Today's postings

  1. [Baren 32121] Re: Fibers Sticking to Block (Annie Bissett)
  2. [Baren 32122] Note cards ("Roy")
  3. [Baren 32123] Re: Note cards (AEleen Frisch)
  4. [Baren 32124] Re: Note cards (Bobbi Chukran)
  5. [Baren 32125] RE: Note cards ("Maria Arango")
  6. [Baren 32126] RE: Note cards ("Doug")
  7. [Baren 32127] Re: New Baren Digest (HTML) V37 #3670 (Oct 26, 2006) (jlkornett # aol.com)
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Message 1
From: Annie Bissett
Date: Thu, 26 Oct 2006 09:54:40 -0400
Subject: [Baren 32121] Re: Fibers Sticking to Block
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Hi Lynn,

I had difficulty with fibers sticking to the block a while back and the main
problem turned out to be that I was working too wet. I think my paste was
too thick as well, but working too wet seemed to be my primary problem.

I tried McClain's Masa Dosa and I found it very finicky to work with. It
stretched easily, I had a hard time keeping it flat and drying it flat, it
was so soft that it picked up every little bump in the block (embossed
really easily), and I just didn't like it. I managed to complete a whole
edition for a Baren exchange with it, though. Since then I've switched to
McClain's Echizen Kozo. I really like it, but it's definitely more
expensive. I still have some of the Masa Dosa and I use it now for rough
proofing.

Carol, congratulations on winning the Ely Lilly prize. It's a lovely print.

Annie
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Message 2
From: "Roy"
Date: Thu, 26 Oct 2006 07:23:32 -0700
Subject: [Baren 32122] Note cards
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I seem to be doing more honey-do projects than printing
recently, so I need a fairly quick woodblock print to do.
(Kind of the opposite of Mike Lyon's prints)
I was wondering if note cards, the one fold, print on the
front, 4X6 sell. Must you include envelopes? Can a small spot
on the envelopes be printed with a baren? And, finally,
would they be considered 'art' or 'craft'?

Roy
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Message 3
From: AEleen Frisch
Date: Thu, 26 Oct 2006 10:28:58 -0400
Subject: [Baren 32123] Re: Note cards
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You absolutely MUST include envelopes if you want cards to sell. My
experience is that nice cards do sell easily, especially if they are
unusual in some way, distinctive. Woodblock prints certainly often are
the latter.

In my opinion, "art" depends on the characteristics of the image and not
on where it happens to reside. For me, a notecard image could definitely
be art while many pieces hanging in museums are not. Of course, such
distinctions are, ultimately and unavoidably, personal and subjective.

AEleen
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Message 4
From: Bobbi Chukran
Date: Thu, 26 Oct 2006 09:45:34 -0500
Subject: [Baren 32124] Re: Note cards
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>> And, finally,
>>would they be considered 'art' or 'craft'?
>

Hi Roy,

I buy lots of handmade notecards and frame them for the wall, so I
definitely say that they are "art".

I personally think that printmaking can be both art and craft...

Bobbi C.
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Message 5
From: "Maria Arango"
Date: Thu, 26 Oct 2006 08:20:06 -0700
Subject: [Baren 32125] RE: Note cards
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Yes, to the selling part, in buckets at this time of year.
Absolutely to the include envelope thing www.clearbags.com.
Better yet, offer them in sets and call them gifts; set boxes available at
the website above. I sold them in boxed sets of four.

You can print on the envelopes but one of the most requested items about the
cards was that they would like them without my information on them (heh).
Guess they don't mind the Hallmark branding but object to the "street
artist" branding?

Both to the art/craft thing IMHO. Most festival promoters would probably
classify them as craft.

Incidentally, I don't sell cards anymore; got to be too much of a hassle for
$9 bucks each (notice how cleverly I kept them under ten dollars ;-). Now I
put the same images in a 5-buck frame and sell them for $85-115. Some of my
customers mention that they miss the cards, but then they end up buying one
of the more expensive items...oh, and now they are officially "art"!

Maria


Maria Arango
www.1000woodcuts.com
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Message 6
From: "Doug"
Date: Thu, 26 Oct 2006 09:52:24 -0600
Subject: [Baren 32126] RE: Note cards
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I sell a lot of note cards, and yes, you do need an envelope. And as Maria
ssid, put them in clearbags (quite cheap.) I met a man at the Pike Place
market in Seattle selling his woodblock cards(with eps) and wrapped with
a paper band with his contact information. We agreed that either art or
craft, it was better to sell some of our work than to store it in boxes
in the garage. Let the buyer decide on art or craft.

Doug
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Message 7
From: jlkornett # aol.com
Date: Thu, 26 Oct 2006 12:27:39 -0400
Subject: [Baren 32127] Re: New Baren Digest (HTML) V37 #3670 (Oct 26, 2006)
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I have some foxing occurring on a few prints I have hanging in my house- I have checked out getting this corrected and it is exhorbitantly expensive- Has anyone experimented and/or had lock fixing this themselves?
Thanks
Judith