Baren Digest Saturday, 21 September 2002 Volume 20 : Number 1966 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jim Bryant Date: Fri, 20 Sep 2002 08:32:01 -0500 Subject: [Baren 19263] Tom Huck Print ! Mike, Huck's prints are really great, have you seen them in person? Usually very large (2 x 3 ft.?) and often hysterical subject matter. Huck's a nice guy, too. Teaches at Wash. U. in St. Louis. jim- > ------------------------------ > > From: Mike Lyon > Date: Fri, 20 Sep 2002 06:46:13 -0500 > Subject: [Baren 19261] Tom Huck Print ! > > Thought you might enjoy a couple of Tom Huck (oily) woodcuts -- WOW !! > http://www.landfallpress.com/huckhoglargeview.htm > > - -- Mike > Mike Lyon > mailto:mikelyon#mlyon.com > http://www.mlyon.com ------------------------------ From: Mike Lyon Date: Fri, 20 Sep 2002 08:59:20 -0500 Subject: [Baren 19264] Re: Tom Huck Print ! Yes, I own one of Roy Rogers' sister's demise. Mike At 08:32 AM 9/20/2002 -0500, you wrote: >Mike, > >Huck's prints are really great, have you seen them in person? Usually very >large (2 x 3 ft.?) and often hysterical subject matter. Huck's a nice guy, >too. Teaches at Wash. U. in St. Louis. Mike Lyon mailto:mikelyon#mlyon.com http://www.mlyon.com ------------------------------ From: GraphChem#aol.com Date: Fri, 20 Sep 2002 10:12:30 EDT Subject: [Baren 19265] Re: Graphic Chemical and Ink No problems with e-mails, Charles. It's just the middle of rush season, and all of your fellow printmakers are calling to order, check on order status, and get advise on repairing a 30 years old Brand press or the like. We are remarkably shorthanded both in the office and in shipping/production depts. The information that you requested isn't something that we have already amassed and have only to attach the file to an e-mail. As soon as we can put the information together for you, we'll get it right out. Please have patience, we'll get the info to you as soon as we can. As a point of reference, today is the first time all week that we've checked e-mail to this address. There are hundreds of unread e-mails just from this week. I just found out that the wife of a Nigerian diplomat wants to share $32.5 Million with me, and that I can get a diploma over the Internet in no time! You are better off e-mailing, as I believe Charles did, to the graphicchemical.net address (e.g. dean#graphicchemical.net). That comes into the same location as our online orders, so it get checked every day. Dean Clark Graphic Chemical & Ink Company ------------------------------ From: GraphChem#aol.com Date: Fri, 20 Sep 2002 10:19:09 EDT Subject: [Baren 19266] Re: Graphic Chemical and Ink Gentlemen - They are not pigment numbers. They are product numbers, and you bet that we've assigned them and that they have no bearing on what pigment is in the ink. Dean Clark ------------------------------ From: "nancy osadchuk" Date: Fri, 20 Sep 2002 09:31:41 -0600 Subject: [Baren 19267] proofing without ink Daniel Smith carries graphite sticks. ------------------------------ From: Charles Morgan Date: Fri, 20 Sep 2002 09:44:24 -0700 Subject: [Baren 19268] Re: Graphic Chemical and Ink Thanks, Dean. I know you guys had some problems with email sometime back, as you mentioned it on Baren. I was afraid the email problem was recurring, given that you are usually so prompt in replying. Glad all is well, and I will (more of less) patiently wait for the information. Cheers ........ Charles At 10:12 AM 9/20/02 -0400, you wrote: >No problems with e-mails, Charles. It's just the middle of rush season... ------------------------------ From: Charles Morgan Date: Fri, 20 Sep 2002 10:00:55 -0700 Subject: [Baren 19269] puzzle print Maria, If you are still reaching for the magic 48, you can include me. I am reluctant only because I feel somewhat insecure in such a seasoned crowd. But it sounds like fun. Cheers ..... Charles ------------------------------ From: Artsmadis#aol.com Date: Fri, 20 Sep 2002 13:24:38 EDT Subject: [Baren 19270] Exchange 14 prints Putting this on Baren as well as Baren 14 in case any mail is bouncing: Half the prints for Exchange 14 have arrived. There is only a little over a week before the deadline. Will participants who have prints on the way or intend to mail soon please let me know by email at artsmadis#aol.com . Still need to get prints from the following: Eli Griggs Mary Kuster Maurice Fykes Robert Canaga Charles Morgan Minna Sora Brad Schwartz John Cleverdon Patti Phare-Camp Cyndy Wilson Melissa Read-Devine Julio Rodriguez Wanda Robertson Barbara Mason Sharon Linder Darrell, coordinator ------------------------------ From: "Maria Arango" Date: Fri, 20 Sep 2002 11:37:51 -0700 Subject: [Baren 19271] RE: puzzle print Okay Charles, you're in! "seasoned"? I'm pretty sure we're spicy, but I don't know about seasoned :-) We now have 42 participants and I'm thinking that's a nice round number so I'm about ready to close the sign up and upload the latest list. There is a great mix of people, some new, some old...some seasoned indeed, some tentative newbies. I love it! Next after the conclusion of signing up is the coordinator's job to acquire perfect wood and start drawing and chopping. I will get that done within 2-3 weeks, during which time I will put up a form so I can gather everyone's postal address to send blocks to. Stay tuned... <><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Maria Arango Las Vegas, Nevada, USA http://www.1000woodcuts.com maria#mariarango.com <><><><><><><><><><><><><><> > -----Original Message----- > From: owner-baren#ml.asahi-net.or.jp > [mailto:owner-baren#ml.asahi-net.or.jp]On Behalf Of Charles Morgan > Sent: Friday, September 20, 2002 10:01 AM > To: baren#ml.asahi-net.or.jp > Subject: [Baren 19269] puzzle print > > > Maria, > > If you are still reaching for the magic 48, you can include me. I am > reluctant only because I feel somewhat insecure in such a seasoned crowd. > But it sounds like fun. > > Cheers ..... Charles > ------------------------------ From: barebonesart Date: Fri, 20 Sep 2002 11:32:40 -0700 Subject: [Baren 19272] Re: Baren Digest V20 #1964 Maria, Your original concept for the puzzle should work very well. I used to have a class project for elementary kids where everyone would take their 8.5" x 11" paper and draw two curvy lines vertically and two curvy lines horizontally. Then they would put their own designs within those 9 shapes on their paper. They were all using soft pastels and all had the same palette. Finally they were to go over the original dividing lines with black. I took all 32 of the pieces and put them togther and mounted them on a large cork board in the hallway. (This was the shape & line lesson) It made a stunning piece - never failed, year after year. It always worked because the lines came close to lining up and the communal palette. Based on that experience, I think the puzzle will work great with everyone just doing their own thing and it will all be in black and white. Well, we'll find out, won't we? Just think of it! We are the pioneers of the latest art rage - Monumental Collaborative Puzzle Prints. MCPP for short. Not as catchy as Pop Art or the Ash Can School - Sharri ------------------------------ From: David Bull Date: Sat, 21 Sep 2002 07:29:25 +0900 Subject: [Baren 19273] Mechanics ... Email chatting with somebody the other day, talking about this and that ... This is a person who I think I know quite well, and with whom I have exchanged a zillion emails over the past few years. And yet even after such a lot of 'communication' I found that I was still capable of being very surprised - to find that we looked at our woodblock printmaking in quite different ways. I don't like quoting private emails out on the forum, but I think I have permission to do so in this case (and anyway, unless I am very mistaken, this person will soon jump in to expand this discussion!). Part of the letter said: > the design part and cutting part (is) the most grueling > for me, both mentally and physically. Printing is just...mechanics! Wow, I was surprised to read this! For me, it's pretty much the other way around; carving is a quiet and restful job that progresses steadily along - for sometimes as long as a couple of weeks - until the set of blocks is finished. Then, when they are all ready, I put away the carving bench and pull out the print bench. And at that moment, the whole tone and mood of my days changes. The 'peaceful' carving days are done, and the ' ' printing days begin. What word to put in those ' ' marks I'm not sure. Yes, the printing too is peaceful, but because of the heavy physical work involved, the time is certainly nowhere as near 'restful' as the carving days. The paper is moistened, and it seems like a 'race' is on - there can be no days off, or no fooling around with other projects, until the required number of copies are finished. It is theoretically possible to freeze the paper if a long interruption becomes necessary, but that's certainly not a normal part of the process. Each time I sit down to print the first sheet of each edition, muscles that haven't been used for a couple of weeks complain at the unexpected activity, and I am surprised again at just how thick a stack of 200 sheets of paper is! Of course, a couple of days later, the rhythms are established again, and things move along smoothly, but without fail, when the last colour of the last sheet is done, it is done so with a feeling of relief. And the claim that printing is 'mechanical' ... I can't see it this way; although it may certainly _look_ like a mechanical job to somebody watching, there are just too many small things to keep under control - the moisture in the paper and on the block, the amount of pigment in the brush, the light pressure to not apply during the final brush strokes, etc. etc. "Printing is just...mechanics!"? Yeah, like "Sex is just plumbing!" How about most of you? Can you balance the multiple jobs of printmaking a bit better than I do, and move smoothly from one part to the next, or do you find - as my correspondent does - that one part is 'grueling', and another part is 'mechanical'? Dave ------------------------------ From: Aqua4tis#aol.com Date: Fri, 20 Sep 2002 18:44:32 EDT Subject: [Baren 19274] Re: Mechanics ... dave im strictly a black oily person at the moment but i find the carving peaceful and enjoyable and the printing is the heavy labor for me (im thinking about getting my masters degree soon and if i do it in printmaking i may ask if i can do hanga) anyway the carving is the most enjoyable part but the printing is exciting because you get to see the actual print and you have to keep on your toes to keep everything consistant georga ------------------------------ From: Cucamongie#aol.com Date: Fri, 20 Sep 2002 19:20:16 -0400 Subject: [Baren 19275] graphite, rubbings, etc Hi all, one does not need graphite to do a decent rubbing, you can use pencil, colored or not, or crayon (yeah, even crayola will work) or whatever. G. Garvis, I don't know where you are located, I would check Daniel Smith or Dick Blick's online stores, you could probably find some graphite sticks. I'm in NYC and Pearl paint and NY Central have them here. best, Sarah ------------------------------ From: FurryPressII#aol.com Date: Fri, 20 Sep 2002 19:26:33 EDT Subject: [Baren 19276] Re: Mechanics ... My method of carving and printing are totally different. I carve in a very tight manor but I print in a very lose manor (I can print tightly if I want to such as a multi color reduction block). I spend the vast majority of time doing the carving and I find that to be enjoyable. I come to woodcuts from wood engraving as well as from the formschnider school of northern euro wood cuts. It is my idea to push the wood block as far as I can. I wish to have a tie to the skills and craftsmanship of the formschider school of wood cuts. To me the carving is the key I almost wish I could be a cuter in the old school in so much as that is not possible I will do what I can. A far amount of modern wood cuts today are influenced from abstract expressionism one that has little or no influence on me. john center ------------------------------ From: "Lee and Barbara Mason" Date: Fri, 20 Sep 2002 16:30:59 -0700 Subject: [Baren 19277] mechanics Dave, I think it is all challenging and I do find the printing more work than the carving. You can always recarve, but reprinting on the same paper is sometimes not possible. The printing separates the men from the boys....It doesn't matter how good the blocks are, if your "mechanics" are not working well, you won't have good work to show for your efforts! Possibly printing is less trouble for some because they are just better at it after long practice. Even so I find it hard to think of printing as mechanical. I sure do find it satisfying to see those little prints stack up as we print them...what a good feeling of accomplishment! I think every part of printmaking is exciting so I don't think any part of it is mechanical, methodical maybe but that is different than mechanical. If you do something the same way every time and you have a problem, you can eliminate the processes you know were always the same. This makes troubleshooting problems easier. Perhaps this is what your friend meant by mechanical. Best to all, Barbara ------------------------------ From: Shireen Holman Date: Fri, 20 Sep 2002 20:02:18 -0400 Subject: [Baren 19278] Re: Mechanics ... Although I print with a press and use oil based inks, I also find the printing to be more taxing in a way, and neither cutting or printing is mechanical. With oil based printing you have to be sure that you roll the ink on evenly; also you have to do it the same way for each print. Registration requires a lot of concentration. The paper has to be consistently damp, etc. etc. And you can't just stop at any point and start again whenever you want to. You have to finish the stage you're on before stopping, even if it's many hours' work. Shireen >How about most of you? Can you balance the multiple jobs of printmaking a >bit better than I do, and move smoothly from one part to the next, or do >you find - as my correspondent does - that one part is 'grueling', and >another part is 'mechanical'? > >Dave *********************************************** Shireen Holman, Printmaker and Book Artist email: shireenh#earthlink.net http://www.shireenholman.com *********************************************** ------------------------------ From: "Maria Arango" Date: Fri, 20 Sep 2002 17:31:33 -0700 Subject: [Baren 19279] RE: Mechanics ... > > the design part and cutting part (is) the most grueling > > for me, both mentally and physically. Printing is just...mechanics! > > Wow, I was surprised to read this! For me, it's pretty much the other > way around; carving is a quiet and restful job that progresses steadily > along - for sometimes as long as a couple of weeks - until the set of > blocks is finished.<>(more snipped for brevity<> <> And the claim that printing is 'mechanical' ... I can't see it this way; > although it may certainly _look_ like a mechanical job to somebody > watching, there are just too many small things to keep under control - > the moisture in the paper and on the block, the amount of pigment in the > brush, the light pressure to not apply during the final brush strokes, > etc. etc. I guess I will just offer here the way I work, much in contrast with the way Dave works. First, I have no prepared design, so the mentally grueling part is deciding what to do. Not being short on ideas, I first decide which one I want to tackle next, then I draw right on the block. At this point, Dave's tracing something that he just as carefully chose from his "idea" file, only he doesn't have to create from scratch. I've got a blank block, some little human models dancing in my head and I'm drawing a new concept which exists nowhere, at this point not even in my own mind. As the wood grain speaks to me (oh, shut up, it does!) and the drawing proceeds, some of that brain pain starts subsiding and soon a drawing is born on the block. The drawing right now looks sketchy, a mere collection of lines and shapes, sometimes following the wood grain, sometimes striking out on their own. At this point, the idea is laughable and fairly unsophisticated. I suffer because I don't know how it will turn out; I don't like preliminary drawings, I don't like strictly following a concept that exists already. >>I don't cut reproductions of my drawings<<, I make original woodcut prints which _to me_ means the thing isn't born until the ink goes down on the paper for the first time. Then the carving begins; I say carving, not cutting because that's what I do; more precisely, I draw with chisels and gouges. I'm with John and have more of the European tradition going here. Carving is a continuation of the drawing, the image changes as I cut, demanding compositional changes here, some light over there, a balance of dark everywhere...The "energy" lines that have become part of my prints don't get pre-drawn, they appear as the print acquires energy. At this point I believe Dave is Zen-like cutting through the tracing paper which contains the tracing of the beautiful print he is about to reproduce. I'm more like a painter with chisels: a few strokes here, back up, what does it need? no, no, no, that area is too dark! (thank goodness, because if it were too light I'd be scrawed), bring out that shape, recede that arm into the background, where the heck is the sky! open the sky for crying out loud woman! ...and so on... I really do yell at myself during this process until it's finished. I trust myself with my marks at this point; I have no other choice. I proof sometimes, but rarely, usually with a darkened block I can pretty much tell; proofing would ruin the anticipation. Since I have no exact pre-conception of what I want, I usually readily accept the delicious surprise that is the first print. >Then, when they are all ready, I put away the > carving bench and pull out the print bench. And at that moment, the > whole tone and mood of my days changes. You bet, I'm with you there. But the grueling part is over for me. The brain rests, the artist rests, and I look forward to the mechanical ways of the printer. Oil based ink printing, I will readily admit, is less demanding a task. I used to suffer this part too, until I understood the materials well. Failures become lessons and practice makes...prints! After some preparations and initial adjustments, here I roll out the ink, ink the block, place paper on block, turn the wheel of the press (or bear down on the baren), inspect and hang the print, roll out the ink, ink the block, place paper on block, turn the wheel, inspect and hang, roll out the ink, ink the blo--and so on. Next time I look at the clock, 6 hours have passed, I'm dizzy from low blood sugar and a delicious 30-60 prints (depending on size) are hanging pretty. Pure Zen-like mechanics. When printing engravings especially, since they require a bit more precision and "sameness of process", I virtually "zone-out". After about the 20th one, the 40th, the movements become like driving on a highway: it isn't exactly "easy" or "requiring no attention to detail", but after a while and it's tough to tell whether it was me driving all the way. Printing is meditative, beautifully repetitive. Sometimes I feel like the fairies of printmaking take over and guide my hands through the process of printing. Music is always in the background. Aaaaaahhhhhhhh, Maria <><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Maria Arango Las Vegas, Nevada, USA http://www.1000woodcuts.com maria#mariarango.com <><><><><><><><><><><><><><> ------------------------------ From: Julio.Rodriguez#walgreens.com Date: Fri, 20 Sep 2002 19:42:43 -0500 Subject: [Baren 19280] Re: Mechanics ... 09/20/2002 07:46:30 PM Maria writes: "...As the wood grain speaks to me (oh, shut up, it does!) " So Maria....what does the wood has to say ? and do you ever talk back ? {; - -) You know..if after 168+ completed woodblocks you can hear the wood speak to you...by the time you reach the 1000th block.... Julio ps. If you are very quiet and listen carefully..you can also hear your tools speaking up.....I do !!! ------------------------------ From: "marilynn smih" Date: Fri, 20 Sep 2002 17:46:42 -0700 Subject: [Baren 19281] Re: Baren Digest V20 #1953 Due to a broken lap top computer and 2 moving experiences I have been offline some days. I am responding to the question of salon'D Refuse exchanges. I decided to coordinate a second exchange this last time because there were at least a dozen on the wait list. If there had been only one or two who were wanting in I would not have taken it on. I do not think exchanges should be more than 30. I thought seriously of limiting this refuse exchange to only those who were not admitted into the main exchange, but so many others also wanted to contribute. The swap shop would have been an ideal alternative, but with so many wanting into a main exchange it seemd valied to do it. Marilynn ------------------------------ End of Baren Digest V20 #1966 *****************************