Baren Digest               Friday, 4 October 2002       Volume 21 : Number 1982


----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Ray Hudson <rhudson#together.net>
Date: Thu, 03 Oct 2002 09:03:42 -0400
Subject: [Baren 19408] Munakata once again 

I came away from the Munakata exhibit in Philadelphia determined to
change my life.  Let me try to explain.   I often look at a woodcut,
amazed,  and wonder how  the artist achieved a certain effect or deeply
moved by the image.  With several of MunakataÕs prints I found myself
simply speechless and, if thereÕs such a word, mind-less.  Their sheer
power transcends technique and yet they offer a myriad of techniques to
reflect on.   Among those is the preservation of spontaneity through the
restricted use of specific tools (using one type of chisel for an entire
print), through variations in tone in the black ink, and even through
the presence of "smudges" at the borders.  Jim mentioned the physicality
of the prints and the extraordinary skill in printing.  "In Praise of
the Sea and the Mountains" is a huge work mounted on two screens (as are
several others), but thank goodness they had a bench in from of that one
as I stared at it endlessly. And then I would turn around and stare
endlessly at the 17 naked women dancing through two huge framed panels
in praise of BeethovenÕs 9th symphony.  Then IÕd go get something to eat
at the cafeteria and come back and gawk some more.  There are, of
course, much smaller works:  "The Red Fuji", "The Black Line below Mount
Fuji", and the amazing gold print of Mount Fuji without a mountain in
the print.  The exhibit ends in Philadelphia on November 10th; but those
able to get to L.A. will be able to see it after that.
Ray Hudson (Vermont)

------------------------------

From: Louise Cass <lcass#primus.ca>
Date: Thu, 03 Oct 2002 10:12:58 -0400
Subject: [Baren 19409] Re: Hanga Paper 

I have to add a few cents more to this discussion - it's not only in hanga
that the
ink (rather than pigment mentioned by Julio) gets absorbed inro Japanese
papers.
This is why I like the look of  my (simple B&W) hand pulled prints on
Japanese papers.
For Linda - I use both sized and unsized (Japanese papers- dampened between
blotters)
and find no real difference. The prints I made for Exchange 14 however are
on Rives, etc
since it dries flatter and is less expensive. Not having tried hanga (yet!)
perhaps these
remarks don't apply but shouldn't the principle be the same?

Louise Cass


At 04:19 PM 10/2/02 -0700, you wrote:

>>From Julio:
>

>> Coverage wise, I think in the western style...the oil ink sits on top of
>> the paper. In hanga the pigment gets abosrbed into the paper..thus the
>> characteristic bleedthru on the backside of the japanese papers.

>
>Thanks for bringing this up.  I was going to ask this later, as in when I
>get closer to printing, but why wait?!
>
>I understand that it's the sizing which in part controls the absorption of
>the pigment, at least when the paper is untouched.  But, after doing
>serveral impressions, hasn't all the moisture disolved the sizing?  Or to
>put it another way -- if you start out with a sized paper, will it still be
>sized by the time the edition is done?
>
>How big is the difference in printing between sized and unsized?  Should a
>beginner used sized papers to learn on?
>
>BTW, why am I the only beginner asking questions?  I'm feeling a bit dumb
>and lonely here.  Hahaha.
>
>Linda
>
>
>

http://www.LCassArt.com

------------------------------

From: "Maria Arango" <maria#mariarango.com>
Date: Thu, 3 Oct 2002 07:53:57 -0700
Subject: [Baren 19410] Re: Hardwood / softwood question charset


> There are
> structural differences between the two woods.  The water bearing
> cells in a
> gymnosperm are only tracheids, which as thin, long cells.  These tracheids
> form loooong columns which is in part why softwoods is easy to work.


Is this also why they have those "stringy" looking surfaces and splinter
easily?


>Ring porous wood, such as oak, catalpa, and
>pecan, has concentrations of large vessels in the early growth of wood each
>year and then less in the later part of the year.


And spaces between the large vessels are responsible for the splintering of
oak when cutting? I guess I'm asking what causes splintering of wood...seems
like both softwoods and open grained hardwoods have the tendency.

And a rethorical question: Isn't it curious that paper with long fibers is
the most desired but wood with short fibers is (arguably) the better wood
for carving?

And another rethorical question: What, oh, what could possibly be in that
big, square, heavy box I got today from UPS? :-)

Maria, inquiring minds want to know!

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Maria Arango
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
http://www.1000woodcuts.com
maria#mariarango.com
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><>


------------------------------

From: "Jean Womack" <jeaneger#jeaneger.com>
Date: Thu, 3 Oct 2002 08:00:25 -0700
Subject: [Baren 19411] Re:   Baren Digest V21 #1981 

I agreed that the oily inks look brighter until I saw April Vollmer's
prints.  It's like comparing apples and oranges.  It's a whole different
medium with its own set of values.  It's a softer kind of brightness.

Jean Womack


------------------------------

From: Mike Lyon <mikelyon#mlyon.com>
Date: Thu, 03 Oct 2002 10:19:36 -0500
Subject: [Baren 19412] Re: Hanga Paper 

At 04:19 PM 10/2/2002 -0700, Linda wrote:

>I understand that it's the sizing which in part controls the absorption of
>the pigment, at least when the paper is untouched.  But, after doing
>serveral impressions, hasn't all the moisture disolved the sizing?  Or to
>put it another way -- if you start out with a sized paper, will it still be
>sized by the time the edition is done?
>
>How big is the difference in printing between sized and unsized?  Should a
>beginner used sized papers to learn on?


Sizing for washi (Japanese paper) is usually glue + alum...  it's the alum 
which makes the paper somewhat less absorbant so that the ink tends to stay 
where it's put -- unsized paper tends more or less (depends on the paper) 
to allow the ink to 'run', 'feather', or 'bleed' beyond the printed edge -- 
in unsized paper the water migrates very rapidly from the wetter (just 
printed) areas to the drier areas of the paper...  The movement is so 
powerful that it can carry the pigment along, too...  I think the alum in 
the size kinda 'clogs' up the paper a bit so that the water still can 
migrate (but more slowly), but the pigment is prevented from moving 
(filtered?)...

Good washi, well sized, will behave more or less as you would expect when 
printed...  Unsized paper can behave more like Kleenex does (facial tissue 
or toilet paper) when you get it wet -- the color doesn't stay put -- it 
spreads out like crazy -- this can be an interesting effect and can be 
somewhat controlled by how 'wet' or 'dry' you print...  On unsized paper, 
color can spread out in a 3/4" halo from where it was printed, or it can 
more or less remain where it was printed depending on the condition 
(dampness) of the paper and the moisture and paste and pigment proportions 
and quantities used on the block.

Some "unsized" washi made for printmaking seems to work very well for 
printing -- there must be something (alum?) added to the pulp when the 
paper is made which allows it to be printed without first having been 
coated with size... McClain's ( http://www.imcclains.com ) high-end papers 
include some unsized papers which print very well so long as you print on 
the 'dry' side for first layers.

Mike

Mike Lyon
mailto:mikelyon#mlyon.com
http://www.mlyon.com 

------------------------------

From: Mike Lyon <mikelyon#mlyon.com>
Date: Thu, 03 Oct 2002 10:38:48 -0500
Subject: [Baren 19413] Re: Hardwood / softwood question 

At 07:53 AM 10/3/2002 -0700, Maria wrote:

>And spaces between the large vessels are responsible for the splintering of
>oak when cutting? I guess I'm asking what causes splintering of wood...seems
>like both softwoods and open grained hardwoods have the tendency.


Maybe, sorta...  My take on oak and similar open-grained woods is that 
because of the large open fiber bundles, there is inconsistant support to 
solid wood you are carving...  So there's a tendency for the fibers 
adjacent to those open areas to tear as they are pushed by the tool into 
the open grain areas...  Keeping a fine edge on your tools (and taking 
shallower strokes) minimizes splintering, as does an acute angle between 
the tool's cutting edge and the surface of the block (so that the fibers 
are compressed down as they are cut and not pried up).

Mike
Mike Lyon
mailto:mikelyon#mlyon.com
http://www.mlyon.com 

------------------------------

From: "PHARE-CAMP,PATTI (HP-USA,ex1)" <patricia_phare-camp#hp.com>
Date: Thu, 3 Oct 2002 09:32:08 -0700 
Subject: [Baren 19414] An Exhibition I Am Participating In 

The following information is an exhibit I will be participating in.  If 
any
of you will be in Northern California during the dates of the exhibit 
check
it out.  Some of my past installations can be seen at:
http://www.altares.org/  FYI a "calavera" is a skeleton.

A Celebration of Remembrance
October 12 - November 2, 2002 1604 Del Paso Blvd
OPENING RECEPTION: 2nd Saturday October 12, 6 pm,=20
Gallery Hours: Thurs - Sun, 12 - 6 pm

ALTARES DEL MUNDO is an exhilarating visual and auditory mix of 
contemporary
and traditional altars that honor ancestral roots and worldwide 
traditions
of remembrance. The exhibit is an opportunity for artists of all 
cultures to
honor their past and their cultural memories. ALTARES DEL MUNDO is 
produced
by an on-going grass-roots committee of artists and administrators, and 
is
generously supported by the California Arts Council, the Sacramento
Metropolitan Arts Commission and Matrix Arts. Many thanks to Remy M. of 
La
Bonita Illuminat Gallery and ROP Stagecraft Program.

Participating Altaristas include:
Alice Fong, Alix E. Peshette, Angela James and Pat Handy, Azucena Cid 
and
Zenaida Lopez-Cid, Barbara Hoffman and Deborah Pittman, Betty White, 
Brad
Davis, Brandy Tuzon, Bruce McKeeman, Cherilyn Naughton, Dale O. Black,
Davene Robertson, Ellen Johnson, Eva Arrizon, Gloria Cedillo, Janie 
Steele,
Jean C.Roach, Julia Stagg, Kathleen S. Farros, Kim Hause, Kjersti A.
Cochran, Larry Fox, Maggie Frost, Maggie Jimenez, Maryellen and Leo
Burns-Dabaghian, Maureene Behan, Michael Robert Pollard, Patti 
Phare-Camp,
Rick Castro, Yvonne Bryte

Organizations:
ARC Studio 700 and Foxey Fischer, Bannon Creek Elementary with Denise 
Vogel
and Sonia West, Genevieve Didion School and Daphne Burgess, Mexican 
Cultural
Center with Guadalupe Casta=F1eda and Victoria Plata, Natomas High ROP
Stagecraft and Mike Jimena, TAG-Jose Lopez, Vet House and Jeff 
Armstrong

The Mexican Cultural Center of Northern California is Proud to present
Maria Bonita: La Leyenda de MariaFelix 	By Dr. Fred Dobb (Federico 
Films)
A presentation with numerous film clips and biographic background.
Information celebrating the artistic and cultural legacy of MariaFelix.
Sunday October 13th, 6:30 pm at MatrixArts, 1518 Del Paso Blvd. 
Sacramento,
CA 95815

Calavera Workshops by Rhett
$20.00 fee includes materials for each 2 day workshop.
Wednesday October 23 & Thursday October 24, 7-9 pm.
Saturday October 26 & Sunday October 27, 1-3 pm.
At MatrixArts, 1518 Del Paso Blvd, Sacramento
Call Rhett at 628-1107 for more workshop information


Patti Phare-Camp
One of the advantages of having so many competing media is that it 
leaves
painting for people who are actually nuts enough to really want to do 
that.
~Robert Hughes, Art Critic


------------------------------

From: Julio.Rodriguez#walgreens.com
Date: Thu, 3 Oct 2002 12:39:02 -0500
Subject: [Baren 19415] Re: a beginners water problems 10/03/2002 12:43:08 PM 

Maria writes:
"..Then I got to the
part where it said that the paper had to be kept damp throughout the
printing process and I am still (laughing and) wondering how the heck I'm
going to do that."

Linda writes:
"..that keeping the paper moist isn't going to be that much of a
problem, since I figure I'll over moisten the block everytime."

I am just a beginner too...we all are...I think even David will tell you
that in lieu of some of the great hanga printers that have come
before....WE are all beginners! So speaking as a beginner who has had many
failures let me mention a few things. Please someone correct or add to what
I am about to say.

Over moistening the block to compensate for the paper won't do....unless
your registration is really loose. I won't get into all the details but the
expansion of the wet printed areas vs. the dry non printed areas will cause
the paper to move funny causing your registration to be off. That's why we
moisten the whole sheet.  Another problem with too much water on the block
is that you won't get a nice even impression & coverage...it will look like
crap. Now sometimes that effect is done on
purpose....just like printing w/o paste which will cause a certain effect.
But in general terms...you do not want ANY water on the block (perhaps a
light spray at the beginning to get the block moisten...but that's it!).
Let me repeat that ! You don't want any water on the block during
printing....too much water is the enemy of good hanga printing.  The water
coming to the block from your pigment cup and the paste and the saturation
build up on your large smoothing brush is enough to get the job done...


About keeping the paper moist.  I admit Vegas could be a challenge, but as
long as you have a refrigerator around...
Here is what I do.  Beware that Japanese papers are the preferable choice.
I buy a full package of Rives Hvy (175GSM) White (20"X26" - 25 sheets at
$2.19 per minus my 10% artist discount ). The large plastic that the paper
comes in is perfect for holding the paper moist while printing!!!. I go to
Kinkos and use their large cutters to cut my full sheets to oban or chuban
size.
When I get home I take each sheet and using a bottle spray set on fine
mist....give it a few squirts up & down from about 12" away.  You don't
want the thing wet & runny...a mist is good. I moisten only one side of the
paper and stack them one in top
of the other over moisten newspaper. (Other folks use a large brush to wet
their paper and use other stacking options - see the Yoshida book or the
links below). After all the papers are moist, I place another piece of
moist newspaper on top, the whole thing goes into the plastic bag, close it
and I let it sit for a few hours with a light weight on top.  After a few
hours the moisture has spread on the sheets and they feel cool to the
touch...not runny wet or visibly damp. I am ready to print.

I now prepare another plastic bag with similar moist newspapers and as I
print the edition I barely transfer the sheets from one bag to
another..keeping both bags closed during the process and with a light
weight on top...a piece of 3/4 ply..a large book or as in my last print...a
couple of lp's.  If at anytime the paper seems too wet...and is not
printing right.....after a while you can telll!.....I open the bag a bit to
let the paper stack dry a bit.....or take the next few sheets out so they
can air dry a bit...or stack the next sheet inside a blotter (aka
newspaper) for a few minutes. If the paper looks too dry (as it may be the
case in Vegas) you can remoist the top layer of newspaper which is in
contact with the next sheet to be printed..or take your spray bottle and
spray a fine mist inside the plastic bag....and after a few minutes the
moisture transfers to the paper...the whole idea is too keep the stuff
inside the plastic bag on an even status.

Anytime you stop for more than an hour or so...in Vegas it may be
minutes!....I throw the plastic bag into the refrigerator....not the
freezer...the freezer is only when you are going away for a day or more to
stop mold....the moist/coolness inside the bag and the lower temp of the
frig will keep the paper nice and ready to go at a moment's notice....

repeat for each color block as needed....keep refrigerating...ad
infinitum....
Is pretty simple once you try it and it works for me....

read more about water:

David learns a lesson:  http://barenforum.org/encyclopedia/entries/onepoint/018_29/018_29_frame.html

Matt Brown uses towels:  http://barenforum.org/encyclopedia/entries/onepoint/018_20/018_20_frame.html

Heads & Tails:     http://barenforum.org/encyclopedia/entries/onepoint/018_22/018_22_frame.html

No water, please! :    http://barenforum.org/encyclopedia/entries/onepoint/018_35/018_35_frame.html

actually I recommend ALL the one-point lessons should be read...and
reread...and reread....

thanks...Julio Rodriguez








------------------------------

From: "Jeanne N. Chase" <studiojnc#prodigy.net>
Date: Thu, 3 Oct 2002 14:08:42 -0400
Subject: [Baren 19416] Re: a beginners water problems 

Whew, Julio re; Hanga

That sounds like a whole lot of work!!!!! I hope I can keep my composure
whilst dampening and shuffling all of the "stuff".
I have a feeling I will win the booby prize for this one.
But, hey, I will give it a go.
By the way can I use kitataka paper for this project. Or should I use my
lightweight Rives??????

Yours with trepidation.

Jeanne


------------------------------

From: Mike Lyon <mikelyon#mlyon.com>
Date: Thu, 03 Oct 2002 13:41:41 -0500
Subject: [Baren 19417] Re: a beginners water problems 

Maybe just a couple comments to augment Julio's...  I agree with Julio that 
the natural inclination of most beginners is to get EVERYthing too wet 
(using too much water feels right to beginners, but it is not)...

At 12:39 PM 10/3/2002 -0500, Julio wrote:

>Over moistening the block to compensate for the paper won't do....unless
>your registration is really loose. I won't get into all the details but the
>expansion of the wet printed areas vs. the dry non printed areas will cause
>the paper to move funny causing your registration to be off. That's why we
>moisten the whole sheet.


Washi (and most other papers) expand slightly when wet.  If you'd like to 
demonstrate this expansion to yourself, take a piece of copier paper or 
notebook paper and put some water drops on it or wipe some wet stripes 
across it with your fingers...  As the water soaks in, the paper expands 
slightly where it's wet and it wrinkles and buckles and curls a 
bit...  Fine washi has a grain (a bit like wood) and expands more across 
the grain than with the grain...  If you don't know the grain direction 
(usually the grain runs in the long direction of the sheet) you can usually 
determine it by tearing the paper -- it's harder to tear across the grain 
than with the grain...  You can test the expansion and contraction of the 
paper you choose by marking the paper with a pencil -- two marks 10" apart 
with the grain and two marks 10" apart across the grain.  Then dampen the 
paper and wait a few hours before you measure it again.

Wouldn't it be great to maintain the results of those measurements in a 
table on the forum?  Quick everybody!  Do the measurements on your favorite 
papers and report the results on baren -- put "MEASURE PAPER" in the 
subject line and I'll collect the data from your experiments and put them 
up on a page in the Encyclopedia...  If interested, please provide the 
following:
Your name | Paper Name | measure across grain dry | measure across grain 
wet | measure with grain dry | measure with grain wet

washi should be uniformly moist (not WET) -- just relaxed and maybe cool to 
the cheek --

Western paper usually is made with much shorter fibers than Japanese papers 
and therefore aren't as strong...  Rives lightweight, for example, kinda 
'looks' like washi but when it is dampened it becomes very soft, tears 
easily, immediately "pills" under the baren (you can use it, but you have 
to use a sheet between the paper and the baren in order to protect the paper...

Because of the expansion of paper as it becomes damp, when the edges of 
paper begin to dry, the dry parts contract and the paper buckles and won't 
lie flat -- that's the main problem with registration and printing -- it's 
very difficult (impossible) to maintain good registration and printing when 
the paper begins to dry out...  Amazingly, if the paper begins to buckle, 
running a damp brush over the drying parts causes the paper to immediately 
and visibly 'relax' again.  This is an oft-used technique in Las Vegas and 
vicinity!

Speaking of brushes...  I have always used a cheap 4" paintbrush to dampen 
my paper (and block)...  A few months ago I bought a couple of of the Baren 
Mall's goat hair brushes (mizu-bake) -- WOW !!  Those brushes hold a HUGE 
amount of water -- the hairs swell when wet and nothing drips out -- but 
when you touch the brush to paper, the water is applied very smoothly and 
the brush deflates until the hairs become hard and compressed -- so, when 
the brush is wet you move it very quickly across the paper, moving slower 
and slower as the brush loses its charge -- that way you can deposit the 
water very evenly...  Anyway those expensive! mizu-bake are GREAT !!!

There are MANY ways printers maintain their paper properly damp between 
printings.  I use a stack of dampened news print.  Some printers use damp 
blotter paper, damp bath towels, special "humidors"...

Since I had my first problems with mold growing a week into a two week long 
printing run, I have added a couple of drops of formalin to my printing 
water...  My next-door-neighbor-the-cardiologist told me not to worry about 
toxicity, skin absorption, etc...  He told me that formalin is not harmful 
unless ingested (don't breathe the mist, either!)...  But that was the end 
of the mold forever!  Refrigeration or freezing is a way to retard the 
growth of mold, but don't kid yourself -- even in the refrigerator mold 
still grows -- I'm thinking of that yucky cottage cheese I threw out last 
week -- ick!

At 12:39 PM 10/3/2002 -0500, Julio wrote:

>But in general terms...you do not want ANY water on the block (perhaps a
>light spray at the beginning to get the block moisten...but that's it!).
>Let me repeat that ! You don't want any water on the block during
>printing....too much water is the enemy of good hanga printing.  The water
>coming to the block from your pigment cup and the paste and the saturation
>build up on your large smoothing brush is enough to get the job done...


My method is to brush water onto the printing areas of the block about 20 
minutes before printing...  I do it several times, as my blocks are 
'thirsty'...  I don't varnish the wood or anything like that, and the bare 
wood surfaces can (depending on the type of wood) soak up a lot of water 
before they are "ready" for printing -- even so, the first several sheets 
printed from a new block are 'different' as everything (block, brushes, me) 
becomes balanced and properly 'conditioned'.

I use my cheap paintbrush to apply the 'right' amount of water to the block 
prior to brushing out for each print...  I use much more water than pigment 
when printing delicate light 'washes' of color.  Water is the 'vehicle', 
paste is the 'binder', and I usually use prepared water colors from tubes 
for pigment (prepared water color already contains its own binder)...  The 
paste 'thickens' the water -- so into the drizzle of water I applied with 
my 4" cheapo paintbrush, I apply dabs of dilute (consistency of heavy 
cream) paste...  Then I dab pigment on top of the paste and immediately 
brush the pigment, paste, and water together (using my printing brush) all 
over the printing areas and carved-away areas alike...  I usually apply 
these components so that when I have brushed everything out, the surface of 
the block is "matte" or has a dull "sheen" -- NEVER glossy from standing 
water/pigment/paste mixture -- glossy is WAY TOO WET...

When printing intense color, I use my pigments full strength adding as 
little water or paste as possible...

The effect of the paste is to retard drying and allow the printing of more 
'even' areas of color (up to a point)...  Without paste, the pigment tends 
to print onto the paper in little (or BIG if too much water, too) 
dots...  With too much paste, there is more tendency for brush marks to 
show in the printed area.

Even so, I have to print an area several times to approximate a 'smooth' 
tone without pronounced dots, light spots or brush marks.

OK...  I guess that's absolutely EVERYthing I know about printing Japanese 
technique...  You can wake up now!  :-)

Mike

Mike Lyon
mailto:mikelyon#mlyon.com
http://www.mlyon.com 

------------------------------

From: Myron Turner <mturner#Ms.UManitoba.CA>
Date: Thu, 03 Oct 2002 14:06:21 -0500
Subject: [Baren 19418] Re: Munakata once again 

Thank you for sharing this exhilarating asethetic encounter with Munakata 
and for communicating it so well, making it possible for people like me who 
can't get there to be at least vicariously inspired.  I bought the 
catalogue by mail, as I've mentioned before, and am simply astonished by 
the sheer volume and magnitude of his output.

Myron Turner


Myron Turner

At 09:03 AM 03/10/2002 -0400, you wrote:



>I came away from the Munakata exhibit in Philadelphia determined to
>change my life.  Let me try to explain.   I often look at a woodcut,
>amazed,  and wonder how  the artist achieved a certain effect or deeply
>moved by the image.  With several of Munakata's prints I found myself
>simply speechless and, if there's such a word, mind-less.  Their sheer
>power transcends technique and yet they offer a myriad of techniques to
>reflect on.   Among those is the preservation of spontaneity through the
>restricted use of specific tools (using one type of chisel for an entire
>print), through variations in tone in the black ink, and even through
>the presence of "smudges" at the borders.  Jim mentioned the physicality
>of the prints and the extraordinary skill in printing.  "In Praise of
>the Sea and the Mountains" is a huge work mounted on two screens (as are
>several others), but thank goodness they had a bench in from of that one
>as I stared at it endlessly. And then I would turn around and stare
>endlessly at the 17 naked women dancing through two huge framed panels
>in praise of Beethoven's 9th symphony.  Then I'd go get something to eat
>at the cafeteria and come back and gawk some more.  There are, of
>course, much smaller works:  "The Red Fuji", "The Black Line below Mount
>Fuji", and the amazing gold print of Mount Fuji without a mountain in
>the print.  The exhibit ends in Philadelphia on November 10th; but those
>able to get to L.A. will be able to see it after that.
>Ray Hudson (Vermont)



------------------------------

From: Mike Lyon <mikelyon#mlyon.com>
Date: Thu, 03 Oct 2002 14:08:00 -0500
Subject: [Baren 19419] Re: a beginners water problems 

At 02:08 PM 10/3/2002 -0400, Jeanne N. Chase wrote:

>By the way can I use kitataka paper for this project. Or should I use my
>lightweight Rives??????


You'll have a better time with the Kitakata than with the Rives 
lightweight, I think...

The Rives was NEVER intended for this kind of printing -- the ink goes into 
it well but it just isn't strong enough...  If you do decide to use it, 
soak it as usual, blot it, and put it into your damp stack -- it seems to 
take about three hours to overnight to completely relax.

There's also Daniel Smith's Mulberry paper which is somewhat similar to 
kitakata (even lighter weight) and is also very cheap!

My current favorite is Yamaguchi-san's hosho which is available from Baren 
Mall...  I know that I seem to be plugging Mall products today... But the 
ONLY reason I mention the Yamaguchi paper (and other mall products) is 
because I like it so much!

Mike


Mike Lyon
mailto:mikelyon#mlyon.com
http://www.mlyon.com 

------------------------------

From: "Bea Gold" <bnj50#earthlink.net>
Date: Thu, 3 Oct 2002 15:10:26 -0700
Subject: [Baren 19420] Re: a beginners water problems  

This is  a hanga mystique story.  I feel I have gotten the damping process
down pretty well (as a beginner).  I use a large flat wall painter's pad
that has a bottom of fibers and a sponge between that and the handle (very
inexpensive).  I have a rectangular plastic food container that I use to
hold the water and I dip the pad in the water and then pull it across the
edge of the pan to make it hold just the right amount of water to wet the
paper without dripping.  I  then use this tool to tear the paper evenly  by
folding into 1/2, 1/4 or 1/3 sheets running the pad across the fold and
tearing.   I then stack paper - one brushed with the pad dipped in water and
run across the pan edge and one dry.  One dry - one brushed etc until all
done.  I then put the stack on a sheet of wood covered with plastic.   I got
some large plastic bags from the hospital after surgery ( used for patients
to keep their clothes in).  They are perfect for holding or covering boards
and paper.  I turn the end down so what's inside stays moist.  I leave the
stack overnight or if I need to print sooner I keep it in the bag at least 2
hours.  I then open the bag and redistribute the papers so that they are
arranged in a way that overlaps put not stacked.  Got it?  For a couple of
hours,  covered in the same way as before so as not to dry.  When I'm ready
to print I once again stack them, smooth side down, the print mark on the
wrong side, all in the same corner.  I keep the paper under a moist light
weight towel while I work and back in the bag between printings.  If I have
to wait too long between printing I put the board with the paper covered by
plastic in the freezer.  The paper should not feel wet.  It should be cool
and smooth and  soft.  The paper is lovely when the moisture is correct.  I
do this with paper I have sized for hanga or unsized paper for Shui-yin
(Chinese woodcuts).  It is then used with paste and color water colors or
pigment   for Hanga and without paste for Shui-yin.   This sounds
complicated but it is actually quite fast to do and the paper is a pleasure
to work with.  Bea Gold

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End of Baren Digest V21 #1982
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