Baren Digest Friday, 27 April 2001 Volume 15 : Number 1402 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: ArtfulCarol@aol.com Date: Thu, 26 Apr 2001 10:28:13 EDT Subject: [Baren 14253] Re: Left -Handed Person Julio and other left-handed persons- this works for me in carving a line with a To, which according to McClains does come in L or R. The other tools are for either hand 1. Cut towards you on the right side of the line with a slight angle. 2. Turn block. 3. Do the same on the other side of the line. The idea is to get a line with a broad base. I just experimented to find out why I cant angle using some of the tos. With my left hand they didnt work, with my right hand they did. It may be possible to sharpen a right -handed tool and make it a left -handed one, but I am not up to that. One of my teachers did that once. Any hints from you left-handers? Carol Lyons Irvington, NY rst-art.com/artfulcarol.htm ------------------------------ From: "Maria Arango" Date: Thu, 26 Apr 2001 08:03:29 -0700 Subject: [Baren 14254] left hand right hand charset="iso-8859-1" I have both left handed tohs and right handed tohs, but everyone knows I'm a tool junkie. If you use them to alternate on either side of one line, you can avoid turning the block for most carving. This is handy when working on 24" x 36" blocks so you don't have to turn the monsters all the time. I personally use the bevel side toward the line, despite explanations to the opposite. This way I get an automatic bevel without having to control the angle of my hand. Another nifty trick to avoid a lot of block twirling is to "teach" your weak hand how to carve. It takes a while of practice to achieve satisfactory control, but saves a bunch of precious time later (and builds brain connections). I snuck some woodcuts and wood engravings into a couple of shows waaaaay across the country: - -WATERMARK 2001 , Southeastern CC, Whiteville NC – April 23 – May 11, 2001 - -45th National Print Exhibition 2001, Hunterdon Museum of Art, Clinton NJ – June 10 – July 22, 2001 Thanks Eli for a very insightful hint on why the tools cut some woods better than others. I think you hit the proverbial nail on the noggin. Maria <><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Maria Arango Las Vegas, Nevada, USA http://www.1000woodcuts.com maria@mariarango.com <><><><><><><><><><><><><><> ------------------------------ From: "Bea Gold" Date: Thu, 26 Apr 2001 09:06:58 -0700 Subject: [Baren 14255] Re: California charset="iso-8859-1" Hi Maria , I just realized you didn't put the dates of the festivals in your message. Bea ------------------------------ From: Wanda Date: Thu, 26 Apr 2001 09:11:36 -0700 Subject: [Baren 14256] Re: Ugh hanshita transfer paper alan wrote: > direction. Its not bad for small work but get into a man size > print... sorry girls... and the problem gets to be expediential in > nature. Also if you use a paper that is not a fordineer (sp?) sheet Hmmm.....we have "girls" on this forum who print *huge* prints, some with "Jimmys" - I think this is a very sexist way of speaking and not what any of us want to read on this forum. We are all here because we want to share our methods and ways of working - it's not a contest - there are no winners and no losers. Just a big bunch of people working on what they like to work on and most generously sharing their experience and expertise with others. Barbara is right - I do use the Sumi paper tablets commonly available. And I glue them down with the rice paste or gum arabic & carve right through. The last blocks I cut did not need to be adjusted at all for a near perfect registration. Needless to say I was very happy about that. I haven't had any problems with stretching, but I suppose if I put enough muscle on it - that could happen. The zerox/lacquer thinner stuff makes me physically ill - plus it is a known carcinogen (just read the label!) I think I am going to try the hashita paper in the baren mall next time. "Glue it down & peel the back off", sounds really good. Have any of you tried using etching paper for hanga? I tried some last summer while I was experimenting with available paper - and it made a really nice crisp print. A different look than the lovely Yamaguchi paper, but I'm sure it will be useful some time in the future. ------------------------------ From: FurryPressII@aol.com Date: Thu, 26 Apr 2001 04:53:26 EDT Subject: [Baren 14257] Re: The Rev. Barry Moser >From John Center on a number of issues that I enjoyed reading about (well I enjoyed reading um all). I am sure the copies are all the same size. But the paper expands when you get it wet. That would explain the difference in size between the different copies. Here is how i do it i use a Xerox method for my key block and print that on mylar and transfer the ink from the mylar to the secondary blocks so that i have no problems with registration (remembering to trap them were they overlap) how i make my Xerox transfers is different than the methods mentioned (i used to use lacquerer thinner but it is very toxic and does not always work very well). I coat the back of the Xerox with gum arabic then lay it face up on a sheet of glass and coat the front. step two is to wipe off the gum arabic with a wet spongure and then roll it up with oil based printers ink repeating this about 4 or 5 times as needed. carefully picking up the wet Xerox and lay it on your wood block and run it through your press or i guess you can put a dry sheet of paper over it and rub it with your baren. What you have done is basically print a paper plate litho on your wood block which is as detailed as your original image. (and it comes out backward a very nice side benefit) One of the other issues raised was the use of images, etc. It is only in the modern period in the West that originality was important in the past printmaking was a very reproductive media I personally am more in the past so I don't give a tinkers damn about modernist originality anyway. Woodblock prints both of the western and eastern periods when they were originally made were thought of as closer to commercial printing than fine art any way. This is esp. true of woodengraving. It is interesting to note that the system or organization of the production and printing of commercial woodengraving and that of Japanese wood cuts was very similar one person was the artist, another cut the blocks and a third one did the printing. ------------------------------ From: Alan Date: Thu, 26 Apr 2001 09:55:50 -0700 Subject: [Baren 14258] Clarification needed. I don't understand this comment. I asked, what I thought was a sincerely and enquiring question and am taken aback by your reference to Graham. I know a Graham Sorley, Graham Scholes, and Graham Maugher. I have the feeling that you felt this was an insult and am surprised by your response. I intended the questions to be of curiosity in nature. I am sorry if I insulted you or put you on the spot, it was certainly not my intent. Alan. PS I would have posted this personally but felt that my apology should be realized by all members on the list server. >Somebody wrote: >> I looked in on this page and wondered if Dave is paying royalties >> when he uses images done by artisans form the past. > >Sorry Graham, I won't 'bite' ... > >... I'd rather keep my nose where it belongs ... > >Dave ------------------------------ From: Julio.Rodriguez@walgreens.com Date: Thu, 26 Apr 2001 11:56:46 -0500 Subject: [Baren 14259] royal toes 04/26/2001 11:56:34 AM John writes: "... It is interesting to note that the system or organization of the production and printing of commercial woodengraving and that of Japanese wood cuts was very similar one person was the artist, another cut the blocks and a third one did the printing." Yes, but also a fourth person was involved "the publisher", who commissioned and orchestrated all the parties involved. I believe that it was the publisher who held on to the blocks and had rights to future reprints (both in the West as in Japan). Does this mean we would now owe royalties to four different people ? {;-) Thanks to all for the explanation on cutting with the To... Only a couple of weeks left for those that want to get their Snake exchange card into the Skokie Exhibit (5/23 - 6/3).......May 15th I start to put the display panels together.......get them little snakeys over to me asap...if you sent early before the list was closed...you can check my snake site to see if I ever received your card (the only exceptions not posted are Le and Dimitris...will put those two up soon folks, sorry a bit of a medical interruption at this end) http://www.skokienet.org/bandits/jcrstuff/snakes/ thanks.....Julio ------------------------------ From: "Maria Arango" Date: Thu, 26 Apr 2001 10:02:18 -0700 Subject: [Baren 14260] Re: California charset="iso-8859-1" California dates OOPS - - MAY 19 & 20, 10:00 am to 6:30 pm, Strawberry Festival in Oxnard, Strawberry Meadows of College Park, 3250 S.Rose Ave, Oxnard - - JUNE 9 & 10, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, Long Beach Art Walk, Bluff Park, 2500 Ocean Blvd, Long Beach <><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Maria Arango Las Vegas, Nevada, USA http://www.1000woodcuts.com maria@mariarango.com <><><><><><><><><><><><><><> ------------------------------ From: "Philip Smith" Date: Thu, 26 Apr 2001 10:58:38 -0700 Subject: [Baren 14261] Paper/cutting The way I approach cutting is as follows: First I trace my drawing, my = original, on a piece of very thin tissue paper, with a permanent marker. = I mount this face down on my block with Mounting Paste [it's waterless, = so the thinnest tissue paper doesn't wrinkle, ever. It's reversible and = dries in about an hour.] I then start carving with a chip carving knife, it's either right or = left handed. And the way I keep the knife sharp is with a leather strop, = the kind that goes on the end of my electric drill. Keep it simple!!! Philip Hammond, OR USA ------------------------------ From: Jack Reisland Date: Thu, 26 Apr 2001 08:48:58 -1000 Subject: [Baren 14262] Re: The Rev. Barry Moser FurryPressII@aol.com wrote: > I am sure the copies are all the same size. But the paper expands when you > get it wet. > That would explain the difference in size between the different copies. I actually ran a number of copies on the machine that I had used for my earlier hanshita, and stacked the copies up on my light table. It was quite easy to see that the copies were quite different in size. I would suggest that you do not assume that a copy machine is producing exact sizes unless you have tested it. Otherwise, you may waste a lot of wood and carving. Jack ------------------------------ From: Alan Date: Thu, 26 Apr 2001 12:05:43 -0700 Subject: [Baren 14263] Sorry. Wanda wrote..... >Hmmm.....we have "girls" on this forum who print *huge* prints, some with >"Jimmys" - I think this is a very sexist way of speaking and not >what any of us >want to read on this forum. We are all here because we want to share >our methods >and ways of working - it's not a contest - there are no winners and no losers. >Just a big bunch of people working on what they like to work on and most >generously sharing their experience and expertise with others. Truly sorry ... I did not mean to insult anyone. It was just a figure of speech. Please accept my apologies. What are "Jimmys"? Alan ------------------------------ From: "Bill H Ritchie Jr" Date: Thu, 26 Apr 2001 12:09:46 -0700 Subject: [Baren 14264] The Rev. Barry Moser charset="iso-8859-1" Barry Moser was in Seattle about twenty years ago, sponsored by the Book Arts Guild. I put together a "live" videotape. The transcript is readable on line, on the Web. http://videoprint.freeyellow.com/vptran.html ------------------------------ From: Studio Dalwood Date: Fri, 27 Apr 2001 20:32:12 +1000 Subject: [Baren 14265] Knife puzzle Maria asked "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?" Its where you stick your tongue as you cut ------------------------------ From: "Garth Hammond" Date: Thu, 26 Apr 2001 21:47:46 -0600 Subject: [Baren 14266] Re: RISD charset="iso-8859-1" Message posted by: Margaret M. Szvetecz RISD is the Rhode Island School of Design--a prestigious art/design college. Their web site is: http://www.risd.edu/ Thanks, I hate acronyms or whatever the hell they are and always am the one to ask "excuse me" "excuse me" but my unhip slip is showing and I don't care but I want to be in the conversation...You dig? Garth ------------------------------ From: "Garth Hammond" Date: Thu, 26 Apr 2001 22:02:26 -0600 Subject: [Baren 14267] Re: Sorry. charset="iso-8859-1" Wanda wrote..... >Hmmm.....we have "girls" on this forum who print *huge* prints, some with >"Jimmys" - I think this is a very sexist way of speaking and not >what any of us >want to read on this forum. We are all here because we want to share >our methods Wanda, I agree but please do not use the Royal We. You did not poll my opinion. I would like to request that personal exchanges etc. be handled off the site. Garth ------------------------------ End of Baren Digest v15 #1402 *****************************