Baren Digest Tuesday, 17 April 2001 Volume 15 : Number 1391 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Legreenart@cs.com Date: Sun, 15 Apr 2001 23:51:31 EDT Subject: [Baren 14185] Re: Baren Digest v15 #1389 Dear Jeanne N., I used to cut my own mats and do the framing too. I found it hard to stay in practise, and when I am not in practise, I mess up a lot of mats. besides, I never have the mat I need on hand. Now I can usually trade for a mat with the framer next door, if not, I pay for the custom mat, then assemble the frame myself. If I need plexi, I buy it direct from the plastic supply cut to order. Glass I can usually salvage from frames where I had to have plexi for shipping. By keeping a stock of "standard to me" frames, I have frames that only need a new mat in an emergency, which is a big time saver. Yours, Le Green Stonemetal Press Email: legreenart@cs.com Website: www.stonemetalpress.homepage.com ------------------------------ From: slinder@mediaone.net Date: Sun, 15 Apr 2001 23:19:04 -0500 Subject: [Baren 14186] Re: do it yourself framing I also use a mid-priced Logan mat cutter. I still don't love matting, but the cutter is really slick and makes for a better job. (Logan's are made very near me here in Northern Illinois.) Looking up Logan mat cutters on a search engine will give you some idea of the advantages you get as you increase in price. I think that the handle that makes a vertical cut is a valuable, useful tool! I'm glad it came with my set! Sharen ------------------------------ From: "April Vollmer" Date: Mon, 16 Apr 2001 08:11:39 -0400 Subject: [Baren 14187] An open letter I received this letter from an artist who took my class, and thought it might be useful for others: Nancy>Hi April: I was in your class at Kala. I bought all the supplies and have cut several more color blocks so that I can make that print I was working on much more interesting. I have a couple of questions though. Dear Nancy, I am glad you enjoyed the class so much, and glad you are sticking with it! Nancy>1) I find myself not knowing how much gum arabic to add to the color dispersions. Can you give me an estimate? For instance, if I had 1/4 c of the color, would I add a pinch, a teaspoon or a tablespoon of the arabic? Do I mix the arabic up with water first? Or just put the powder in with the paint. I buy gum arabic already mixed, so I don't have to figure out the proportions. It may be more trouble than it's worth to mix yourself. From what I understand, if you use good washi (Japanese paper) you do not need a binder. The color is drawn deeply into the paper by the hand beaten kozo fibers. There is also a small amount of sizing (rabbit or hide glue) on the surface of the paper, which may help. I know artists who don't add any binder at all. So add very little, a pinch. Maybe you could just add it to the pigment. Add it only to the portion you are using to print with today, though, as it will make it susceptible to mold. Nancy>2) I bought some calcium carbonate from Guerra too and now I can't remember why! Maybe they talked me into it on the phone. I don't find anything about that in my notes from class. Do I need it? Calcium Carbonate (ground in water like the pigment dispersions) can be added to the pigments to make them more opaque. You will find it more useful for some pigments than others, for example, it makes pthalo's muddy. It basically turns a watercolor into a gouache, which is the way ukiyo-e prints were designed to be printed, fairly opaque. Nancy>3) I had the same experience with the shina ply that was talked about recently on baren forum. What I ordered is different from what we had in class. It is not very nice. Did you have the all shina for our class? I do not know why McClain's shina ply was different... I always order the ALL SHINA, if you get mahogany in the middle it is more difficult to cut. I never tried Norobu Sawai's. Good luck with your printing! You have the patience to follow through with this technique, it was fun to see you go through all the steps methodically, and end up with a very nice print. Patience pays off with hanga. best, April ------------------------------ From: "Gillyin Gatto" Date: Mon, 16 Apr 2001 10:47:07 -0700 Subject: [Baren 14188] mat cutters and shrink wrapping hello to all concerning Eli's questions and the discussion on mat cutters for years i used a hand held cutter and a straight edge but the volume of work i needed to put out for art show circuit was getting me down so i forked up the money for a Logan Simplex mat cutter -as Barbara Mason reccomends- which will do up to a 40" sheet and the difference was like nite and day i wondered why i waited so long! i can cut out probably 20 times more work in the same time,and accurately! no more slipping and ruining the mat- it is WELL worth the money...i'm not sure what they are going for now, mine is over ten years old but try United Manufactures for a good price 800-645-7260 whatever it costs it is worth it cuz its so comparitively easy it pays for itself in no time for shrink wrapping folks will try to sell you an expensive rig but you dont need it !! all one needs is an iron and a heat source. i buy the wrap in rolls that come in a tear-off box pull out how ever much is needed and tack it together with a very cool iron-under #1- then use your heat source to shrink it i use either my wood stove or a propane wall heater but most probably use the hair dryer (too high wattage for my inverter) with the stove type heaters- simply hold the wrapped piece over the heat or beside it and keep turning til done! but not too close or it will burn a hole in it wearing gloves or mittens helps keep the fingers cool i have also found out, inadvertently , that if left alone- say overnight- the stuff actual shrinks itself-but not as tight as with the heat . Gillyin machias maine Usa ------------------------------ From: abasist@buncombe.main.nc.us (Jerelee Basist) Date: Mon, 16 Apr 2001 10:11:09 -0500 Subject: [Baren 14189] hanga Has anyone ever used wall paper paste that's been mixed into watercolors for japanese wood block print-making? jerelee ------------------------------ From: Brian Lockyear Date: Mon, 16 Apr 2001 11:28:47 -0700 Subject: [Baren 14190] Show notice > Just a note to let you know that in Lawrence Kansas there is a show at the > Spenser Museum called 150 years of farm life. It is through June 6, > university of kansas. There are days when I miss living in Lawrence. :-( But then there are days when I want to go to the beach! :-) - Brian - Brian Lockyear Portland, Oregon ------------------------------ End of Baren Digest v15 #1391 *****************************