Baren Digest             Thursday, 30 January 2003     Volume 22 : Number 2112


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

From: Mike Lyon <mikelyon#mlyon.com>
Date: Wed, 29 Jan 2003 06:55:36 -0600
Subject: [Baren 20575] Re: A Question for Mike 


>>I'm making a habit of these double postings.  I was going to write to 
>>Mike privately, but then thought maybe everyone would like to hear his 
>>answer.  Mike, on your website under the heading of  Woodcuts 
>>(http://www.mlyon.com/), there is the image of the Mother and Child.  I 
>>read your explanation, which was clear, and interesting.  I notice you 
>>said you printed this on unsized gampi paper.  I thought hanga had to be 
>>printed on sized paper.  Could you explain how you were able to do this?
>>
>>Gayle in Ohio

>
>The print Gayle is asking about is here: 
>http://www.mlyon.com/prints/relief/madonna.htm
>
>My answer is, "I can't really explain it."  That paper came from McClain's 
>http://www.imcclains.com/catalog/paper.html#groupa and is described as 
>P6806 Gampi - NTL, 20" x 30", not sized, 96gms/m2, 100% gampi,  $11.60 in 
>single quantity.  I was hoping that by printing very 'dry', the colors 
>would bleed into one another only a little bit, but not too 
>much.  ...<snip>...    -- Mike


A couple of days ago (see snippet above) I said that I'd ask McClain's 
'why' their UNsized gampi and inomachi papers print well...  I have 
received the following from Alex at McClains:


>Hi Mike!
>
>Thanks so much for inviting me to join you on the forum. I heartily 
>appreciate what the forum has done for relief printmaking and especially 
>moku hanga in this country, and realize I am indebted to many of the 
>participants for recommending McClain's so often to their fellow 
>printmakers. Their support and enthusiastic recommendations help keep this 
>company going. So a huge Thank You! to all the forum members. And please, 
>if you think of it, encourage everyone to send us their prints (or color 
>copies, or slides, or CD's, or...) for McClain's catalog. We'll fit as 
>many as we can into every issue.
>
>I wish there were something I could add to your discussion of our Gampi 
>and Inomachi papers, but I really can't explain why these two unsized 
>papers work so well for moku hanga. They just do. I asked Elaine Chandler, 
>McClain's previous owner about it, and as I recall she did not know of any 
>special process or reason why either. I have noticed that to get a smooth 
>covering of ink, compared to a sized paper like Nishinouchi, the Gampi 
>likes a bit more nori and less moisture. Also, I use Akua-Kolor inks, 
>which I think cover more easily than watercolor. At least that's what 
>worked for me. If I learn anything more about these two papers that might 
>solve the mystery, I'll be sure to let you know.
>
>Many thanks and warmest regards,
>
>Alex mailto:mail#imcclains.com
>McClain's Printmaking Supplies
>15685 SW 116th Ave PMB 202
>King City, OR  97224-2695
><http://www.imcclains.com>http://www.imcclains.com
>Phone or FAX 503-524-9600
>Orders: 800-832-4264



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


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

From: LFarmPress#aol.com
Date: Wed, 29 Jan 2003 10:16:07 EST
Subject: [Baren 20576] Re: Intro 

Dear Maria:

thanks for your reply to my question about the blocks. I guess I will just 
have to be patient and see what comes up next year?

Best Wishes......................Jane

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

From: G Wohlken <blueman#pantek.com>
Date: Wed, 29 Jan 2003 11:12:37 +0000
Subject: [Baren 20577] Welcome to Ignasi, Finished with Hanga Exchange Print and Tireder Than Expected 

Welcome to Baren, Ignasi!  You'll have fun here.

* * * *

I just had to mention I finished my print.  Yesterday was my last two 
colors, a bit of red on all, and a very tedious last printing of black 
which took hours and hours.    Then after they were starting to dry, and 
just before I put them into the blotters for final drying, I found a 
problem on some of them -- odd creases.  I think I know what may have 
caused them.  The black color, which was put on last, did not print well 
the first time. I don't trust my skills at removing a print, then 
putting it back into the kentos (remember I usually finish an oil based 
print, all colors at one time, putting each inked color block into the 
registration board in succession).  When I tried that with the 
experimental prints on newsprint and shin torinoko, I notice my guy's 
face got too thick looking, and it's already bold and thick looking.   
 Soooo, what I did when printing on the "new Hosho)  was lift the paper 
and reink half of the board, then print that.  Then I lifted the other 
half, reinked it, and printed again.  It was not without problems, of 
course, but I felt I would have done worse had I removed them and tried 
to put them in those kentos again.  So, is there a way to remove creases 
and  little subtle puffs (stretching?)  on the ones that have them?  I'm 
glad I printed 50 because I think I have enough uncreased ones for the 
edition, but it seems kind of sad to lose the others because of that.  

I have to admit I found doing hanga far messier than I had remembered. 
 I ended up with a lot of black ink on my hands that had a devil of a 
time coming off.  I had to scrub my hands very hard.  I don't know how 
anybody can do this without a sink nearby.  I was in the kitchen, so 
that helped, but then the kitchen was out of commission for a few days 
because the table was completely used by me, which meant bringing food 
in from the outside via husband and partaking of it in the living room.

In looking at my print, I realize my style may not be right for hanga. 
 Or else I haven't gotten a grip on how to do my style with hanga.   
 I'm much too thick and bold with my handling of line and mass, and 
hanga is at its most beautiful, it seems, with fine, clean lines, many 
layers of color, water colory in feeling. Mine looks like a poster.  It 
looks best from way across the room.   

Anyway, next time I might want to try a smaller one.  See, I haven't 
given up.  I said "next time" -- that's a good sign, isn't it?   :-)  

Gayle in Ohio
          




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

From: Charles Morgan <cmorgan#uvic.ca>
Date: Wed, 29 Jan 2003 09:44:45 -0800
Subject: [Baren 20578] Re: Welcome to Ignasi, Finished with Hanga Exchange Print and Tireder Than Expected 

At 11:12 AM 1/29/03 +0000, you wrote:

>It looks best from way across the room.


Hey, Gayle ... mine look best from across the street!!!

However, I have learned the technique for being able to boast to all your 
friends that you made a perfect batch of prints, first time, every time, no 
smudges, no mistakes ... With this technique, it all becomes soooo easy. 
And I am willing to share it with you ....

Just do what I do...







LIE ABOUT IT !!!!!!!!!!!!



Cheers ........ Charles

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

From: slinders#attbi.com
Date: Wed, 29 Jan 2003 18:15:14 -0600
Subject: [Baren 20579] Exhibition of DePol blocks and wood engravings-Portland 

I'm forwarding this from another list for those who are near
Portland, Oregon.  

~Sharen

Tomorrow night, 7 p.m. is the opening for "Inside the Yellow
Barn: Exploring a Contemporary Fine Press," a major exhibition
featuring books, ephemera, original wood engravings and blocks
from John DePol (who has worked with the Press since 1985),
manuscripts, correspondence, and other materials related to this
wonderful press from Council Bluffs, Iowa. Some of these items
are from the John Wilson Room collection, however, most of these
materials are borrowed from Portlander Jack Walsdorf, who has had
a long association with the Press.

We are extremely fortunate that Press proprietor Neil Shaver and
Jack Walsdorf will be attending the opening, which is on
Thursday, January 30, 2003, at 7 p.m..

Neil Shaver has printed books of poetry, essays, and books on
books since 1979.  His tributes to John DePol, and his works on
the Kelmscott Press, Red Ozier Press, The Pickering Press, and
Stephen Saxe's work on the American Iron Hand Presses are
important works of printing scholarship, in addition to being
stunning works of book design that use the finest of letterpress
printing.

The exhibition will be from January 30, 2003 until March 9, 2003
in the Collins Gallery, Multnomah County Library, Central
Library, 801 SW 10th Avenue, Portland, Oregon.

Gallery hours are:

Tuesday - Thursday: 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Friday & Saturday:  9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Sunday:             1 p.m. - 5 p.m.

For more information, email me directly at jimc#multcolib.org or
call
503-988-6287.

                           
- ------------------------
 Jim Carmin                               
 Multnomah County Library
 John Wilson Room Librarian               
 801 SW Tenth Avenue
 Central Library                         
Portland, OR 97205-2597
jimc#multcolib.org                       
 503-988-6287
 http://www.multcolib.org/about/mcl-wilson.html

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

End of Baren Digest V22 #2112
*****************************