Today's postings
- [Baren 26471] Japanese prints (Lawrence Finn)
- [Baren 26472] Reflections from Japan... (Marco Flavio Marinucci)
- [Baren 26473] Re: Reflections from Japan... (David Bull)
Message 1
From: Lawrence Finn
Date: Thu, 18 Nov 2004 00:31:28 +1100
Subject: [Baren 26471] Japanese prints
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Hi everyone
Thought that some of you will be interested in this site, it is an art
auction site (which is commercial and a bit cr** as far as my posting the
url) but they have large images of a number of Japanese prints by some
great master printmakers. Some of them are really gorgeous and as I've just
been downloading a stack of the images I thought that other people would be
interested.
http://www.artelino.com/auction/catalog_show.asp?art=0&cp=1&eve=10&evt=168&itm=3203&let=g1&rel=3&sea=&spe=0&xre=1
Ciao
Lawrence
Thought that some of you will be interested in this site, it is an art
auction site (which is commercial and a bit cr** as far as my posting the
url) but they have large images of a number of Japanese prints by some
great master printmakers. Some of them are really gorgeous and as I've just
been downloading a stack of the images I thought that other people would be
interested.
http://www.artelino.com/auction/catalog_show.asp?art=0&cp=1&eve=10&evt=168&itm=3203&let=g1&rel=3&sea=&spe=0&xre=1
Ciao
Lawrence
Message 2
From: Marco Flavio Marinucci
Date: Wed, 17 Nov 2004 17:40:50 -0800
Subject: [Baren 26472] Reflections from Japan...
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Well hello,
now that I am back from Japan, recovered from being mugged on Halloween
and back from Italy (2 days ago), I figured I would let you know about
what were the salient points I have been able to distill from my stay
with Dave. First of all, many thanks to you, Dave, for the help and the
time, but we went over this already, so here it goes:
First and foremost... the baren and how to tie it. I know he is a pain
in the neck about it, but I can vouch for him, having had the chance of
trying several ones, different sizes, different coarseness, more or
less oil, that the difference of feel of a properly tied baren cannot
be stated enough. It transfers better the power of the arm and the
upper body, the energy of the tool itself, it affects how sensitive it
is to the underlying relief... everything is affected by how loose is
that damn leaf. It is a testament to that that I kept preferring my
almost wrecked leaf tied by the maker on a Murasaki that the Hon barens
Dave had, where the leaf had been replaced. But we can get there...
it's just a little bit at a time... I bought 60 leaves there and I am
getting better by the day. Sometimes one wishes not to hear certain
news but they are what they are. We can go on saying that it makes no
difference, but I guess it depends on what kind of result you are
trying to achieve. For a consistent edition of prints, you have to
control your tools, not them your work. Trust me the way it is tied
makes a difference... and take it up with me... Dave is a lot more
diplomatic than I am....
Second, the transparency of pigments... when I look at the work I did
there, I realize that too often we rely on a design that does not take
into consideration the amazing effects that can be created by taking
advantage of how the layers can be applied on top of each other almost
endlessly... take advantage of this possibility, it is remarkable and
particular to this technique... and remember, even the lightest colors
need pressure for body... gomazuri can work... but as we tried, solid
applications of dark even colors are amazing... almost underwater-like.
I highly recommend it!
Third... the blade with the flat side on the side of the line... I know
many keys on many computers have been worn out by debating over this. I
did not do it because I did not understand... it gives much crisper
lines, especially with softer woods that have a tendency of
expanding... when water is added.
Fourth: Even ball-bearing barens flatten... in my case I had to open
mine and add different size disks concentrically to rebuild a slight
concave effect... it took work, but the baren is great now... almost
better than new... so if you are not happy with your baren, test it for
curvature... it should have a slight dome.
Fourth: Japanese transparent inks are beautiful... but made for prints
to be kept inside a box or books... if you want to hang them, you will
have a nice surprise in a year or so... mind your lightfastness. I am
serious about this. Buy at Guerra Paint in New York, or Kremer in the
same city.
Fifth: Occasionally Hide Glue is necessary for certain pigments... it
does make a difference for even deep coverage. Or gum arabic... do add
it for extra body... smooth and velvety...
Sixth: We tried different size mica for metal backgrounds, and the
coarseness of its grain seem to affect it... if too small... it did not
shine... if you are fighting with this... try one size up... or ask me.
Well, thank you.... more to come as I play more... and practice tying
that baren... you can thank me later.
ciao,
Marco Flavio
And Dave, thanks again... maybe you will try some overlays like the
ones I came up with in my tests... I would love to see that in one of
your prints!
------------------------------------------
Marco Flavio Marinucci
Woodblock Portraiture
http://www.athomefaraway.com
now that I am back from Japan, recovered from being mugged on Halloween
and back from Italy (2 days ago), I figured I would let you know about
what were the salient points I have been able to distill from my stay
with Dave. First of all, many thanks to you, Dave, for the help and the
time, but we went over this already, so here it goes:
First and foremost... the baren and how to tie it. I know he is a pain
in the neck about it, but I can vouch for him, having had the chance of
trying several ones, different sizes, different coarseness, more or
less oil, that the difference of feel of a properly tied baren cannot
be stated enough. It transfers better the power of the arm and the
upper body, the energy of the tool itself, it affects how sensitive it
is to the underlying relief... everything is affected by how loose is
that damn leaf. It is a testament to that that I kept preferring my
almost wrecked leaf tied by the maker on a Murasaki that the Hon barens
Dave had, where the leaf had been replaced. But we can get there...
it's just a little bit at a time... I bought 60 leaves there and I am
getting better by the day. Sometimes one wishes not to hear certain
news but they are what they are. We can go on saying that it makes no
difference, but I guess it depends on what kind of result you are
trying to achieve. For a consistent edition of prints, you have to
control your tools, not them your work. Trust me the way it is tied
makes a difference... and take it up with me... Dave is a lot more
diplomatic than I am....
Second, the transparency of pigments... when I look at the work I did
there, I realize that too often we rely on a design that does not take
into consideration the amazing effects that can be created by taking
advantage of how the layers can be applied on top of each other almost
endlessly... take advantage of this possibility, it is remarkable and
particular to this technique... and remember, even the lightest colors
need pressure for body... gomazuri can work... but as we tried, solid
applications of dark even colors are amazing... almost underwater-like.
I highly recommend it!
Third... the blade with the flat side on the side of the line... I know
many keys on many computers have been worn out by debating over this. I
did not do it because I did not understand... it gives much crisper
lines, especially with softer woods that have a tendency of
expanding... when water is added.
Fourth: Even ball-bearing barens flatten... in my case I had to open
mine and add different size disks concentrically to rebuild a slight
concave effect... it took work, but the baren is great now... almost
better than new... so if you are not happy with your baren, test it for
curvature... it should have a slight dome.
Fourth: Japanese transparent inks are beautiful... but made for prints
to be kept inside a box or books... if you want to hang them, you will
have a nice surprise in a year or so... mind your lightfastness. I am
serious about this. Buy at Guerra Paint in New York, or Kremer in the
same city.
Fifth: Occasionally Hide Glue is necessary for certain pigments... it
does make a difference for even deep coverage. Or gum arabic... do add
it for extra body... smooth and velvety...
Sixth: We tried different size mica for metal backgrounds, and the
coarseness of its grain seem to affect it... if too small... it did not
shine... if you are fighting with this... try one size up... or ask me.
Well, thank you.... more to come as I play more... and practice tying
that baren... you can thank me later.
ciao,
Marco Flavio
And Dave, thanks again... maybe you will try some overlays like the
ones I came up with in my tests... I would love to see that in one of
your prints!
------------------------------------------
Marco Flavio Marinucci
Woodblock Portraiture
http://www.athomefaraway.com
Message 3
From: David Bull
Date: Thu, 18 Nov 2004 19:05:53 +0900
Subject: [Baren 26473] Re: Reflections from Japan...
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Marco wrote:
> First of all, many thanks to you, Dave, for the help and the time ...
Don't mention it! It was plenty of fun for me having you here ... I
probably learned just as much as you did!
> ... the transparency of pigments... when I look at the work I did
> there, I realize that too often we rely on a design that does not take
> into consideration the amazing effects that can be created by taking
> advantage of how the layers can be applied on top of each other almost
> endlessly...
It was real fun watching Marco explore this. Some of it we fell into
sort of by accident; in order for him to be able to do plenty of
printing practice, I had given him a bunch of reject prints I had in a
box. Printing practice only 'works' with good, 'real', paper, but that
stuff is too expensive to just throw away on practicing. But an old,
discarded print can be remoistened and used for practice, just ignoring
the stuff that is already printed on it. So Marco was doing various
colour and overlay tests on this old paper, and as he did so, he got
'random' effects with his own colours overlaying on the stuff I had
printed on the sheet fifteen years ago. Some of these were just
wonderful - we both kept a deck of them for reference for future colour
ideas ...
> ... Dave, thanks again... maybe you will try some overlays like the
> ones I came up with in my tests... I would love to see that in one of
> your prints!
You will ... one day!
I should also mention that Marco was a wonderful guest. Japanese houses
are pretty small and 'tight', but we had no problem together (unless
you count me driving him crazy with my mallet and chisel!). One evening
he cooked up a seafood and pasta dinner for Sadako and I, and many
times a day he would serve me up a cup of his hand-made coffee, made on
the espresso maker he brought with him! He focussed mainly on printing
practice while he was here, but also spent a few days imagining that he
was a new apprentice in a carver's workshop, and carved column after
column of tightly curved Japanese lettering on some cherry wood, just
as a 'new kid' would have had to do back in the old days.
It was a real pleasure for me to have somebody around who thinks kind
of the same way that I do - get your technique up to the highest level
you possibly can. He of course, adds a dimension to this that is beyond
me - he creates the images too ... Wonderful combination!
Don't everybody please 'line up' to be next over here for a month,
because I can't open the place up that easily, but in this case,
because I felt the exposure would really make a difference in his work,
I didn't have much hesitation at all in saying 'OK', when he asked to
come.
> .. the way it is tied makes a difference..
> .. the blade with the flat side on the side of the line...
Marco, with the horde of barbarians constantly pounding on the gates,
it's nice to have you come on in and help me hold the fort!
:-)
Dave
> First of all, many thanks to you, Dave, for the help and the time ...
Don't mention it! It was plenty of fun for me having you here ... I
probably learned just as much as you did!
> ... the transparency of pigments... when I look at the work I did
> there, I realize that too often we rely on a design that does not take
> into consideration the amazing effects that can be created by taking
> advantage of how the layers can be applied on top of each other almost
> endlessly...
It was real fun watching Marco explore this. Some of it we fell into
sort of by accident; in order for him to be able to do plenty of
printing practice, I had given him a bunch of reject prints I had in a
box. Printing practice only 'works' with good, 'real', paper, but that
stuff is too expensive to just throw away on practicing. But an old,
discarded print can be remoistened and used for practice, just ignoring
the stuff that is already printed on it. So Marco was doing various
colour and overlay tests on this old paper, and as he did so, he got
'random' effects with his own colours overlaying on the stuff I had
printed on the sheet fifteen years ago. Some of these were just
wonderful - we both kept a deck of them for reference for future colour
ideas ...
> ... Dave, thanks again... maybe you will try some overlays like the
> ones I came up with in my tests... I would love to see that in one of
> your prints!
You will ... one day!
I should also mention that Marco was a wonderful guest. Japanese houses
are pretty small and 'tight', but we had no problem together (unless
you count me driving him crazy with my mallet and chisel!). One evening
he cooked up a seafood and pasta dinner for Sadako and I, and many
times a day he would serve me up a cup of his hand-made coffee, made on
the espresso maker he brought with him! He focussed mainly on printing
practice while he was here, but also spent a few days imagining that he
was a new apprentice in a carver's workshop, and carved column after
column of tightly curved Japanese lettering on some cherry wood, just
as a 'new kid' would have had to do back in the old days.
It was a real pleasure for me to have somebody around who thinks kind
of the same way that I do - get your technique up to the highest level
you possibly can. He of course, adds a dimension to this that is beyond
me - he creates the images too ... Wonderful combination!
Don't everybody please 'line up' to be next over here for a month,
because I can't open the place up that easily, but in this case,
because I felt the exposure would really make a difference in his work,
I didn't have much hesitation at all in saying 'OK', when he asked to
come.
> .. the way it is tied makes a difference..
> .. the blade with the flat side on the side of the line...
Marco, with the horde of barbarians constantly pounding on the gates,
it's nice to have you come on in and help me hold the fort!
:-)
Dave