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

Baren Digest              Wednesday, 17 June 1998      Volume 03 : Number 185

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From: Gayle Wohlken <blueman@pantek.com>
Date: Tue, 16 Jun 1998 09:12:36 -0400
Subject: [Baren 938] Re: Baren Digest V3 #184 

Baren,

Dave wrote:
> Both you and Gayle sent me some prints made on Kitakata paper, and both
> of you sometimes chose to print on what the maker would call the _back
> side_ of the sheet.  

Dave, I don't know why I like the rough side of the paper,
but I like texture, so maybe that's it.  I don't think I ever thought
about the smooth side as being 'The' side to use.  A lot of art paper
has tooth, so I just figured "tooth" was the way to go.  I remember
one of my teachers saying we could have our choice which side
to use.

Gayle Wohlken

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From: Graham Scholes <gscholes@islandnet.com>
Date: Tue, 16 Jun 1998 08:29:50 -0700
Subject: [Baren 939] Re: Jim's prints ... 

Dave Wrote....
>The two of you have obviously found this textured surface to be more
>interesting than the smooth side, but I doubt that a Japanese printmaker
>would have ever thought of doing such a thing.  Use the _back_ side?
>Impossible!

Just this weekend I inadvertently printed "Fisher" on the back side of the
paper. There were about 6 of them.   Looked lovely.  I loovveedd the texture yet
the printing was equal to the ones done on the proper side.

Oh and by the way Dave......tell the Japanese printmakers that nothing is
impossible..... it just takes a little long to achieve.

And about this weekend ...It was the Studio Tour thingy....

You know I have to admit ... it was better than anticipated.   We actually
sold a piece.  First time in six times doing this ...things...or is that
thingies..... are looking up.

Graham

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From: jimandkatemundie@juno.com (James G Mundie)
Date: Tue, 16 Jun 1998 13:41:09 -0400
Subject: [Baren 940] Re: Baren Digest V3 #184 81-83,87-90 

Gayle wrote:
>I just got a glimpse of James Mundie's new entry in the Encyclopedia. 
>...I have my razor blades ready.  I have a question.  Is poplar more 
>difficult to use for this method?  I did my first 
>two or three on poplar and I didn't seem to have
>the control you have.  

	I find that poplar cuts like a dream, but is difficult to brush
with the needle.  On one of my boards, a particular area that I had
scratched at quite heavily looked as if I hadn't touched it when printed.
 
	Poplar has a closer grain than the pine I am now using. 
Additionally, the softer part of the poplar grain seems to have an
elastic property that will reclose small scratches.
	From the prints that you sent me, you seem to be scratching
across the grain as well as along it.  Perhaps that is contributing to
what you feel to be a lack of "control".  
	When going across the grain, the needle tends to jump around a
bit and bring small fibers above the surface of the board.  When printed,
these fibers will leave a blotchy effect, or become adhered to your
brayer and be redeposited on subsequent prints.  If this happens, you
might try delicately scraping across the surface of the board-- before
inking-- with the flat of the blade (as if you were applying a coat of
paint).  That will knock down the burr and give you a cleaner texture. 
 
***

Dave wrote, with the following questions:

>1) You said in an earlier post that you were using the oil-based
>'Rembrandt Woodblock Printing Black' ink for your printing.  On the 
>four prints that you sent though, the tone is quite a bit 'greyer' on a
>couple of them...  Are you 'diluting' the ink sometimes?  How?

The 'greyer' ink is a graphite colour that I mix using the Rembrandt
Black and their "Metallic Silver".  That and a touch of plate oil is all
that's required.  It's not diluted, just a different colour that I think
works well on warm coloured papers.  


>2) When you print, are you dampening the paper at all?  

Nope.  I only dampen the paper for press-printed monotypes.


>3) You said you are using a spoon for printing, but on the reverse of
>these prints I can see no striations or marks at all ...  How do you 
>get such a smooth impression when you use an object with such a small
>'footprint'?

Practice?  I rub in very small circles that overlap, eventually covering
the entire surface of the paper.  The spoon itself is very smooth, and
I'm careful not to 'dig' the edge into the paper when rubbing, because
that will often tear the paper.  The fact that the paper is dry probably
helps to keep the spooning marks apparent.


>4) Your photos show a very long needle stuck into the eraser.  
>Wouldn't you get better control with a shorter, less flexible needle? 
>Why so long?

I like the longer needle because it is flexible.  This quality allows the
needle to "play" around the grain.  The flexible needle allows more of
the natural qualities of the grain to come through because the board is
partly directing the needle's path.  A shorter needle would treat the
wood a bit more roughly.


>I noticed something else very interesting to me as I looked at these prints... 
>Both you and Gayle sent me some prints made on Kitakata paper, and 
>both of you sometimes chose to print on what the maker would call the _back
>side_ of the sheet...  

The "back side" will occasionally produce a more interesting final
texture.  I usually proof on both sides and decide from that which side
of the paper I'm going to use for the edition.  I must admit, though,
that I do like those dry brush strokes!

Sl/an go tamall, y'all,
James Mundie, Philadelphia USA

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From: Becky or Roger Ball <beckorro@inquo.net>
Date: Tue, 16 Jun 1998 20:05:23 -0600
Subject: [none]

Hello Bareners.

Jean:  
Have I missed something, or did I understand correctly that you are simply
mixing tube watercolor and rice paste for transparent color?  Confessing
that some weeks I'm able to read more of the Baren than others, I may have
missed your recipe and I am most interested.

While now I am beginning to understand the traditional methods and hence,
the reaction I received from Baren members when they found out I use
Speedball (gasp), I have to admit that I'm interested in what I can use
that prints well and comes in tubes.  I want to be able to use a wide range
of color quickly and reasonably inexpensively.  Jim suggested cutting the
Speedball with rice paste and I intend to try that next run.

Digging through the archives I found the rice paste recipies and several
recipies/ideas for traditional pigments but not much for us tube types.  Do
you know what Sylvia Solochek Walters uses?  While I really respect David
for his gorgeous work and his devotion to tradition and I'm extremely happy
to have much of his wisdom about woodcut printing available to me on the
web, I wonder what other people who aren't "traditionalists" are using for
ink.

Also, I'm told that Rives is the favored "occidental" paper.  I like Arches
and I know some list members use it.  Any consensus on what people think of
Rives or Arches?

Jean, David, Graham, Jim and others:
Based on your feedback, I have now halved the size of most of the images on
the website and will be adding more content soon.  I invite you back and
thank you for your helpful comments.

_Roger
http://www.inquo.net/~beckorro/woodcut/woodcut.htm


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From: Ray Esposito <brassring@brassring.org>
Date: Tue, 16 Jun 1998 22:21:35 -0400
Subject: [Baren 942] Re:  

Roger wrote:
>While now I am beginning to understand the traditional methods and hence,
>the reaction I received from Baren members when they found out I use
>Speedball (gasp), I have to admit that I'm interested in what I can use
>that prints well and comes in tubes.  

Roger, I must have missed those posts or thsy may have been private but my
opinion is if you like Speedball, use Speedball.  

>Also, I'm told that Rives is the favored "occidental" paper.  I like Arches
>and I know some list members use it.  Any consensus on what people think
>of Rives or Arches?

I use Arches 88 almost exclusively but experiment with all kinds of papers.

Really enjoyed your site and look forward to visiting often.

Cheers

Ray Esposito

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End of Baren Digest V3 #185
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