Baren Digest                Monday, 14 May 2001        Volume 15 : Number 1419


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From: "bemason" <bemason@concentric.net>
Date: Sun, 13 May 2001 08:48:09 -0700
Subject: [Baren 14427] Woodblock process... 

Dave,
When you printed the large black area on the kimona why did you not print
over the green of step #8? Wouldn't it have been easier not to carve this
area out in the last impression, printing the black over the green color???
I am sure there is a reason, so lets hear it. Wonderful lesson, thanks for
taking the trouble to let us see it. Where are the pictures of the blocks
themselves???? Sorry, we are so piggish we want ALL the info!! I can't wait
to see this one for real! If the blocks theselves are up, I couldn't find
them.
Best to you,
Barbara


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From: Pgiclas@aol.com
Date: Sun, 13 May 2001 17:43:37 EDT
Subject: [Baren 14428] Re: Process photos ... 

In a message dated 5/13/01 6:52:38 AM, davebull@woodblock.com writes:

<< http://woodblock.com/surimono/process/process_frame.html >>

Thanks for putting the blocks up too.  If others hadn't asked you first, I 
would have!  You have done a beautiful print.

Patsy

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From: David Bull <davebull@woodblock.com>
Date: Mon, 14 May 2001 07:46:07 +0900
Subject: [Baren 14429] Re: Woodblock process... 

Barbara wrote:
> When you printed the large black area on the kimono why did you not print
> over the green of step #8? Wouldn't it have been easier not to carve this
> area out in the last impression, printing the black over the green color???

You confused me for a while here with this question, until I realized
that what you meant was _lilac_, not green (is your monitor misbehaving
with colours?)

Anyway, yes there is a good reason, but it's probably not visible in the
small screen image. The black is not actually solid, but has small lines
of a pattern carved in it. These lines show the light base colour coming
through, and if it had been the darker lilac, they wouldn't be visible. 

Here's a close-up photo that shows what I mean:

http://woodblock.com/surimono/2001/3-2/images/closeup01.jpg


> Where are the pictures of the blocks
> themselves???? Sorry, we are so piggish we want ALL the info!! I can't wait
> to see this one for real! If the blocks theselves are up, I couldn't find them.

The page was changed last night to include links to the blocks. If you go
back now, you'll see them. The block images open in a separate browser
window (always the same window). If you have room on your monitor, keep
the two windows open side-by-side. You can then simply click each link
in the 'menu' on the left, and easily compare the print and the blocks.
(If your monitor is displaying images at 72 dpi, the blocks will appear
at actual size.) 

Dave


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From: "bemason" <bemason@concentric.net>
Date: Sun, 13 May 2001 19:38:22 -0700
Subject: [Baren 14430] Re: Woodblock process... 

>
> You confused me for a while here with this question, until I realized
> that what you meant was _lilac_, not green (is your monitor misbehaving
> with colours?)
>
> Anyway, yes there is a good reason, but it's probably not visible in the
> small screen image. The black is not actually solid, but has small lines
> of a pattern carved in it. These lines show the light base colour coming
> through, and if it had been the darker lilac, they wouldn't be visible.
>
> Here's a close-up photo that shows what I mean:
>
> http://woodblock.com/surimono/2001/3-2/images/closeup01.jpg

Dave, it looks lilac in this picture but in the original one it looks pretty
green or at least a warm brown/grey. My moniter seems OK usually so I hate
to adjust it, it looks ok on work I have scanned. So go figure! who knows
why. Sure is a nice print and I love seeing the blocks, that cherry wood is
sure nice. Makes my  blocks look like junk!
Barbara



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From: Julio.Rodriguez@walgreens.com
Date: Sun, 13 May 2001 22:45:55 -0500
Subject: [Baren 14431] Re: Process photos ... 05/13/2001 10:45:47 PM 

David, thanks for the scans of the blocks. I noticed you did not use an
insert for the lettering...so this must be real fine cherry, right  ?  Are
you using shina ply on any of your work now that wood is harder to
get....or is your supply of woodblocks ok for the time being...I am
assuming you must have used the reverse side of the blocks for different
impressions ....so total # of
blocks is 5 or 6...??

thanks again, the blocks really serve to complete the lesson...Julio


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From: David Bull <davebull@woodblock.com>
Date: Mon, 14 May 2001 17:27:57 +0900
Subject: [Baren 14432] Re: Process photos ... 

Julio wrote:
> I noticed you did not use an
> insert for the lettering...so this must be real fine cherry, right?

It's 'normal' stuff ...  I selected a good hard piece for the key block.
The lettering on this print is nowhere near small enough to require the
use of boxwood.

> Are you using shina ply on any of your work now that wood is harder to
> get....or is your supply of woodblocks ok for the time being...

I've never used plywood for any of my 'real' prints. When Shimano-san
was still alive, he prepared all my wood, but since he died just over
two years ago, I have been using the cherry-faced plywood from Woodlike
Matsumura. He's pretty good about digging through his stock of cherry
and letting me have the pieces that I want.

These laminated blocks are 'plus/minus' compared to 'real' ones.

Plus:
- - much less expensive
- - much less warping (because of the plywood inner core)

Minus:
- - more difficult to adjust when they do warp
- - some of the blocks have de-laminated (Matsumura-san is very concerned
about this and is working on solutions)
- - If you carve deeply, the glue layer can damage fine tool edges
- - the final finishing is by underwater sanding, not fine planing. For
general work, this is not a problem, but for very delicate key blocks,
it is a huge problem.


> I am assuming you must have used the reverse side of the 
> blocks for different impressions ....so total # of blocks is 5 or 6...??

Yes, I used the reverse side of them all, so it's five pieces of wood
for that print. Step #6 and Step #11 are done on the same face.

The printing you 'watched' this week was the first batch (I ran 120
sheets). This evening I'll moisten the paper for the second batch, and
then do the same thing all over again. Once that's done, the blocks will
lean against the wall in the workshop for a couple of weeks to dry out
thoroughly, and will then be wrapped and taken downstairs to the 'block
room', to wait with all the others until some possible future printing
day!

Dave


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End of Baren Digest v15 #1419
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