[Baren]: The mailing list / discussion forum for woodblock printmaking. Baren Digest Monday, 31 August 1998 Volume 04 : Number 260 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: David Bull Date: Sun, 30 Aug 1998 22:43:36 +0900 Subject: [Baren 1472] Re: getting institutionalized ... Jean wrote: >I don't mind making a few extra copies, especially if they will be sent to >the permanent collections of the New York Museum of Modern Art (my art goal >in life) or the New York Public Library. (etc.) With all due respect for your aspirations Jean, I rather suspect that such thoughts are somewhat premature. The first [Baren] portfolio is still nothing more than a gleam in 25 pairs of eyes. Let's get the thing made first ... And speaking for myself, I'm not too excited about the idea of 'sending' our work to such collections. I would much rather do it the other way around - let's create such a dramatic, exciting, fresh and interesting set of prints that _they_ come to us, asking to purchase the work for their collection! Dave ------------------------------ From: amoss@mindspring.com (John Amoss) Date: Sun, 30 Aug 1998 10:55:07 +0300 Subject: [Baren 1473] paper recommendations Hello y'all- I am moving to another town at the end of the year (From bustling Hot'lanta to sleepy college town Athens, Ga) and want to stay on top of the exchange print project before I have to work out of boxes. I have already fininshed carving the keyblock and am having a great time with it! As soon as the number of participants is nailed down, I'd like to order the paper and hopefully finish printing my mid-Sept. Eventhough this is only my second real woodblock print, I have taken Graham's sage advice to go for a high quality paper. However, I'm finding that it's hard to locate a good quality Japanese paper with the least amount of wastage. It seemes that most of the paper sizes aren't divisible by the 2 to 3 (oban 15'x10') ratio. McClain's has a 41.25" x 29.25" sheet that could roughly be divided into 8 obans per sheet. It is called "Nishinouchi" and is on their "A" quality list with a thickness of .0085 (is this med. or lightweight?- I'm used to the lb. system). A full sheet of this is $12.90 - divided by 8, it comes out to be $1.61 per sheet. I'd like a pre-sized paper as this one is. Has anyone used this paper(Nishinouchi) or have another recommendation for stingy me? Thanks for the help! - -john ------------------------------ From: Gayle Wohlken Date: Sun, 30 Aug 1998 11:23:27 -0400 Subject: [Baren 1474] Re: Baren Digest V4 #259 Jeanne said: > Glad to know there are a few of us who are working with oil based inks. I, too, work in oil-based inks, but not much color work. I've done some. I like the way oil-based inks stay moist during the burnishing process. It sometimes takes me a long time to get the effects I want and I don't like inks that dry out while I'm playing. * * * Mary, I have just visited your website. I like your prairie prints. There is a lot of vitality in your work. I also read the page with your method of doing a woodcut. You have a nice fresh approach, and it shows in your work. I'm a fan of the German Expressionists and your work satisfies that in me. * * * I've heard that New York is THE place to have your work seen. (I'm referring to making an extra print). Gayle Wohlken ------------------------------ From: Graham Scholes Date: Sun, 30 Aug 1998 08:49:52 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [Baren 1475] Re: getting institutionalized ... >Jean wrote: >>I don't mind making a few extra copies, especially if they will be sent to >>the permanent collections of the New York Museum of Modern Art (my art goal >>in life) or the New York Public Library. (etc.) The idea of submitting an extra folio or two or three or ....... is a good idea but not reality. The chances of these institutions in high places wanting this material is not likely. I know that the Victoria Art Gallery has many submissions a year of this kind of thing and accept none that are at our level. They only accept works that are 'historically' significant and have a 'provenance'. The reality of the matter is that we have not been around long enough to have any history.....with the exception of Ray. The other points made are valid in that - where does it stop - who should be on the list - etc etc etc. I like Dave's philosophy ... >that _they_ come to us, asking to purchase the work for their collection! I just wrote an article for the Arts Chronicle (mailed to Canadian professional artist) on the subject of donations for auctions. It dealt with how to handle institutions asking for feebees. Graham ------------------------------ From: Graham Scholes Date: Sun, 30 Aug 1998 08:55:18 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [Baren 1476] I'm Outa Here...... Marnie and I are going to be away for a few weeks holidays...... Ya sure.....going to Lethbridge to help our son put a new porch on his house and make and replace some of the windows. Prey for cool weather. Lethbridge usually runs in the high 90's Ugh. Graham ------------------------------ From: Date: Sun, 30 Aug 1998 14:20:31 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [Baren 1477] Re: Mary Krieger - new mem Welcome, Mary. I'm sure you'll enjoy the Baren ideas and terrific graphics. On the print exchange, I'd also prefer to keep the exchange limited to Baren members. Perhaps another time we could discuss a larger exchange, but the ground rules seem nicely set for this first go-around. Ray H ------------------------------ From: mkrieger@mb.sympatico.ca Date: Sun, 30 Aug 1998 14:08:35 -0500 Subject: [Baren 1478] colour ink and birch ply Thanks for the warm welcome and for the positive feedback on my work. In response to the following specific questions: > Are you printing in multiple colors? I'm wondering if you have any trouble with ink buildup. Are you inking by hand or do you use a press that inks the block? > > Andrea Rich Yes I have been working over the past two years with multiple colors. I did have some trouble with ink buildup, particularly as I am using a reduction process. I solved some of my dilemma by keeping the number of passes through the press to three or less. To keep the colour range that I wanted, I combine the colours on the roller and make use of the gradations between. As you can tell from this, I am inking by hand, then running the block through the press. I hope to get some of these prints up on my site before the end of the year. > Mary, I see that you are using birch plywood for these. Do you find you > need to keep your gouging very shallow to avoid the laminate (and cross > grain) of the under layers? No, I just crash right through. If there is an area that I want to keep a more delicate texture, I do try to stay in the birch veneer. Most of the composition is not that controlled. The other hazard that I do have to watch for is cavities where knots were removed from the filler layers. These cavities can sometimes cause the veneer layer to cave in if a lot has been cut away. These holes have to be worked into the print so they don't look accidental. My manner of working and subject matter is very forgiving of this type of change in composition. Who can tell whether a tree or or even a whole forest is missing? This particular material allows me to work at the scale I like without having to know any thing about joining planks. It is reasonably priced and readily available here. It does not warp and is soft enough to cut without being too splintery or breaking down in the press. What do other people use? Mary Krieger ------------------------------ From: David Bull Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1998 07:21:25 +0900 Subject: [Baren 1479] Re: nishinouchi paper John Amoss wrote: >I have already fininshed >carving the keyblock and am having a great time with it! I wonder who will be the first finished ... ... and who will be the _last_! *** >Has anyone used this paper(Nishinouchi) or have another recommendation for >stingy me? Nishinouchi is one of the common papers used here for woodblock printmaking. I've got a new sample book here just put out by Yamada Shokai (one of the largest paper dealers in the country) that lists three sheets of Nishinouchi. The first two are both very nice papers, not too heavy, with a pleasing texture. When you hold them up to the light you will see the vertical watermark bars from the bamboo screen on which they were laid. One is unsized (old catalogue #39A - new catalogue #7073), and the second is sized (old catalogue #39B - new catalogue #7074). They match exactly the dimension John mentions (it's designed to be split into 8 oban sheets), so this is perhaps the same sheet that John has found at McClain's. The third sheet is called Nishinouchi White (old catalogue #40 - new catalogue #7075), and is god-awful. It's thick and heavy and looks like nothing more than a sheet of that paper made from recycled milk cartons. It's a bit wider and narrower (43.7 x 28.3 ") ... So my guess is that the paper you are considering (#7074?) might be OK ... Note that it's not a very heavy paper, and won't need much moisture to get it good and soft. Don't soak it overly much ... Dave ------------------------------ End of Baren Digest V4 #260 ***************************