Baren Digest Thursday, 26 April 2001 Volume 15 : Number 1400 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Shireen Holman Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2001 09:14:59 -0400 Subject: [Baren 14229] Re: books At 09:00 PM 4/24/01 -0700, you wrote: >I just got two new books from the Japanese food store near me, Speaking of books, I just bought a beautiful book at Borders. It's called "Masterpieces of Japanese Prints: Ukiyo-e from the Victoria and Albert Museum." I bought the paperback version - it has wonderful reproductions. The museum has a really fine collection of prints. I hadn't seen many prints by Kuniyoshi before - these are quite impressive. Shireen *********************************************** Shireen Holman, Printmaker and Book Artist email: shireenh@earthlink.net http://www.shireenholman.com *********************************************** ------------------------------ From: amoss@mindspring.com (John Amoss) Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2001 10:31:33 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [Baren 14230] The Rev. Barry Moser A couple of members suggested that I report on my impressions of wood engraver Barry Moser (pronounced Mozer), so here they are. I'm sure some of you have also met him and it would be interesting to compare notes. He was invited to speak at the printmaking department here at the University of Georgia and I was asked to attend both a demo and dinner. I had admired his work over the past 15-plus years but knew very little of the man. To begin with, he seemed a very unassuming no-nonsense type: short, solid, cropped white beard, glasses, shaved head and in his early 60s I'd guess. He is originally from the Southeast US and has a slight southern accent which added an air of folksiness. I learned that he was a Methodist preacher for 2 years while attending Auburn University in Alabama in which he studied art education. He discovered wood engravings shortly after and gave humerous accounts of his first attempts. After showing us what NOT to do, he gave a very good process description for those not familiar with the craft. An interesting note of printing history he passed along: Because of daily deadlines- newspapers in the 1800s had several engravers work on a single image. The designs were applied onto the wood using a photographic process and then they were divided up into sections. These were then engraved close to but not to the edges. The pieces were then re-assembled using bolts and the lines were finally completed meeting at the joints. Sometime later, after illustrating numerous books such as Alice, Wizard of Oz, etc., Mr. Moser claimed that he had to change mediums from engraving to watercolor painting as he was not able to find a reliable supply of boxwood. After a few years, he was introduced to a new product- resingrave which allowed him a means to continue the craft because of its availability. He also noted its stability, affordability and that you can patch the stuff with epoxy. His most recent process (as seen in his Bible illustrations) of laying out imagery starts with scanning images from his photo morgue- mainly from Nat. Geographics and personal photo shoots and then assembling them in Photoshop (He is a Mac user by the way :~). Anyway, he transfers the image using the xerox/lacquer thinner technique onto the block and coats the surface with a walnut-colored ink to see the cuts. He works pretty quickly and says that it is possible for him to engrave an 8.5" x 11" in one day (not including the prelimenary sketches). He stressed on several occasions that he did NOT consider himself an artist. He felt that it was a great relief not to have that label around his neck and that he is now able to do "Whatever He Damn Pleases". However, IF people feel that what he does is indeed art, he leaves that up to the viewer. He tells his students at RISD that work and dedication is far more important than talent or innovation in his opinion. A colorful quote of his that sticks in my mind is: "An illustrator [speaking of himself] is both a thief and whore: He steals images from anywhere and while taking the money while insisting that he enjoyed the job every bit as much as the customer did." I personally think such crude yet self-effacing comments keeps him modest. He also suggested that the artist/illustrator/craftsman/thief, etc. should not believe in his/her own illusion and to remember that the image is not reality, but just wood, ink and paper and hopefully the combination communicates something to the viewer. I think that I am correctly paraphrasing him by saying "The artist's ego will distract from the image's purpose". He said that some critics and artists consider him a throw-back and a non-creative type (It has often bugged me why artists often fight amongst themselves so much instead of being open-minded as they profess artists should be). Anyway, Barry just shrugs and says "whatever" to the criticisms, minds his own business, and keep his nose where it belongs- at the grindstone. In conclusion, I found him to be refreshing and an unassuming speaker in the sometimes-high-minded world of academia. I had originally supposed that someone who had re-done works like Alice in Wonderland and The Bible must have a world-class ego- but now I rather suspect that he just ignores all of that and is more interested in the rich content of the text. - -John A. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ AMOSS ILLUSTRATION, INC. (706)549-4662 FAX(706)549-3962 amoss@mindspring.com www.mindspring.com/~amoss 365 Ponderosa Dr.,Athens, GA 30605 USA ------------------------------ From: "Murilo Pereira" Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2001 13:33:08 -0300 Subject: [Baren 14231] prints charset="iso-8859-1" Boa tarde, buenas tardes, bon soir, well , do you know the great artist Bram van Velde (1895-1981)? He is na excellent lythographer and painter, I don't know if he did also hanga or wood engraving. I hope I won't be censured by that... He works mostly on paper, just like I do, and he had never been recognized in his life. He starved and hadn't have a place to live in. He depended exclusively upon his friends. Some years ago attended a contemporary art course with a History Art doctor and writer from São Paulo, and it was then that I first met Mr. van Velde works. I looked after his work for all the books of art I could handle and nothing...Nobody ever talked about him. I talked about with others art Ma and doctors, nobody knew nothing.., Now I found his great art in the Net and I wish you have a look . Write his name in? on? at? Alta vista and see!!!! I think it will be a great enrichment like it is to me. He's wonderful. He's "hanga" himself. Best wishes. Murilo Grisard Pereira, florianópolis. ------------------------------ From: "eli griggs" Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2001 13:02:33 -0400 Subject: [Baren 14232] Re: books Hi there: Several years ago, a close friend, elder mentor and relative (third = cousin) passed on. His widow decided to clear house and one of the = things she sent over in boxes of books was a woodcut, Original Fuji, by = Hiroshige. It had been Scotch taped onto a mat and she had pulled it = off the board. The edges are damaged and it has no monetary value, but = I love to look at it as an example of woodcut and history (there are = tiny little samurai in there). Some of the pigments were fugitive, I = think that the printer used Rose Madder, which has almost disappeared. = If you would like, I can send it out to you, and you can examine it and = handle it all you want, something you can not do in a gallery or museum = and when you are finished, you can post it back.=20 Cheers, Eli Griggs Charlotte N.C. USA http://www.geocities.com/eli_griggs/mypage.html ------------------------------ From: "Maria Arango" Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2001 11:59:11 -0700 Subject: [Baren 14233] puzzle to ponder charset="iso-8859-1" About those knives... As you all know, I am a hopeless experimenter and/or impulsive sort. So anyway, there I was carving a piece of cherry with my fine fine fine Japanese knives. And there was that other piece of beautiful birch and I started hacking at it with my Flexcut beauts... And then it dawned on me, the Japanese knives carve the cherry better and the Flexcuts carve the softwood better; could this be true? And why? An experiment was in order, so I grab a piece of oak, yep, Japanese knives better. I tried some basswood, sure thing, Flexcut better. Pecan? Japanese. Pine? Flexcut. Maple? Japanese! Adler? Flexcut! Coffee table? Oops, oh my... Anyhow, can someone perhaps discuss WHY? Inquiring minds want to know. Is it the type of steal? the thinness of the blade? the way the tool is made? the temperament of a 7' hollyhock in full bloom? Maria <><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Maria Arango Las Vegas, Nevada, USA http://www.1000woodcuts.com maria@mariarango.com <><><><><><><><><><><><><><> ------------------------------ From: "Philip Smith" Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2001 13:25:50 -0700 Subject: [Baren 14234] Barbara,...'Just got your postcard for the up coming show = "Extra-Ordinary" at the Waterstone Gallery in Portland [424 NW 12th = Ave.]. I'll try and make it over to see it. Good luck. Philip Hammond OR USA ------------------------------ From: "Jeanne Norman Chase" Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2001 16:42:10 -0400 Subject: [Baren 14235] Art Supplier charset="iso-8859-1" Straighten me out someone. It seems that not long ago there was a notice that McClains was out of business, had moved or something in that order. I want to order from them but are they still at the same address? OK, Barbara, you are the fount of info. Let me know. Jeanne N. ------------------------------ From: "eli griggs" Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2001 17:02:05 -0400 Subject: [Baren 14236] Re: puzzle to ponder, fuji print, transfer papers charset="iso-8859-1" Hi there: Maria, I think that what is happening here is that your traditional (an assumption on my part as to the type of hanga knives you are using) knives have a thicker bevel than the Flexcut knives. The greater mass in the traditional Hanga blade bevel (or any other hardwood-working tool) is needed to support the edge so that it does not collapse when plunged into the dense cherry. The regular (not 'Flexcut Mallet Tools', which are made thicker) Flexcut, spring steel blades have longer, thinner bevels so that they slice, not 'crush' the softer wood fibres in Shina, pine etc. Wanda Robertson wrote in Baren-suji, issue #1 "I use Japanese chisels. I have ordered chisels from McClains as well from the Japan Woodworker. (I have found the Michi line of chisels suitable only for shina work. They do not work cherry well.)" I have never seen one of those Michi blades close up, but am willing to bet that if they were compared to the traditional hanga knives, that they too have (came with) a long bevel. Does any on have both type, with the original bevel angles preserved? If so, how about posting a finding on the angle of the bevels and overall thickness of the blades? If you are working regularly with both hard and soft woods, it is best to keep one set of tools for each type materials. The tools themselves can be of the same manufacture, but should have different geometry to their cutting edges. Be sure to mark them as such. Of course there are always exceptions to the rule. Take another look at David Bulls' entry "Carving tools belonging to Mr. Ito Susumu" on the Baren site. BY THE WAY, I have put up a scanned image of the Hiroshige print I mentioned in a earlier post http://www.geocities.com/eli_griggs/fuji.html?988224861490 I WAS READING 'Japanese Woodblock Prints Their Techniques and Appreciation' by Umetaro Azechi last night (there is a really cool little woodcut tipped in, in the front section) and found where he describes how to transfer the design to a block by pasting down a drawing done on Japanese paper. What was interesting to me is that he say that though there is a special paper for this, most Japanese papers that are not too thickly made can be used. I made a quick 'rub' test with Kitakata, scrap wood (and wood glue) and sure enough it worked! Has anyone else used this method with the less expensive Japanese papers (that are not made expressly for transfer work)? If so, I would like to hear about your results. I plan to do another test, on a block to be carved, with rice paste and an inkjet image. Eli Griggs Charlotte N.C. USA http://www.geocities.com/eli_griggs/mypage.html ------------------------------ From: "kate courchaine" Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2001 21:03:25 Subject: [Baren 14237] Water based ink, etc. Finally tried the sample of water based ink and h2o soluble vehicle so graciously provided by Dean at Graphic Chemical. I am basically a oil based printer - It was about 5 years ago that I last tried Daniel Smith's water based ink and really did not like any thing about it. Have not tried their current formulation. This Graphic Chemical h2o ink is something else! It was easy to use, handled nicely, printed nicely and has a nice surface to it when it dries, cleans up like a breeze. I printed on dry Rives lt. wt. I could definitely see using it again. Thanks Dean. My Salon de Refuse print is now in the hands of our trusty postal system, so Dan - another one coming your way! McClains just changed owners, they are still in business. Spring fever has hit! Kate Courchaine ------------------------------ From: "Maria Arango" Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2001 14:06:15 -0700 Subject: [Baren 14238] California charset="iso-8859-1" Two upcoming festivals in sunny (hope) California! - - Strawberry Festival in Oxnard, Strawberry Meadows of College Park, 3250 S.Rose Ave, Oxnard - - Long Beach Art Walk, Bluff Park, 2500 Ocean Blvd, Long Beach If you live in CA, come out and say howdy-do! I would love to meet a whole bunch of you. Also if you want to get a post-card/reminder, just e-mail me your address off list and I will duly comply. Oh, if you do come by please identify yourself with the secret handshake. Alternatively, you can wear bamboo-skin hats and I will know who you are. Health to all, Maria <><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Maria Arango Las Vegas, Nevada, USA http://www.1000woodcuts.com maria@mariarango.com <><><><><><><><><><><><><><> ------------------------------ From: "bemason" Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2001 14:06:39 -0700 Subject: [Baren 14239] Re: Art Supplier They have sold it, the new owner, Alex Prentiss has moved it to her home and it will be all mail order. You can still order at 503-524-9600 or 1-800-823-4264. They also have a web site, http://www.Imcclains.com so you can see the stuff and order via email, sending a credit card number in two emails. Glad you think I know everything.....not so, but I do know this thing since they are in my city. Don't forget the baren mall for stuff also at http://www.barenforum.org/mall you can still get that wonderful Yamaguchi paper at a very good price. Best to all Barbara ------------------------------ From: Julio.Rodriguez@walgreens.com Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2001 16:31:38 -0500 Subject: [Baren 14240] Re: knives and bevels....a question 04/25/2001 04:31:27 PM Not an expert on this stuff, so I have a question...the traditional japanese cutting knife (To) has a bevel edge on one side...in my case being left-handed and holding the knife on my left hand....what is the proper way to cut fine lines ? and does it matter if you are cutting the inside or the outside of line ? Usually I cut with the non-bevel edge against the line in a downward motion towards me. Do the experts rotate the block around to always have the same side of the blade edge cutting agains the line ? Are there left handed and right handed To's ??? Inquiring minds wants to know ! Julio ps. I hope to have the final print selections for the Skokie exhibit announced next week so that all participants can update their resumes and bios....... ------------------------------ From: "bemason" Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2001 14:25:04 -0700 Subject: [Baren 14241] hanshita transfer paper Eli, I am not sure of the spelling of hanshita, but that is the paper transfer used in Japan for woodblook. Sorry, Dave, if I butchered it. Wanda has used the sumi paper for this and it works very well, you glue it down with rice paste and then just cut through it. I does not seem to change shape at all, which is the main thing you want in a transfer paper. If it distorts when you get it wet with paste you are in trouble. I don't know about using a xerox with this paper, seems we just copied our drawings onto it by hand, but we were only doing a few blocks, not 20 like some people. I can see that it would be safer to use a xerox to get it the same. I got some very thin paper from a Japanese cooking store near me and have yet to try it for this, I know Dave uses very thin paper glued to a heaver paper and then through the xerox. Does anyone know where this is in the encyclopedia? If you read it the directions are very clear. Look here: http://www.woodblock.com/encyclopedia/entries/019_01/019_01_frame.html Best to you, Barbara ------------------------------ From: "bemason" Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2001 14:30:54 -0700 Subject: [Baren 14242] Barbara's show Hi Philip, Thanks for the support...I admit these are monotypes and not woodblock, I am so slow at woodblock it would take me a couple or years to get enough ready for a woodblock show. I am going crazy at the moment, but by next week, all will be well and I will be crazy. Barbara ------------------------------ From: Sunnffunn@aol.com Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2001 17:47:56 EDT Subject: [Baren 14243] Re: sleeping with the enemy Andy I loved your story. I pulled up my very first woodcut ever, I have only proofed it and wondered????? I used that cheap little red handled knife, I think from speedo. I rolled up the ink and it did not show wood grain??? I wonder after looking at yours if i should try to follow the grain in designing? I too could do more and maybe should go back in and try some grain cuts to enhance the image. So much to learn. I am not ready to give up linoleum yet. And you experienced souls how do I get the grain to show, is there a way? Marilynn ------------------------------ From: Jack Reisland Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2001 13:51:23 -1000 Subject: [Baren 14244] Re: hanshita transfer paper I too have used a cheap sumi paper for paste down hanshita. I stuck it to a heavier copier paper with 3M spray adhesive, and was able to run it through a copy machine just fine. But here's a warning! I found that it is best to use this technique for the key block hanshita only, and then pull color block hanshita off your carved key block, in the traditional way. I thought I was being clever, and Xeroxed up the whole set for all my blocks. After I carved them all, I found that they wouldn't register worth a damn. After a few experiments to see what went wrong, I found that copy machines do not make the same sized copies, even if they are all one right after the other out of the machine. They can vary by as much as 1/8" in 10 inches! Buy the way, I also found that hanshita stuck down with acrylic medium instead of rice paste peels up much less when cutting fine line keyblock type cuts. Jack ------------------------------ From: "Garth Hammond" Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2001 21:59:08 -0600 Subject: [Baren 14245] Re: The Rev. Barry Moser charset="iso-8859-1" RE:. He tells his students at RISD that work and dedication is far more important than talent or innovation in his opinion. A colorful quote of his that sticks in my mind is: "An illustrator [speaking of himself] is both a thief and whore: He steals images from anywhere and while taking the money What is RISD? good report! thanks Garth, ------------------------------ End of Baren Digest v15 #1400 *****************************