[Baren]: The mailing list / discussion forum for woodblock printmaking.

Baren Digest               Tuesday, 14 April 1998       Volume 03 : Number 127

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From: Phil Bivins <pbivins@ac.net>
Date: Mon, 13 Apr 1998 14:25:02 -0400
Subject: [Baren 620] Prints 

As you may have seen, Dave has put my prints in the Encyclopedia
recently. I would like to have any feedback from all members if
possible. Any remarks, suggestions, comments that will help me to
improve. Thanks, Phil

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From: amoss@mindspring.com (John Amoss)
Date: Mon, 13 Apr 1998 15:49:16 +0300
Subject: [Baren 621] out from under a rock 

Hello all-
I suppose the exhibition has given me a chance to come out from under a
rock again (blink, blink).
I have been reading with interest with the discussions of late and want to
say that I want to become an exhibitionist (Ummmm....I mean of woodblock
prints).

I have been stalled in the sizing and wetting of papers stage but I am
probably 85.66% there to producing my first 4-color woodblock print- (a big
big step for me). I am starting to realize what I don't know (another big
step), but I think I could get a few prints done this year given the
kick-in-da-pants of commiting to an exhibit...So count me in please. Ouch!

By the way, I am also hoping to take a woodblock workshop at Penland Arts
and Crafts Center this summer. It's taught by a Keiji Shinohara- anyone
heard of him?

Thanks Ray for your organization and your leadership in this endeavor.

Please keep things up, everyone.

- -John

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From: Don Furst <furstd@UNCWIL.EDU>
Date: Mon, 13 Apr 1998 17:09:40 -0500 (EST)
Subject: [Baren 622] Re: New member ... 

>This is a bit of a long shot, but would you possibly be related at all
>to Herbert Furst, the English writer on woodcuts and woodblock prints,
>from the early part of this century?      

 No relation that I'm aware of.

General question to the group:  If you were teaching woodcut on a one-shot
project basis in a college printmaking survey, which wood gets your vote?
(IMHO, pine is too soft, birch is too hard, so I've used poplar).
If possible, I'm looking for woods commonly available at a lumberyard or big
home products store.        --Don  

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From: Gary Luedtke <GLuedtke@compuserve.com>
Date: Mon, 13 Apr 1998 17:27:12 -0400
Subject: [Baren 623] out from under a rock 

John, and all,

   I have heard of Keiji Shinohara, and know him.  He is the fellow who
carved and printed my prints which you can see on my webpage.   Dave has a
link on his webpage.
   Keiji has had pretty much the traditional apprenticeship training, and is a very 
knowledgeable carver and printer.   He does quite a nice job.  His own prints are more 
modern, but he has the classical training.
   I'm not sure what kind of class you're taking, Keiji has taught many, and can 
certainly get into advanced techniques if you progress that far.  He also has a number 
of his own which he invented.
   Give Keiji my best regards when you see him.
   Where is Penland?  The last time I wrote to Keiji he was with Wesleyan University 
in Middletown Connecticut.  I would have invited him to become a
member, but up until late last year, he did not have a computer, and was
very leary of even using some sketches of mine that were enhanced on the
computer.  If he has one now, tell him about Baren and encourage him to
join.
   I'm sure you'll learn alot from Keiji.  Watch him closely, and ask
questions, Keiji doesn't mind that and is used to it from teaching in
America for a number of years now.
   Again, give him my regards.

Gary

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From: Graham Scholes <gscholes@islandnet.com>
Date: Mon, 13 Apr 1998 17:24:44 -0700
Subject: [Baren 624] Re: New member ... 

Don wrote:
> General question to the group:  If you were teaching woodcut on a one-shot
> project basis in a college printmaking survey, which wood gets your vote?

Basswood is the best ... beside Japanese Cherry .... which only Dave has
ready access.

You have to find a specialty shop that can bring lumber like Basswood in
for you.
We have a person here that does that and I just got a nice piece 14 ft long
by 13" wide and 4 " thick.  This has to be milled into boards 1" thick.  I
picked up a random piece a month ago that was 2" x 24" x 16" wide.  A
beeauuuty

Poplar works fairly well by not as easy to cut, and the grain tends to
present a problem unless you can get edge grain pieces which tend to be
fairly narrow.

Graham

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From: David Bull <davebull@asahi-net.email.ne.jp>
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 1998 10:00:53 +0900
Subject: [Baren 625] Re: best wood ... 

Don  wrote:
> If you were teaching woodcut on a one-shot
> project basis in a college printmaking survey, which wood gets your vote?

I think by far and away the best solution for this situation would be to
use 'shina' plywood.  The last thing these people want is to be
wrestling with a hard wood like cherry, or to be dealing with the block
warping etc. that frequently comes up with a wood like basswood.

They don't yet have the cutting skill to be dealing with fine lines, so
the 'weakness' of the plywood in this respect wouldn't be a factor.

And it's cheap and easy to get.  

What kind of a print will it make?
Take a look at:
http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~xs3d-bull/temporary/seki.jpg
to find out.

(This is one of those 'just for fun' prints made by Seki-san the printer
...)

Dave

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From: April Vollmer & John Yamaguchi <jy6@columbia.edu>
Date: Mon, 13 Apr 1998 22:25:19 -0400
Subject: [Baren 626] Amazing/Shina 

I am amazed at all the information Dave has collected! Just found Gayle and
Phil's images...I like all the pictures!

I didn't realize how BIG the whole encyclopedia is...I keep finding new
things...especially enjoyed the "visits to" pages....

As for wood, I vote for shina plywood....bass is great to carve, but hard
to find. You can just order any size shina plywood (McClain's has it)...the
cost is small compared to the time it takes to struggle with knotty or too
soft or too hard wood!

April Vollmer

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From: David Bull <davebull@asahi-net.email.ne.jp>
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 1998 12:01:36 +0900
Subject: [Baren 627] Re: Amazing 

April wrote:
> I didn't realize how BIG the whole encyclopedia is...I keep finding new
> things...especially enjoyed the "visits to" pages....

April, that thing is still _empty_!

Just think ahead a couple of years ...

- - every section will have at least the basic entries established.  Want
information on 'such and such'?  _Something_ will be there, and maybe
entries from two or three people, giving different viewpoints ...

- - as the capacity of the Internet grows, it will become possible to
include voice and video in the entries.  'Click' to see an interview
with April as she explains how she makes her colour gradations ...  

- - who is doing what in the world of woodblock?  Just peek into the
section 'Directory of Woodblock Printmakers' to get a completely
up-to-date survey of what kind of images are being created.   (But not
yet - that section is still totally empty!)

- - discussions with 'ghost' printmakers ...  Sometime soon, I will be
uploading the full text of the Fletcher book on printmaking, written in
1916.  There are many things in there I want to 'discuss' with the
author - so at various points in the text you will see a 'footnote'
marker.  'Click' it to bring up my annotation.  Does somebody else have a
different viewpoint?  Send me the comment, and I'll annotate the
annotations ...  

> how BIG the whole encyclopedia is ...

You haven't seen anything yet!  You'll _never_ get back to your
workbench!

Dave

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From: Blueman <blueman@pantek.com>
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 1998 08:43:01 -0400
Subject: [Baren 628] Re: Baren Digest V3 #126 

Baren,

> "Japanese Lessons"
> Hanga Woodcuts by April Vollmer
> May 12 to 30, 1998

April, from what I've seen on your website, this is going to be quite a
show. We get to New York once in a while, but I'm afraid we're tied up that
month due to helping a couple people who aren't well.  But who knows.  Things
change. If so, I'd be one to get there!

*****

Dave said:
> This time it's Phil Bivins showing us some of his stuff!

Nice stuff, Phil.  It's fun seeing people's prints in the
Encyclopedia...the different styles, etc.  Thanks, Dave, for showing us Phil.

****

Matt,

I received the jig.  In fact, the same day, other items I ordered
arrived, such as the To knife and the sharpening stone, the camelia oil, the dosa
brush and sizing, etc.  Right now I'm just touching everything.  Anyway, Matt, the
jig looks helpful and certainly well made and I thank you for making it
available to people who are beginning.  As Ray said, it's well worth the small
cost.

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End of Baren Digest V3 #127
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