Today's postings
- [Baren 26920] Baren Info (ArtfulCarol # aol.com)
- [Baren 26921] Re: New Baren Digest (HTML) V30 #2935 (Jan 24, 2005) (Mike Lyon)
- [Baren 26922] Re: New Baren Digest (HTML) V30 #2934 (Jan 24, 2005) (Mike Lyon)
- [Baren 26923] recent 'essay' on printmaking (Mike Lyon)
- [Baren 26924] Re: New Baren Digest (HTML) V30 #2935 (Jan 24, 2005) (Wanda Robertson)
- [Baren 26925] cases for #23 (Barbara Mason)
- [Baren 26926] Re: cases for #23 ("Diane Cutter")
- [Baren 26927] Re: cases for #23 (Barbara Mason)
- [Baren 26928] Roosters flying in..... (Wanda Robertson)
Message 1
From: ArtfulCarol # aol.com
Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2005 08:41:31 EST
Subject: [Baren 26920] Baren Info
Send Message: To this poster
Hi
People are asking.
I forgot to say what brand of Baren this is. I bought it years ago from
McClain's before our Baren Mall. It's a special order and the series has numbers;
A5901, A 5902, A5903, A5904
01 and 02 are 16-ko Hon baren, coarse Murasaki for printing large, flat
areas.
03 and 04 are 8-Hon medium Murasaki baren for mostly fine lines and details
but also print large aeas very well. Most versatile.
02 and 04 are made not to rattle.
I copied all the above from the catalog.
I don't know which mine is, but it does not rattle. (Lady Murasaki was a
tutor and companion to a Japanese Empress. By coincidence I just read of that
connection a few minutes ago when browsing through an unrelated book.
Interesting-- it's the third coincidence this year)
Carol L.
Irvington, NY
People are asking.
I forgot to say what brand of Baren this is. I bought it years ago from
McClain's before our Baren Mall. It's a special order and the series has numbers;
A5901, A 5902, A5903, A5904
01 and 02 are 16-ko Hon baren, coarse Murasaki for printing large, flat
areas.
03 and 04 are 8-Hon medium Murasaki baren for mostly fine lines and details
but also print large aeas very well. Most versatile.
02 and 04 are made not to rattle.
I copied all the above from the catalog.
I don't know which mine is, but it does not rattle. (Lady Murasaki was a
tutor and companion to a Japanese Empress. By coincidence I just read of that
connection a few minutes ago when browsing through an unrelated book.
Interesting-- it's the third coincidence this year)
Carol L.
Irvington, NY
Message 2
From: Mike Lyon
Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2005 09:33:46 -0600
Subject: [Baren 26921] Re: New Baren Digest (HTML) V30 #2935 (Jan 24, 2005)
Send Message: To this poster
Linda Kelen wrote:
>Two of my woodcuts are in the current Devils&Dolls show at the WomanMade
>Gallery in Chicago through February 24.
>http://www.absolutearts.com/cgi-bin/portfolio/art/your-art.cgi?login=kelen&title=DevilsAndDolls-1096747862t.jpg
>is the link to the title piece, and
>http://www.absolutearts.com/cgi-bin/portfolio/art/your-art.cgi?login=kelen&title=SomeMiceAreNotMeek-1093836227t.jpg
>is a link to the other...
WOW! Chicago funk comes to BAREN!!!! Wonderful prints, Linda! Just
Wonderful! Welcome!
-- Mike
Mike Lyon
Kansas City, Missouri
http://mlyon.com
>Two of my woodcuts are in the current Devils&Dolls show at the WomanMade
>Gallery in Chicago through February 24.
>http://www.absolutearts.com/cgi-bin/portfolio/art/your-art.cgi?login=kelen&title=DevilsAndDolls-1096747862t.jpg
>is the link to the title piece, and
>http://www.absolutearts.com/cgi-bin/portfolio/art/your-art.cgi?login=kelen&title=SomeMiceAreNotMeek-1093836227t.jpg
>is a link to the other...
WOW! Chicago funk comes to BAREN!!!! Wonderful prints, Linda! Just
Wonderful! Welcome!
-- Mike
Mike Lyon
Kansas City, Missouri
http://mlyon.com
Message 3
From: Mike Lyon
Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2005 09:29:09 -0600
Subject: [Baren 26922] Re: New Baren Digest (HTML) V30 #2934 (Jan 24, 2005)
Send Message: To this poster
Connie Lambert wrote:
>Mr. Lyon, I have to say that your work is truly amazing. I'm at a loss to
>figure out just how you keep it all in register.
>
>If anyone has any questions about me or my work, please ask. Or if anyone
>has any links/groups/forums on other printmaking processes that you think
>I might enjoy please advise.
Dear Connie,
Please just call me "Mike"!
I loved your enthusiastic introduction, thanks for writing that! I wish
you'd let us have a link to your web site -- that's how most of us
communicate our images, as the forum doesn't allow images to be included in
our messages (in order to reduce the risk of virus transmission). St.
Louis, eh? We're almost neighbors -- if you're ever passing through KC I
hope you'll contact me -- love to give you the 'nickel tour', and I've been
really missing seeing everybody since our Baren Summit here... almost two
years ago! My how time flies!
About registration... I've been using traditional Japanese kento
registration since 1996 and find it to be a 'sure thing' up to about 20x30
inches, the largest 'traditional' (HAH!) blocks I've carved and printed --
it's very easy and straight forward and should work very well for most
collography as well, with a little pre-planning... Here are some links
which ought to quickly introduce you:
http://www.barenforum.org/encyclopedia/entries/000_01/000_01.html David
Bull describes traditional key-block Kento registration
http://www.barenforum.org/encyclopedia/entries/000_08/000_08.html John Amos
describes a variant he used (and lots of other stuff)
http://www.barenforum.org/encyclopedia/entries/000_03/000_03.html Mike
Spollen describes another variant
http://www.barenforum.org/encyclopedia/entries/012_04/012_04.html a
non-kento Chinese registration system is outlined
http://www.barenforum.org/encyclopedia/entries/009_01/009_01.html David
Bull describes step-by-step multiple block printing
I wrote a couple of short essays about my special adaptations of
traditional Japanese printmaking technique for the print students at Union
College in connection with "Moku Hanga at Union -- an exhibition of
contemporary Japanese woodcuts" January 10 through February 14 at Arts
Atrium Gallery (prints by Suezan Aikins, Takuji Hamanaka, Daniel Heyman,
Mike Lyon, Bill Paden, Yasu Shibata, Keiji Shinohara, and April
Vollmer)... You can find both those essays here:
http://www.mlyon.com/prints/relief/2005_01_10_Union_College_Essays.pdf
complete with photo illustrations...
Again, welcome to Baren Forum -- you'll find a lot of experienced and
also-enthusiastic printmakers willing to share their experience and opinion
here, I'm sure!
-- Mike
Mike Lyon
Kansas City, Missouri
http://mlyon.com
>Mr. Lyon, I have to say that your work is truly amazing. I'm at a loss to
>figure out just how you keep it all in register.
>
>If anyone has any questions about me or my work, please ask. Or if anyone
>has any links/groups/forums on other printmaking processes that you think
>I might enjoy please advise.
Dear Connie,
Please just call me "Mike"!
I loved your enthusiastic introduction, thanks for writing that! I wish
you'd let us have a link to your web site -- that's how most of us
communicate our images, as the forum doesn't allow images to be included in
our messages (in order to reduce the risk of virus transmission). St.
Louis, eh? We're almost neighbors -- if you're ever passing through KC I
hope you'll contact me -- love to give you the 'nickel tour', and I've been
really missing seeing everybody since our Baren Summit here... almost two
years ago! My how time flies!
About registration... I've been using traditional Japanese kento
registration since 1996 and find it to be a 'sure thing' up to about 20x30
inches, the largest 'traditional' (HAH!) blocks I've carved and printed --
it's very easy and straight forward and should work very well for most
collography as well, with a little pre-planning... Here are some links
which ought to quickly introduce you:
http://www.barenforum.org/encyclopedia/entries/000_01/000_01.html David
Bull describes traditional key-block Kento registration
http://www.barenforum.org/encyclopedia/entries/000_08/000_08.html John Amos
describes a variant he used (and lots of other stuff)
http://www.barenforum.org/encyclopedia/entries/000_03/000_03.html Mike
Spollen describes another variant
http://www.barenforum.org/encyclopedia/entries/012_04/012_04.html a
non-kento Chinese registration system is outlined
http://www.barenforum.org/encyclopedia/entries/009_01/009_01.html David
Bull describes step-by-step multiple block printing
I wrote a couple of short essays about my special adaptations of
traditional Japanese printmaking technique for the print students at Union
College in connection with "Moku Hanga at Union -- an exhibition of
contemporary Japanese woodcuts" January 10 through February 14 at Arts
Atrium Gallery (prints by Suezan Aikins, Takuji Hamanaka, Daniel Heyman,
Mike Lyon, Bill Paden, Yasu Shibata, Keiji Shinohara, and April
Vollmer)... You can find both those essays here:
http://www.mlyon.com/prints/relief/2005_01_10_Union_College_Essays.pdf
complete with photo illustrations...
Again, welcome to Baren Forum -- you'll find a lot of experienced and
also-enthusiastic printmakers willing to share their experience and opinion
here, I'm sure!
-- Mike
Mike Lyon
Kansas City, Missouri
http://mlyon.com
Message 4
From: Mike Lyon
Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2005 09:55:09 -0600
Subject: [Baren 26923] recent 'essay' on printmaking
Send Message: To this poster
I wrote a little bit about recent developments in my woodblock printmaking
technique for the Union College exhibition and thought you might enjoy
reading some of it -- it's available on-line in PDF format including
photo-illustrations here:
http://www.mlyon.com/prints/relief/2005_01_10_Union_College_Essays.pdf The
following is text only, of course...
MULTI-BLOCK PRINTING…
In March, 2004 I acquired a "ShopBot PRT-96" (www.shopbottools.com) which
is a three-axis CNC (Computer Numerically Controlled) machine and came
already equipped with a router. This type of machine seems to be used
primarily by sign-makers, but seems ideal for accurately carving blocks for
printmaking as well!
The blocks for four of the prints in the exhibition at Union College were
carved using my CNC tool which can carve an area slightly larger than a 4x8
foot sheet of plywood ( "Combing Hair" was designed and hand-carved exactly
as outlined in the "REDUCTION PRINTING…" article). The individual blocks
for those four prints were designed using my digital photographs as sources
and were all machine-carved from cabinet-grade ¼" plywood with a cherry
veneer. The primary router bit I used for these blocks was a 90 degree
"V-Bit". V-bits are ideal as the width of the line they produce varies
according to the depth of the cut, so shallow cuts produce narrow grooves
and deeper cuts produce wider grooves… By carefully controlling the depth
of the cuts, I can accurately machine very delicate details (but not as
delicate as I am able to carve by hand). Even though I can cut more
refined lines by hand, I can not carve nearly as fast as I can code the
tool-paths for the machine, and I can print while the machine is busy
carving - carving large blocks takes a LONG time and already 53 years old,
there seems to be so little time and so much to do! This year I will
attempt some much larger woodcuts - on the order of 4 x 6 feet or more, and
the sort of images I'm interested in making would be an overwhelming job if
not for my carving machine!
Hand-printing these relatively large prints is physically quite demanding -
just handling the paper (I work alone) can be an almost overwhelming
challenge! So I'd like to tell you a little about how I've worked toward
solving some of the problems as the scale of my work has increased.
My woodcuts are registered and printed using "Traditional Japanese
Technique" which means that aqueous color is brushed onto the blocks (not
rolled) usually using a brush which looks a lot like a small shoe-brush,
and the color is pressed into the damp paper using a a printing pad about 5
inches in diameter called a "baren" (no printing press is involved).
The paper for all my prints in the exhibition was hand made by Iwano
Ichibei, designated "Living National Treasure" of paper making by the
Japanese Government. His paper is very strong - it has to be in order to
survive intact the 15 to 30 over-printings I make in order to achieve the
darkest areas of my prints.
Although Iwano-san's paper is very strong, during printing it is quite damp
and limp - something like a wet sheet - you can imagine how hard it can be
to handle thin paper in that condition -- and to be able to accurately
register it on the block without having all the sheets become smudged by
drooping onto the surface of the block prematurely!
In order to handle larger (20 x 30 inch) sheets alone, I designed and built
(using the CNC machine, of course) a nifty and portable plywood table (the
parts lock together by simple hooks and slots carved into each piece).
Attached to the table is a Plexiglas "humidor" (also cut on the
machine). The humidor is necessary in order to keep the sheets properly
damp between printings - traditionally the prints are smaller and are
simply stacked up inside damp newsprint. So I 'invented' the humidor -- it
is equipped with two drawers - the top one is manually operated and it is
where I place the sheets just printed - and the bottom one is opened by
stepping on the foot pedal which you might be able to make out in the lower
of the two table photos above -- it closes by counter-weight which you can
see hanging from the back of the humidor. The bottom drawer is my
'solution' to handling the larger paper - it opens right over the block to
be printed - I slide the sheet over the very smooth lip of the shallow
drawer and can easily register it into the two kento (corner and side
registration) on the block just below. Then I slowly release my foot from
the "pedal" and… VOILA! As the drawer slides shut, the paper slides out
of the drawer and settles onto the block in exactly the right way! It's
easy and very positive, and has allowed me to print those larger sizes with
ease!
The plywood blocks are only ¼" thick and very flimsy and bendy. In order
to hold them in place and keep them absolutely flat during printing, the
table is equipped with a "vacuum plenum", in this instance, a sheet of ¾"
MDF with grooves cut into both sides to allow free air passage inside - a
small vacuum cleaner provides more than enough suction (a pound or two per
square inch) to hold the block dead-flat and solidly in place during printing!
-- Mike
Mike Lyon
Kansas City, Missouri
http://mlyon.com
technique for the Union College exhibition and thought you might enjoy
reading some of it -- it's available on-line in PDF format including
photo-illustrations here:
http://www.mlyon.com/prints/relief/2005_01_10_Union_College_Essays.pdf The
following is text only, of course...
MULTI-BLOCK PRINTING…
In March, 2004 I acquired a "ShopBot PRT-96" (www.shopbottools.com) which
is a three-axis CNC (Computer Numerically Controlled) machine and came
already equipped with a router. This type of machine seems to be used
primarily by sign-makers, but seems ideal for accurately carving blocks for
printmaking as well!
The blocks for four of the prints in the exhibition at Union College were
carved using my CNC tool which can carve an area slightly larger than a 4x8
foot sheet of plywood ( "Combing Hair" was designed and hand-carved exactly
as outlined in the "REDUCTION PRINTING…" article). The individual blocks
for those four prints were designed using my digital photographs as sources
and were all machine-carved from cabinet-grade ¼" plywood with a cherry
veneer. The primary router bit I used for these blocks was a 90 degree
"V-Bit". V-bits are ideal as the width of the line they produce varies
according to the depth of the cut, so shallow cuts produce narrow grooves
and deeper cuts produce wider grooves… By carefully controlling the depth
of the cuts, I can accurately machine very delicate details (but not as
delicate as I am able to carve by hand). Even though I can cut more
refined lines by hand, I can not carve nearly as fast as I can code the
tool-paths for the machine, and I can print while the machine is busy
carving - carving large blocks takes a LONG time and already 53 years old,
there seems to be so little time and so much to do! This year I will
attempt some much larger woodcuts - on the order of 4 x 6 feet or more, and
the sort of images I'm interested in making would be an overwhelming job if
not for my carving machine!
Hand-printing these relatively large prints is physically quite demanding -
just handling the paper (I work alone) can be an almost overwhelming
challenge! So I'd like to tell you a little about how I've worked toward
solving some of the problems as the scale of my work has increased.
My woodcuts are registered and printed using "Traditional Japanese
Technique" which means that aqueous color is brushed onto the blocks (not
rolled) usually using a brush which looks a lot like a small shoe-brush,
and the color is pressed into the damp paper using a a printing pad about 5
inches in diameter called a "baren" (no printing press is involved).
The paper for all my prints in the exhibition was hand made by Iwano
Ichibei, designated "Living National Treasure" of paper making by the
Japanese Government. His paper is very strong - it has to be in order to
survive intact the 15 to 30 over-printings I make in order to achieve the
darkest areas of my prints.
Although Iwano-san's paper is very strong, during printing it is quite damp
and limp - something like a wet sheet - you can imagine how hard it can be
to handle thin paper in that condition -- and to be able to accurately
register it on the block without having all the sheets become smudged by
drooping onto the surface of the block prematurely!
In order to handle larger (20 x 30 inch) sheets alone, I designed and built
(using the CNC machine, of course) a nifty and portable plywood table (the
parts lock together by simple hooks and slots carved into each piece).
Attached to the table is a Plexiglas "humidor" (also cut on the
machine). The humidor is necessary in order to keep the sheets properly
damp between printings - traditionally the prints are smaller and are
simply stacked up inside damp newsprint. So I 'invented' the humidor -- it
is equipped with two drawers - the top one is manually operated and it is
where I place the sheets just printed - and the bottom one is opened by
stepping on the foot pedal which you might be able to make out in the lower
of the two table photos above -- it closes by counter-weight which you can
see hanging from the back of the humidor. The bottom drawer is my
'solution' to handling the larger paper - it opens right over the block to
be printed - I slide the sheet over the very smooth lip of the shallow
drawer and can easily register it into the two kento (corner and side
registration) on the block just below. Then I slowly release my foot from
the "pedal" and… VOILA! As the drawer slides shut, the paper slides out
of the drawer and settles onto the block in exactly the right way! It's
easy and very positive, and has allowed me to print those larger sizes with
ease!
The plywood blocks are only ¼" thick and very flimsy and bendy. In order
to hold them in place and keep them absolutely flat during printing, the
table is equipped with a "vacuum plenum", in this instance, a sheet of ¾"
MDF with grooves cut into both sides to allow free air passage inside - a
small vacuum cleaner provides more than enough suction (a pound or two per
square inch) to hold the block dead-flat and solidly in place during printing!
-- Mike
Mike Lyon
Kansas City, Missouri
http://mlyon.com
Message 5
From: Wanda Robertson
Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2005 11:22:18 -0800
Subject: [Baren 26924] Re: New Baren Digest (HTML) V30 #2935 (Jan 24, 2005)
Send Message: To this poster
Just had time to peek at your prints, Linda. What delightful images!
And welcome to baren! Can't wait to see the rest of the "Garden of
Eden" series!
Wanda
And welcome to baren! Can't wait to see the rest of the "Garden of
Eden" series!
Wanda
Message 6
From: Barbara Mason
Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2005 17:58:27 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [Baren 26925] cases for #23
Send Message: To this poster
If anyone wants a case for #23, let me know. Our new man is a little slow and I do not have the new cases yet, although he did get them to Mary Kuster for #22.
I will be placing an additional order in the next day or so, so this is the last chance to order for #23.
These are the people I have signed up for a case so far.
Maria Arango
Claudia Coonen
Mike Lyon
Julio Rodriguiz
Sharri Lapierre
Sandra Taylor
Best to all,
Barbara - Mall Manager
I will be placing an additional order in the next day or so, so this is the last chance to order for #23.
These are the people I have signed up for a case so far.
Maria Arango
Claudia Coonen
Mike Lyon
Julio Rodriguiz
Sharri Lapierre
Sandra Taylor
Best to all,
Barbara - Mall Manager
Message 7
From: "Diane Cutter"
Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2005 21:18:26 -0500
Subject: [Baren 26926] Re: cases for #23
Send Message: To this poster
Barbara...
I'd like a case. Let me know the particulars for paying. Do I need to go to the Baren Mall?
Thanks,
Diane...
www.dianecutter.com -- New oil paintings (calla lilies and abstracts)
www.WetCanvas.com - internet artist community
I'd like a case. Let me know the particulars for paying. Do I need to go to the Baren Mall?
Thanks,
Diane...
www.dianecutter.com -- New oil paintings (calla lilies and abstracts)
www.WetCanvas.com - internet artist community
Message 8
From: Barbara Mason
Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2005 22:49:55 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [Baren 26927] Re: cases for #23
Send Message: To this poster
yes, just go to the mall and order one...be sure to note in the comment spot that it is for #23. There is a link from the exchange info page if you cannot find it in the mall.
Best to you,
Barbara
Best to you,
Barbara
Message 9
From: Wanda Robertson
Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2005 23:05:13 -0800
Subject: [Baren 26928] Roosters flying in.....
Send Message: To this poster
3 roosters landed in my mailbox today! Thanks to Ray Hudson, Wendy
Sampson, and Kimberly Sheilds! Great little prints! These will be
added to the ones from Jan Telfer (his wings were awfully tired Jan),
Lezle Williams, Gillyin Gatto & Barbara Mason. The rooster year seems
to have struck a universal artistic nerve - these are all different &
all wonderful! Thanks to all of you!
Wanda
Sampson, and Kimberly Sheilds! Great little prints! These will be
added to the ones from Jan Telfer (his wings were awfully tired Jan),
Lezle Williams, Gillyin Gatto & Barbara Mason. The rooster year seems
to have struck a universal artistic nerve - these are all different &
all wonderful! Thanks to all of you!
Wanda