[Baren]: The mailing list / discussion forum for woodblock printmaking. Baren Digest Saturday, 13 June 1998 Volume 03 : Number 182 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Graham Scholes Date: Fri, 12 Jun 1998 20:42:58 -0700 Subject: [Baren 930] Pigment costs I was wondering what the cost of pigments are that are purchased from a. Guerra b. Kremer These were mentioned by April Vollmer in a June 4th posting. In that same posting there was an interest in the 20" basswood planks. I will not be able to get a small amount of basswood from the source in Ontario. They would cut down several trees to make it worth there while and them plank it up. I would have to take small and large sizes. The small could be considerable board ft. The were suggesting that there could be up to 1000 to 2000 board ft total. Hummm I don't think I can use that much in my lifetime of printmaking. I got 80 board ft of 15" five years ago and I used the last of it on the recent print. Graham Ps I finished my 4 ft dia Sunflower. Boy does it command attention. When I get it mounted in the Vase sculpture I will post it. I will also report about the studio tour after the weekend. ------------------------------ From: David Bull Date: Sat, 13 Jun 1998 19:27:36 +0900 Subject: [Baren 931] One-point lesson Here is this week's 'One-point' lesson (contributed by David Bull) ********** ********** ********** (#9) Using 'shims' in the baren In my early days of woodblock printmaking, I tended to accept without question the tools as they came to me, assuming that they were being sold in a form suitable for use. This is generally true, and most of the tools _can_ be used right 'off the shelf'. But with developing experience, I learned that most of the tools, simple in structure though they are, are really quite 'adjustable'; they can be altered in ways to make the work easier, or for the purpose of producing different effects. The baren is very much a case in point. Inserting 'shims' under the bamboo coil to change the curvature of the baren surface is common (and is discussed in a separate Encyclopedia entry: Printing Equipment - Breaking in a new baren), but it is also possible to change the baren by using shims on _top_ of the coil, just under the bamboo sheath covering. This is useful for those occasions where the baren is just too strong for the job at hand, and unwanted streaks are coming out in the finished impression. Ideally, one would have a wide selection of barens at hand, of varying sizes and strengths, and could choose the exactly correct one for each job, but few of us can afford such a luxury ... Cut a circle of washi of medium thickness, and place it over the coil before tying on a new bamboo cover. Rub the finished baren against the 'meko-ita' (the smooth board on which the bamboo skin is stretched when tying) to 'break it in', turning the inner coil now and then. After a few minutes, it should have settled in to its new condition. You have complete control over how much to 'weaken' the baren, by choosing thinner or thicker paper to insert. As the printing progresses, the paper insert will gradually be softened and perforated by the pressure, and the baren will gradually return to its previous state. A new sheet may have to be inserted if a lot of printing must be done. So one baren can thus easily serve as two or three. And with current prices for new hon-barens running at about 60,000 yen ... this can be a very valuable tip ... ********** ********** ********** Next week, 'Don't rock the ... blade' These 'One-point' lessons are being collected into a section in the [Baren] Encyclopedia of Woodblock Printmaking. http://www.woodblock.com/encyclopedia/updates.html Contributions from experienced printmakers for future 'One-pointers' are eagerly solicited. ------------------------------ End of Baren Digest V3 #182 ***************************