Today's postings

  1. [Baren 25125] Re: $40,000 barens... (Julio.Rodriguez # walgreens.com)
  2. [Baren 25126] FIVE new woodblock print editions completed past month! (Mike Lyon)
  3. [Baren 25127] Re: FIVE new woodblock print editions completed past month! ("Robert Canaga")
  4. [Baren 25128] Re: FIVE new woodblock print editions completed past month! (Lana Lambert)
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Message 1
From: Julio.Rodriguez # walgreens.com
Date: Thu, 27 May 2004 14:37:40 -0500
Subject: [Baren 25125] Re: $40,000 barens...
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Gotcha ! Welcome to all new members....

Harry, there was along thread of discussion a while back regarding the
word 'hanga' definitions....the difference between all the
terms....etc....can't remember all the details...check the archives....I
think 'moku hanga' is 'woodcut print' but not specific to the traditional
japanese technique.....

Since we have been talking about barens....I found these little jewels
deep in the archives....circa 1998...

(contributed by Dave Bull)

********** ********** **********

(#30) Baren miscellania ...

Here are a few points on baren usage - none of them major enough to
warrant an entire 'one-point' lesson to themselves ...

- - When in use, the baren sits on the piece of cloth known as a
'baren-wata'. This is a square cloth 'pad' cut just a shade larger than
the baren itself, and which over time becomes quite saturated with the
camellia oil used to lubricate the baren surface. Choose a cloth that
doesn't shed 'lint' easily, as small threads and bits will inevitably
find their way onto the surface of the block.

- - Whenever pausing in the work for anything longer than a couple of
minutes, flip the baren over onto its back - don't leave it sitting in
its 'normal' position on the cloth. The skin must be allowed to air
out. Leaving it always 'face down' will give you a 'soggy' and loose
skin. After the work is finished, store the baren in a place where air
can circulate - an open shelf for example - not in a closed drawer.

- - During the progress of the work, after every few prints (after _every_
print in heavy work) rotate the inner disc and coil inside the skin.
Push against the disc with a few fingers while holding the baren flat in
the opposite palm, and give it a twist. This will ensure that the high
spots of the inner coil don't always dig against the same place in the
skin, and the skin will thus last much longer.

- - If you have done a very good job tying a new skin, it will be
extremely difficult to do this twisting, as the skin will be so tight
(we should always be so lucky). Tapping the baren up on edge gently
against the table top may loosen it a bit. Gently ...

- - When selecting a skin for wrapping the baren, it is generally best to
choose a thin one. The thickness of skins varies widely, even in any
given 'batch', and if you wrap the baren with a thick heavy one, it will
be far less responsive, as the effectiveness of the coil will be
weakened considerably. The down side of a thin skin is that it will
wear out more quickly. That's OK - you'll get more practice tying!
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Message 2
From: Mike Lyon
Date: Thu, 27 May 2004 17:51:58 -0500
Subject: [Baren 25126] FIVE new woodblock print editions completed past month!
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I've just put images of five new prints on-line -- the smallest about 15" x
10", the largest about 30" x 21" -- I think you'll like these...
http://www.mlyon.com/prints/relief/2004_04_25_shannon_danielle.htm
http://www.mlyon.com/prints/relief/2004_04_29_Anthony.htm
http://www.mlyon.com/prints/relief/2004_05_05_Mia.htm
http://www.mlyon.com/prints/relief/2004_05_15_Sarah.htm
http://www.mlyon.com/prints/relief/2004_05_26_Sarah_reclining.htm
I've been sorta 'busy' this past month !!

-- Mike


Mike Lyon
http://mlyon.com
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Message 3
From: "Robert Canaga"
Date: Thu, 27 May 2004 18:17:35 -0700
Subject: [Baren 25127] Re: FIVE new woodblock print editions completed past month!
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Amazing work. I so want to take one of your workshops...perhaps next year.
I am off to Santa Fe for a solar workshop in June/July with Welden and did
the one in Ohio with Takuji so I have blow this years allotment.
Again, wonderful work!
Yours
Robert
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Message 4
From: Lana Lambert
Date: Fri, 28 May 2004 05:52:58 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [Baren 25128] Re: FIVE new woodblock print editions completed past month!
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Wow, Mike. Beautiful work. I have something to aspire
to. *Bows*