Today's postings

  1. [Baren 38009] Re: New Baren Digest (HTML) V46 #4691 (Jan 30, 2009) (Marilynn Smith)
  2. [Baren 38010] Four Oceans Press Exchange :) ("Heather P.")
  3. [Baren 38011] RE: oiling block ("Maria Arango")
  4. [Baren 38012] Re: New Baren Digest (HTML) V46 #4691 (Jan 30, 2009) (Marilynn Smith)
  5. [Baren 38013] biscuit joiners (Rosposfe # aol.com)
  6. [Baren 38014] Baren Member blogs: Update Notification (Blog Manager)
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Message 1
From: Marilynn Smith
Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2009 14:38:52 GMT
Subject: [Baren 38009] Re: New Baren Digest (HTML) V46 #4691 (Jan 30, 2009)
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Well the oiling of the plate is one thing that I guess is up to the
individual. I do know that wood has natural oils in it. I scrubbed
the plate I had oiled with linseed oil and it still would not print
water based. I still have it, I want to add to the design, making it
more intricate and than I will run it oil based.

If you have a small margin on your plate try using a jig. My year of
the rat print had about a quarter inch margin, I used a jig and had no
registration problems. It was a simple black and white print,
however, so multiple dropping was not required. Most of my blocks
come from the reduced bin at the myrtle wood factory and most are
small. I want to use as much of the wood as possible and I have found
using a jig allows me to do that. Plus I don't have to carve those
darn kento marks. For me it is harder to get the kentos precise for
dropping than it is to get the jig precise. I guess we are all
different.

I agree that flaws in our prints do show that it was done by a human.
My paper has some little grainy bumps and one of those resulted in a
little hole in the print. I was dismayed by that and was talking
about it to my husband. He said, hey that is just part of your paper
and your print, not a mistake. I would say, yes he is right. And
some of my last prints were a bit too damp, I will use the best of
those as well. The ones that do not make the cut I will experiment by
way of either over printing areas with other colors or doing some hand
coloring. Should be fun. As he said if you are not having fun with
it why do it? I am picky, I was taught to be, but with hanga it is
harder to pull those perfect prints.

Have fun. From fun in the sunny Baja.
Marilynn
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Message 2
From: "Heather P."
Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2009 17:11:03 GMT
Subject: [Baren 38010] Four Oceans Press Exchange :)
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This is an exchange outside of Baren Forum:
 
Four Oceans Press is having sign-ups for their "Road Trip"
Alphabet Hand-pulled Print Exchange. This is our third exchange
in our Alphabet Series. We have 21 more spots to fill -
We hope you will consider joining this Print Exchange... 
All the details are below :)
 

Theme: Road Trip
 
-Chose an available letter from the list, pick a Road Trip
that starts with that letter and make a print about your favorite
destination. (DO NOT include the letter in your print, just the fun Trip.)
 
Color: B/W or Color. Color is encouraged, but we love a good b/w image.

Image Size: At least 6” x 8” but no larger than 8.5” x 11”.

Paper Size: Paper must be no larger than 8.5” x 11”. It is OK if the image
bleeds off the edge of the paper.

Medium: Woodblock, Linoleum, Serigraph, Lithograph or Intaglio

Paper type: Any archival paper appropriate to your printing method can be used.

Print Deadline: June 15, 2009
 

Complete exchange details can always be found on the Four Oceans Press website at
http://www.fouroceanspress.com/exchange_alphabet.html
 
 
We are filling up the Archives on our "Fruit Alphabet" and our
"Water" Exchanges as the prints filter in from around the world...
Take a look at the wonderful work and even see what's new from
some of the Baren members :)
 
http://www.fouroceanspress.com/archive_fruit_alphabet_2008.html
 
http://www.fouroceanspress.com/archive_water_2009.html

 
 

Take a Look, Read, Consider and then Sign up...

http://www.fouroceanspress.com/index.html
 
 
 
Our biggest news is that we have our first annual calendar project
finished and for sell... The 2009 Print Makers Calendar!!! Take a
look a the great seasonal hand-pulled prints featured in the calendar...
http://www.fouroceanspress.com/calendar_four_seasons.html
  

 

If you can not get involved this time, check the website regularly for the next exchange
and other projects.  As always, Thank you to all the Artists on the Baren who
have been a part of the Four Oceans Press Exchanges or other Exchanges here
on Baren that I have been a part of -  You all do such great work!!!
We LOVE all the little Ox's that are making their way to us (ours will
join the group soon) and we are excited to be a part of the upcoming # 40 :)
 
 
Thanks & Smiles,
Heather & Kathe

http://www.fouroceanspress.com
 
 
We now have prints on ETSY :)
http://www.fouroceanspress.com/store.html
 

 
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Message 3
From: "Maria Arango"
Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2009 17:25:41 GMT
Subject: [Baren 38011] RE: oiling block
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> Marilynn - a light coating of linseed oil well rubbed into the surface
> of
> (any type of) wood block before cutting is fine for water based inks (
> rolled on) as well as nori and whatever pigment is used for moku hanga
> - I
> believe Maria Arango originally suggested it - I always oil the surface
> and
> don't have any problems - I imagine if too much is applied it wouldn't
> be
> good just as having paper too wet or too much paste etc present
> problems....it seems to me that mineral oil is much heavier than
> linseed?
> but then I've never tried it...
> Louise C.

Either one works for me, linseed oil or mineral oil don't seem to interfere
with water-based pigment brushed on. I do always wipe my blocks lightly just
prior to printing, just to dust off. I use distilled water and white vinegar
on a lint-free towel. I've done for all my printing to remove dust, oily
residue from my hands and (in my case) cat hair :-)

Too much oily residue can also interfere with thin layers of oil-based ink
so it is a good practice to clean the block surface prior to printing
regardless of printing ink medium. Aside from that, once the block is
"primed" with whatever ink, printing should be without problems.

Maria

O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O
       Maria Arango
  http://1000woodcuts.com
http://artfestivalguide.info
 O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O
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Message 4
From: Marilynn Smith
Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2009 20:03:44 GMT
Subject: [Baren 38012] Re: New Baren Digest (HTML) V46 #4691 (Jan 30, 2009)
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Can't remember if I talked today so forgive a second post, if it is.
I find this almost funny. I dampened my paper the way I did for the
last run that was so perfect and once again it was too wet. I took my
paper still inside the blotter and laid it outside my container, on my
table, than I took a terry cloth towel, folded, took out my paper
blotted it and set it on the towel. It sat there while I used my
baren on a print, I pulled that print, lade it on my table and than
inked my plate and took the piece of paper that was laying on the
towel and printed it. it worked perfectly. My prints did not dry out
when stacked in the open air on the table and after 15 prints I put
them in a blotter to dry.

My thoughts on this are that is more than humidity causing the paper
to stay so wet. I think it is the paper as well. I do not know the
content of this paper, it might be all cotton. It is fairly thick and
seems to be quite absorbent. Here in Baja I can't easily get mail
from the states or Japan. Therefore, I am relying on the paper I can
get here. This is beautiful stuff, four deckled edges and far from
cheap. it takes water based pigment beautifully. It is just thick
and absorbent. i am thinking on Maria's problem and considering her
dry climate, if she wants to try hanga again it might be to her
benefit to try and find a paper of this type.
Marilynn
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Message 5
From: Rosposfe # aol.com
Date: Sat, 31 Jan 2009 04:32:53 GMT
Subject: [Baren 38013] biscuit joiners
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Eli, Thanks for the tip regarding biscuit joiners.
I have screwed a 1" wide wooden strip the same height as my board and cut a
kento into it and got by with a serviceable solution once on a print with a
small edition size. I will use this technique in the future to attach a strip
of wood to my board when using expensive or good cherry.
Like others, I was trying to economize on the Moku Hanga exchange print
when using Japanese Washi and knowing that the cost would run between $30-60
just for paper. And I had already a sample piece of Maple 8" X 16" ready to
go. By cutting one sheet of Nishinouchi down the middle lengthwise I was able
to get 12 6 1/2 " X 14 3/4" sheets for this exchange but that left
precious little paper left on the margins once my image size was 6" wide.
But faced with a nice piece of wood I always want to use the whole
block! I have some 17" wide cherry boards and this 7 ft long plank of 18"
maple.....and one is tempted to save them for a print that will use all the surface
instead of cutting them into little boards to make greeting cards. Although,
after working so hard to clear my small maple block tackling a big piece now
makes me tremble.
Thanks again,
Andrew

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Subject: New Years Cards and a Master's Tarot Project Update
Posted by: Phare-Camp

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