots of answers to
your questions.

#1 Baltic birch - you need to contact Yuri <yuri@pacinfo.com> for Siberian Birch.
Your Baltic Birch (someone mentioned this already, Mike Lyons I think) is not
glued with waterproof glue, therefore the lifting & bubbling. Tears come to my
eyes, all that work on those big blocks!

#2 Big discussion on mildew over the last couple of weeks. I suggest checking the
archives for many many tips on preventing mildew. http://barenforum.org/

Also, I would suggest a lighter weight paper - some of the large Japanese papers
in the baren mall. http://barenforum.org/mall  Or are you printing these gigantic
works with the aid of a press?

The best of luck to you & let us know how it's going. Welcome to Baren, you will
get tons of help here!

Wanda

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From: "April Vollmer" <april@aprilvollmer.com>
Date: Fri, 23 Feb 2001 12:34:38 -0500
Subject: [Baren 13588] Mold and RIP charset="iso-8859-1" 

Jack and others, thanks for the clarification on why we get mold INSIDE
frames.

Noreen, you have a big job working against your climate! Humidity is what
you need for hanga printing.

You have two other big problems: scale and paper. The large scale you are
working in makes it hard to complete printing before the paper dries at the
margins. And watercolor paper is the worst. It is too hard, not absorbent
enough to soak up the color the right amount like good sized washi will.

Finally, money will be a big problem. To get nice paper that absorbs color
well without bleeding AND retains moisture AND stands up to hard printing
(meaning real washi) is expensive. And to a lesser extent it is also
expensive (though not as much) to get good shina ply with no holes in it to
fill with water and make bubbles. You need wood that is porous enough to
hold color, with no voids in it to hold puddles or print funny.

I suspect, since you mention using materials to hand, that you do not have a
good baren, either. I hate to sound like Graham Scholes, (our departed, but
fondly remembered printing perfectionist) but to get a good print, you will
need to invest in some good tools. Check the Encyclopedia supply pages and
Baren Mall, and get a McClain's catalogue at (800) 832-4264.

Best of luck with your printing. Hanga is hard to do, but worth it!

And P.S. to almost EVERYONE, please remember to post UNFORMATTED!!!! All the
garbage code that's coming through in the digest version of Baren is driving
me CRAZY!!!!!

love you anyway,

April Vollmer
www.aprilvollmer.com


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From: Cucamongie@aol.com
Date: Fri, 23 Feb 2001 13:47:46 EST
Subject: [Baren 13589] Marilyn Philby Gallery 

Hi all, anyone have experience (good, bad or otherwise) with the Marilyn 
Philby Gallery in Evanston, Illinois?  I just had several pieces accepted 
into a show there, and it's always great to hear if anyone has had experience 
with a place first-hand before you go sending your work into the great 
unknown.  Please email me off list - 
thanks a lot, 
Sarah
Cucamongie@aol.com

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From: Julio.Rodriguez@walgreens.com
Date: Fri, 23 Feb 2001 12:59:35 -0600
Subject: [Baren 13590] Re: Introduction ... 02/23/2001 12:59:23 PM 

Hi Noreen, welcome to Baren........since you mentioned working in the
traditional way, let me give you
some places to look in our encyclopedia....these pages are all relating to the use and control of
water in hanga.  Like the others have mentioned, I also think you are drowning your blocks! Too much water is
just as bad as too little water. Actually there is very little water used in hanga other than that used for
moistening the paper. Please see the following links, not being an everyday or everyweek printmaker, I go back
to these everytime I ready for another printing session.....a reminder of sorts...

http://barenforum.org/encyclopedia/entries/onepoint/018_35/018_35_frame.html

http://barenforum.org/encyclopedia/entries/onepoint/018_21/018_21_frame.html

http://barenforum.org/encyclopedia/entries/onepoint/018_29/018_29_frame.html

http://barenforum.org/encyclopedia/entries/onepoint/018_08/018_08_frame.html




For an intro to basic hanga concepts and a step-by-step...see:

http://barenforum.org/encyclopedia/entries/000_01/000_01_frame.html

http://barenforum.org/encyclopedia/entries/000_09/000_09_frame.html


Good luck and welcome aboard...Julio


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From: Julio.Rodriguez@walgreens.com
Date: Fri, 23 Feb 2001 13:05:32 -0600
Subject: [Baren 13591] Re: Marilyn Philby Gallery 02/23/2001 01:05:20 PM 

Sarah, never being there but it's only a five minute-ride from my house.
Will check it out for you....my wife works in
downstown Evanston. Write me offlist with any concerns.

Julio


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From: Sunnffunn@aol.com
Date: Fri, 23 Feb 2001 14:52:33 EST
Subject: [Baren 13593] Re: Exhibiting prints 

I have not done a baren exchange but I belonged to a group in my area that 
put on several shows annually. ( I had to coordinate and find artitst and 
hoang one myself, what a great experience)  I am still great friends with 
many and would think if I approached them with this work they might find a 
space of time to exhibit it. Also knowing me I will become involved in the 
next year or two down at the coast in the art groups there and they also do 
exhibits.  So how does one show it, i personally would think frames would be 
the best way????  The next exchange I will do if I can.
Marilynn

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From: "eli griggs" <eli.griggs@worldnet.att.net>
Date: Fri, 23 Feb 2001 15:15:11 -0500
Subject: [Baren 13594] Re: Introduction ... 

Hi there:

I have no experience with it as a printing material, but you might try
marine grade mahogany plywood.  I think it might be a better choice for your
method because mahogany can be very stable in water (it's used to make
frames for papermaking) and the glues used will have been selected with
exposure to water in mind.  I don't think you will find any voids in this
stuff and mahogany grain is not offensive.  The solid stuff carves very
nicely (though it may be a different species).  When you price it, remember
that the sheets come larger than standard building stuff, though it is
likely to be thinner.  If there is a recreational lake or river nearby, look
for someone who is making repairs who will part with some small cutoffs for
experimenting.

Whatever sort of plywood you work with  needs to be sealed on the edges (end
grain) with a good spar varnish.  End grain left open, is an invitation to
disaster.

Eli Griggs
Charlotte N.C.
USA

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From: "Jeanne Norman Chase" <studiojnc@prodigy.net>
Date: Fri, 23 Feb 2001 17:36:59 -0500
Subject: [Baren 13596] Re: Mildew, Yuri's e-mail address charset="iso-8859-1" 

Maria

In reply to; "what does that stuff look like anyway?" (mildew). Did you ever
have to scrape off mold?  It is something like that. Every year I have to go
through my closets and get out all of the shoes, as they turn green in the
humidity. Yuch
Think of a piece of paper with the measles. You've got it.!

I am packing my bag right now and all of my printing equipment. How do you
think my cat will get along with your wolves.?

And I will try again to order some printing supplies from the Baren Mall. I
just gave up too easily.
Happy printing!

Jeanne N.



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From: "Gillyin Gatto" <gillying@Maineline.net>
Date: Fri, 23 Feb 2001 19:01:38 -0800
Subject: [Baren 13597] hand colored woodcuts/provincetown prints 

hello bareners-continuing  further the discussion on hand coloring...that 
Sharri and Marilynn have mentioned,  i do alot of hand coloring  which i
started doing during a period of insomnia in my life  which now happily over
i decided to color  one of my prints for the fun of it    to pass the time
and people liked them alot  and wanted more    its also a great thing to do
with blocks which are sold out editions     i do the print  in black oil
base ink, let it dry  and do a mixed media drawing/painting right  on it,
on top of the ink   ,on  the front of the print .   when i do collages of my
prints , i"ll often hand color those too  .    i use oil base colored pencil
and oil pastels mostly , but i have used water colored pencils  on the white
area s  - they dont go over the oil ink very well like the oil pencils do  .
some of my prints  are small, so i'll hand color each print in the editon
- -like printing a kingfisher in blue ink,  and then coloring the  orange
stripe on its breast with colored pencil . if there is only going to be a
little bit of color in a print - i'll usually do it by hand   .and then i
charge more  for the  "hand colored" prints even tho its easier  (in a way)
to do  than carving a new block for each color, the one- of- a- kind- ness
of it  commands more $$    I really have not done alot of color work
compared to lots of black and white  and i always like my black and white
better ....     does anyone know of the Provincetown Printmakers of 'white
line woodcut' fame , who carved  a single block ,in a white line method
,,and then printed it with brushed on watercolors , over and over many times
til all the colors are done.  perhaps you all have discussed them before...
the original  "founder"  B.J.O. Nordfeldt had studied and mastered the
Japanese methods of Hanga  before  inventing his own offshoot  'provincetown
print' method of only using one block and printing it many times.  the
prints are beautiful and  seemingly combine  multiple printing with monotype
, in that  he would  paint the flowers or patterns on a dress with the brush
as well as solid areas and then print it  out , the paint was applied in a
painterly manner , so that the prints have the quality of watercolors   and
each impression was often quite different than the others in the
edition-which was usually small  .    i tried a few times  and used acrylics
i personally find it to be tedious  . the group " Provincetown Printmakers"
was the first (1918) organization in America of artists committed to making
woodcuts , other  artists were Blanche Lazzell,Ada Gilmore,Ora Maxim,Karl
Knaths ,Agnes Weinrich             i had heard of the provincetown group
rather vaguely over the years, but it didnt sink in til i was in
provincetown about six years ago and saw a show of these woodcuts  very
interesting and impressive   and an interesting  combination of methods  i'd
say...Gillyin  -machias maine  usa



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From: "Bea Gold" <bnj50@earthlink.net>
Date: Fri, 23 Feb 2001 16:22:00 -0800
Subject: [Baren 13599] Re: Mildew, Yuri's e-mail address charset="iso-8859-1" 

No way, I don't recommend Las Vegas -  I hate it when my sometimes too dry
air in LA sucks up every bit of moisture from my paper in about 2 seconds.
Then into the freezer goes my work and I go cook something or something.
However, I guess I rather have too dry than too wet.  Sorry, Jeanne - Bea



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End of Baren Digest v14 #1333
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