Today's postings

  1. [Baren 40054] Face book (Barbara Mason)
  2. [Baren 40055] Kurosaki disk beats Speedball/Vollmer website updated (April Vollmer)
  3. [Baren 40056] Re: barens (Louise Cass)
  4. [Baren 40057] Re: Date: Sat, 31 Oct 2009 16:08:06 -0400 ("Oscar Bearinger")
  5. [Baren 40058] barens (Barbara Mason)
  6. [Baren 40059] Re: baren (Viza Arlington)
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Message 1
From: Barbara Mason
Date: Sat, 31 Oct 2009 14:01:29 GMT
Subject: [Baren 40054] Face book
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I got up this morning to an invitation to become a fan of Graphic Chemical in Chicago, and of course did so right away. I have known Dean and Susan for many years, first as a wannabe printmaker and then in person from trips to Souther Graphic Council conferences.
They are huge supporters of printmaking and the most gracious of hosts. If you get a chance to go to Chicago be sure to stop in. They are in a suburb, but not that far from downtown. If I can find it anyone can.
So if you did not get an invitation to become a fan, I will share mine.
And a public thank you for supporting printmaking all these years and also for the nice sample packet of oriental papers...I am trying them out soon.
my best to all
Barbara


To see more details and confirm this invitation, follow the link below:
http://www.facebook.com/n/?pages%2FGraphic-Chemical-Ink-Company%2F198706769147&mid=155bc32G22df0c3fG2f4e6a1G4c
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Message 2
From: April Vollmer
Date: Sat, 31 Oct 2009 16:15:32 GMT
Subject: [Baren 40055] Kurosaki disk beats Speedball/Vollmer website updated
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Thank you for writing, Dean, but I just checked Graphic Chemical's website for barens, and didn't find anything that I would use. (Though I have not seen the Australian one.) I only write because I have had students who have spent money on the Speedball baren only to find that it doesn't work for moku hanga. It is very heavy and the soft surface isn't appropriate for printing with watercolor on washi. The best beginner baren is the white plastic Kurosaki baren from Japan, about $40, it would be a useful addition for Graphic Chemical!

And while I am checking in, I wanted to say that I (finally) updated my website with photos of the IMPACT conference in Bristol, England, and my recently published article "Bridges: New York to Belgrade and Beyond."

Best wishes,

April
www.aprilvollmer.com
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Message 3
From: Louise Cass
Date: Sat, 31 Oct 2009 19:56:37 GMT
Subject: [Baren 40056] Re: barens
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When I first started doing oily ink woodcuts I used the back of a large
silver spoon for burnishing which worked beautifully - purchased a low
priced bamboo baren from McClain's some years ago which was good but
split (even when softened with camelia oil regularly) - I now have and
use inexpensive bamboo barens (made in China and Korea and bought at the
Japanese paper Place in Toronto) which work well if you try them out
before buying to make sue they move comfortably over the (protecting)
paper when printing - some are too rough and don't glide nicely - are
these the ones you mention buying at art supply stores, Barbara? A
friend bought a Speedball plastic baren which is ghastly -Of course I'm
sure I'd enjoy a really great baren but since I paint more than I
printmake can't warrant the expense just now.....
Louise

PS Many thanks to Brad, Monica and Lana for the super Bulls/Oxen! I
still have some of mine which may not have gone out as I lost my list
-if anyone wants one........

www.LCassArt.com
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Message 4
From: "Oscar Bearinger"
Date: Sat, 31 Oct 2009 20:08:12 GMT
Subject: [Baren 40057] Re: Date: Sat, 31 Oct 2009 16:08:06 -0400
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Hi everyone
This conversation about barens is fun. It is amazing what breadth there is in instruments. I tried the wooden-spoon-back a week ago and it worked okay (for starters!)
I must add my own historic pseudo-baren which I used for my very first prints, and have used many times since. My two Petersen pipe bowls. Hard polished briar tree root from Ireland. A little too round but lovely to handle and use.

From: Maria Regina Pinto Pereira

I use a bone - a cow rib. It works fine.

Kisses



MaRegina



This is very good, Ma Regina, a cow rib!

I will definitely try my bonefolder as a baren, thanks for that information. I like my bonefolder but, like Dean, I am suspicious that it is not real bone. Still, it folds wonderful!

Oscar
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Message 5
From: Barbara Mason
Date: Sat, 31 Oct 2009 20:37:03 GMT
Subject: [Baren 40058] barens
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Like everyone who starts this journey from oil to water.....
I have tried everything that might possibly work. I taped my first barens to the point that they were actually more tape than leaf. I am sure I am not alone. I even tied one using tyvek paper to see if it would work....it did amazingly well till it got wet.

The plastic ones work, especially for big flat areas. I like the real baren because I can sort of feel what it is doing. I cannot really explain this but somehow you seem to have a little more control. Not something I needed for quite a few years though.

I finally learned to tie one well in Kansas city...it was four years in the doing and Dave was standing over me helping or I don't think I would have gotten it done. The truth is it takes a lot of strength to hold it on one side while you do the other side. I think if you get help it would be a lot easier. Doing it alone is probably beyond me but with my husband holding one side down it is fairly doable.

The ball bearing barens are good and will work for oil. Hard to believe but true, you can really get a lot of pressure.

I vote for leaf and a medium inexpensive baren for all us woodblock wannabees. So spend $50 and get the cheapest real baren. It works really well. The more they cost the better they work, of course and I think people like Dave who print all the time have many and use them for different printing tasks.

Has anyone tried anything other than a leaf to tie one with that worked???
My best
Barbara
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Message 6
From: Viza Arlington
Date: Sat, 31 Oct 2009 20:48:02 GMT
Subject: [Baren 40059] Re: baren
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I use a ball bearing baren now which makes things so much easier! I have
used the speedball baren, (boo) wooden spoons and the plastic disc baren
with replaceable discs in the past. The plastic disc works pretty good but i
never use it if you would like it i will send it to you. it probably needs
a new disk but they are only $10 or so. Contact me off list. Maybe we could
set up some kind of buy/sale/trade/free printmaking tools and supplies area
on the forum. I have lots of things just hanging around my studio that i
don't use but can't throw away.
viza