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Message 1
From: Mike Lyon
Date: Tue, 10 Aug 2004 15:05:36 -0500
Subject: [Baren 25720] Two new prints...
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Hi all,

Just completed two new prints:
http://mlyon.com/prints/relief/2004_08_05_Rod.htm "Rod" 30x21 inches 16
cherry plywood blocks dry pigments and neri-zumi on Iwano Ichibei paper
http://mlyon.com/prints/relief/2004_08_09_Danielle.htm "Danielle" 22x8
inches 16 cherry plywood blocks dry pigments (prussian blue and powdered
charcoal) on Iwano Ichibei paper

If you click on the image when it appears, the enlargements which pop up
(if you allow popups!) are pretty detailed.

Had a small problem with "Rod" because the neri-zumi which has dried so
flat before this time dried with some gloss, probably because I used a
higher concentration. So I switched to using powdered charcoal for
"Danielle" with much better results and a VERY flat and uniform
surface. But the Charcoal is neither as powerful nor as dark as the baren
mall's neri-zumi so I need to find a better substitute -- I'm thinking
carbon black.

By the way, I've been cooking up rice paste from rice starch. This morning
I bought some rice flour at the grocery store and cooked it up in the same
proportions (8 tsp rice flour to 1 cup water). Seemed to gel to about the
same viscosity, but has a more granular texture than the rice
starch... I'll let you know how it works. I add some formalin to the
paste in order to allow it to keep longer -- several weeks at room
temperature seems to be no problem. I mix the dry powdered pigment
directly into the paste about 50/50 by volume and add water as needed to
adjust the consistency. This is fast and produces very intense coloration
with a minimum of fuss. Because of the way I 'step' from one color to
another, I make several 'color' strengths of pigment, mixing each 50/50
previous strength plus pure paste makes new 1/2 strength. Then I use each
'strength' for several blocks (increasing the amount of pigment added to
the block with each new block), and when I have to use 'too much' to get
the color I want, then I switch to much smaller amount of the next stronger
pigment.

Danielle was printed in one short day yesterday -- 32 sheets over 16 blocks
(512 individual impressions) -- printing very dry each time and using a
newsprint slipsheet under the baren when the paper threatened to become too
soft (wet) -- the newsprint soaked up enough water from each printing to
allow me to continue without problems...

-- Mike


Mike Lyon
Kansas City, Missouri
http://mlyon.com

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Message 2
From: Barbara Mason
Date: Tue, 10 Aug 2004 13:56:04 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [Baren 25721] Re: Two new prints...
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Mike,
Different brands of rice flour cook up differently...so try other brands. You will find one that is smooth if you hunt around. We tried several and found one that was very smooth, I forget what it was called, sorry. Thought this might encourage you, though, if you find this one too coarse.
Barbara

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Message 3
From: Mike Lyon
Date: Tue, 10 Aug 2004 16:33:08 -0500
Subject: [Baren 25722] Re: Two new prints...
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Thanks, Barbara -- I'll look around -- the "Pure rice starch" may be the
best answer though -- but cheaper and very plentiful in the USA is good ole
corn starch -- very smooth, but I wonder how strong it is?

Mike

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Message 4
From: Mike Lyon
Date: Tue, 10 Aug 2004 18:44:12 -0500
Subject: [Baren 25723] Re: Two new prints...
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Actually, although it 'feels' grainy in the cup, and 'looks' grainy when I
daub it on the block, it smooths right out with the brush and prints very
nice and smooth... I don't think it's a problem... Let you know if I find
out different later when I'm printing more saturated color than today...

Mike

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Message 5
From: Lana Lambert
Date: Tue, 10 Aug 2004 18:48:45 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [Baren 25724] Re: Two new prints...
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I'm not sure if this will help but it may or may not
have something to do with your graininess. You
specified that you used rice flour not rice starch.

"To extract wheat starch from flour: Mix flour with
enough water to produce a stiff dough. Knead 5-10
minutes, adding water if necessary, until the dough is
of "earlobe" consistency- soft but not sticky. (It is
kneading in the presence of moisture that causes the
proteins to combine into gluten.) Submerge the ball
in a bowl of water and knead with both hands to work
out the starch. At intervals pour off the milky starch
water through a strainer into a separate large
container; then refill the original bowl with fresh
water and continue the underwater kneading. Repeat
the procedure two or three times, or until the ball of
dough has been reduced to a spongy elastic mass of
gluten (known in Japan as fu, an edible product),
which can be discarded. {( or eaten????? HAHAHAHA, I
often wonder if perhaps this is what mochi is made
of)} Allow the large container of starch water to
settle and then gently pour off the top water. What
remains is starch." (pg 24, Japanese Book-Binding by
Kojiro Ikegami)

Which by the way, if anyone is familiar with this book
(it seems to be a staple of most bookmakers) please
let me know as to how to come across a trimming
cleaver. I would die to have one of those tools.

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Message 6
From: Mike Lyon
Date: Tue, 10 Aug 2004 22:06:23 -0500
Subject: [Baren 25725] Re: Two new prints...
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Nah, I've _been_ using rice starch, but today I tried rice _flour_ for the
first time... But I just cooked it and it seems to work fine... We'll
see. But, Lana... Have you _done_ this starch extraction? Sounds
SOOooooo quick and easy! Just make up a batch whenever kneaded! Then
what? Just cook it until it's nice and glutinous? Yummm! :-)

-- Mike

PS the graininess is more or less intentional and is a variety of
goma-zuri, I believe. I like it!

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Message 7
From: Darrell Madis
Date: Tue, 10 Aug 2004 20:16:20 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [Baren 25726] Re: Two new prints...
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Beautiful prints.
I wonder if the paste made from flour rather than pure starch would have more food value and be more attractive to bugs and bacteria, especially if ever exposed to greater humidity?

Darrell

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Message 8
From: David Bull
Date: Wed, 11 Aug 2004 12:39:14 +0900
Subject: [Baren 25727] Re: Two new prints...
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> Which by the way, if anyone is familiar with this book
> (it seems to be a staple of most bookmakers) please
> let me know as to how to come across a trimming
> cleaver. I would die to have one of those tools.

They are available on special order from Shimizu Hamono, a small shop
in Tokyo in the Akihabara district. At least that's the theory ... I
placed an order with them for a left-handed one somewhere around ten
years ago. About five or so years back, when I was in there one day,
the proprietor saw me walk in and gave a big beaming smile, "Bull-san,
your paper cutter is ready!" He dug around under the counter and
proudly put the package in front of me. I opened it up eagerly to find
.... a right-handed tool. He had forgotten that I was left-handed ...
He apologized, and promised to make a proper one for me ... 'real
soon'.

I'm still waiting ... maybe it'll be ready by the time I retire ...

Dave

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