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

Baren Digest             Tuesday, 1 September 1998     Volume 04 : Number 261

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From: jimandkatemundie@juno.com (James G Mundie)
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1998 09:08:52 -0400
Subject: [Baren 1480] One more day... 

Dawdlers:  you have only one more day to secure your place in the first
[Baren] exchange.  If I haven't received a message from you by midnight
tomorrow, you will just have to wait until next time...

As of this moment, I have received messages of commitment from twenty-six
[Baren] members.  Here we go!

Mise le meas,
James Mundie, Philadelphia USA

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From: April Vollmer/John Yamaguchi <aprilvollmer@altavista.net>
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1998 10:08:25 -0400
Subject: [Baren 1481] Plywood 

Birch plywood is harder than the plywood I work on, which is shina ply,
made in Japan. Shina is made from basswood ply, so I must have the same
problem as Mary, cutting through one layer with the grain in one direction,
down to the second layer in the other direction. I know a lot of woodcut
artists who use birch ply because it gives a sharper edge, since it's a bit
harder.

I find it a little annoying to cut plywood...I cut a clear plank of
basswood last year and thought it felt great! But plywood has the advantage
of being easily cut to any dimension. Plus, especially working waterbase,
it warps a lot less because of the crossed grains.

How many of you use plywood versus planks?

April Vollmer

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From: April Vollmer/John Yamaguchi <aprilvollmer@altavista.net>
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1998 10:47:09 -0400
Subject: [Baren 1482] Nishinouchi 

John: I have used McClain's nishinouchi a lot. It is a nice large size, and
a warm yellowish color. As Dave says, it's a bit light, so you have to be
careful not to over moisten it. But it is extremely strong for its weight,
and won't change size very much when wet.

I have found the weight of it varies quite a bit from batch to batch.
Occasionally I have got very thin sheets that are just too delicate for
printing many layers.

I think I'll probably use nishinouchi for my edition, too.

April Vollmer

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From: Graham Scholes <gscholes@islandnet.com>
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1998 07:53:33 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [Baren 1483] Re: Plywood 

Hi all....

On the subject of wood.

I am going to Ontario next week and will be talking to a Saw Mill regarding
Basswood lumber.

They have a large stand of the stuff and will mill it providing I order a
sizable quantity.  I don't know what is meant by a sizable quantity just 
yet.  Will find out when I talk to him.

I want some really wide stuff and I know he can supply.  However when you
order from him I know that you have to take the small with the large.
So the point of all this is...... does anybody want basswood planks.   Oh,
the cost.... Damned if I know.....ask Ray as he got a batch from men in
June.  Do you remember the price Ray?  I seemed to have lost the e-mail to
you with all the details.  Anyway it should be around that pricing.

Anyway you guys let me know if you are interested and I will see what I can
negotiate while back east. With the Canadian buck it could be
barginsville......

April wrote....
>How many of you use plywood versus planks?

95% of may plates are on basswood planks.
I have used the plywood and it sure is a lot easier to prepare and be ready
to carve......however...... I hate the looks of it as a carved plate. High
techy....you know like computer stuff .. fast, efficient and cold.

CYA

Graham

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From: Phil Bivins <pbivins@mindspring.com>
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1998 10:50:22 -0400
Subject: [Baren 1484] Re: Plywood 

April, I too have been using Shina ply. I have also tried the store bought
plywood, which I have found to be less functional. Well, its made for
building not woodblock printing. I have several videos on woodblock
printing in which Akira Kurosaki is shown using plywood. I remember him
making the comment about using a pin or needle to stick into the plywood to
test if it is soft enough for woodblock. He mentioned the same reasons for
using plywood as you did, less warping, plus the fact that you can print
larger. One of these days, I would like to try the cherry block, just to see 
what I am missing.

Phil

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From: Ray Esposito <brassring@brassring.org>
Date: Sun, 30 Aug 1998 11:35:51 -0400
Subject: [Baren 1485] Re: Plywood <199808301300.WAA14018@ml.asahi-net.or.jp> 

Graham wrote:
>I want some really wide stuff and I know he can supply.  However when you
>order from him I know that you have to take the small with the large.
>So the point of all this is...... does anybody want basswood planks.   Oh,
>the cost.... Damned if I know.....ask Ray as he got a batch from men in
>June.  Do you remember the price Ray?  I seemed to have lost the e-mail to
>you with all the details.  Anyway it should be around that pricing.

I don't remember but do know it was more than reasonable, at least to me. 

Considering the US-Canadian exchange rates today, the prices would be a
steal.  If anyone can buy wood (or anything for that matter, especially
etching presses) from Canada at this time, jump on it.  You will never get
a better deal.  (Unless of course if Quebec secedes, then the Canadian
dollar will go right into the toilet for about two weeks before they
realize how much better off they are and then it will rebound.)   Go for it.

Cheers

Ray Esposito

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From: Ramsey Household <cjramsey@pacbell.net>
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1998 08:58:58 -0700
Subject: [Baren 1486] several 

I guess I should tell you something about myself.  I have done art all
my life, but got my degree in education and taught school for 20 years.
When we moved to Texas in l982 and lived near the University of Texas at
Austin, I decided to go back and get my BFA in Studio Art.  Which I
did.  I did almost everything, but enjoyed printmaking the most.
Lithography was my favorite.  But I knew I couldn't use UT's facilities
forever and started doing woodcuts, relief prints and monotypes and
monoprints.  I use birch plywood, and tempered masonite (oh, oh, am I
out of the group?).   I am not very traditional.  I love german
expressionist art and have been going my own way.  My subjects are
usually things in my experience,  home, landscapes, chickens and
interiors.  Put that way, sounds sappy,hope not.

In the early nineties, we moved back to Southern California and I shared
a studio and used an intaglio press to do my prints.  After 3 years we
moved to Maryland between Gaithersburg and Frederick near Sugar Loaf
Mountain.   Were there for 15 months and just when  I started finding
things, moved to the Bay area of California.  Have not found printing
facilities near San Jose, (  I know there are lots of great places but
they are either in San Francisco or Berkley or Emoryville and I haven't
been able to work out the logistics of getting through our horrendous
traffic) but now we are moving to Eagle Point, OR, near Medford.
Hopefully, this will be our last move.   I will finally have my own
studio with a press ( I have been unhappy with the results I get using a
baren,  but am beginning to understand why ,so I will keep trying).  I
hope I am not the only printmaker up there.

Like Graham, I also love to garden.  I use my garden as a subject for my
woodcuts.  We will have large ponds (a new thing for us)  that I can use
as my subjects also.

I probably will not have a web site (though,never say never).  So don't
know how to show you my work.

 April, shina ply sounds like a good thing.  Where do you get it?

Sorry this is so long.

Carolyn

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From: <DARICH@prodigy.net>
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1998 10:03:22 -0700
Subject: [Baren 1487] basswood 

Dear Grahm,
I would be interested in purchasing basswood with you if you don't think
shipping it to California will be to difficult.  I also prefer wide planks,
8 to 16 inches (does it come that wide?).  It is not available to me here
and I could use a stash.  What would a hundred dollars buy me?

Andrea Rich

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From: <DARICH@prodigy.net>
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1998 09:50:34 -0700
Subject: [Baren 1488] Re: Plywood 

I am using cherry plywood.  It is much harder than the shina which is hard
on the tools but it holds fine detail very well, is hard to bruise, and I
can buy it locally.

Andrea Rich

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From: <hudson@panther.middlebury.edu>
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1998 13:19:31 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: [Baren 1489] Re: Plywood 

I use the shina plywood for most of my work, usually the all-shina (3/8
inch) from McClain's, but I'll have to admit I really enjoy a good solid
piece of wide cherry.   There's such a great feel to it.   I had some
interesting results a few years ago using solid walnut--the grain worked
well and the wood had pores that left an "open" impression.   But those
were oil ink prints and not watercolor.

Ray H

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From: StudioJNC@aol.com
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1998 14:51:08 EDT
Subject: [Baren 1490] Re: basswood 

Dear Graham
I would be very interested in some basswood.  I live in Florida so do not know
what the shipping would be but am sure the Canadian cost would outweigh the
difference. I will copy cat Andrea and $100. would be good.
Have a great vacation!!!!

Jeanne

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From: Ray Esposito <brassring@brassring.org>
Date: Sun, 30 Aug 1998 16:20:41 -0400
Subject: [Baren 1491] Re: basswood 

Jeanne wrote:
> I live in Florida......

Jeanne   Where in Florida?

Ray Esposito

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From: StudioJNC@aol.com
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1998 16:29:47 EDT
Subject: [Baren 1492] Re: basswood 

Hello Ray

I thought you were moving?  Anyway, I live in Sarasota, the home of the
Ringling everything; school, museum, mansions, streets, you name it.
Do you live in Florida too?  Where?  Hot is'nt it ?  
Admire your Brass Ring project !!!!  Do you also do prints?

Jeanne

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From: Jean Eger <jeaneger@LanMinds.Com>
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1998 17:24:45 -0700
Subject: [Baren 1493] Re: Baren Digest V4 #260 

Mary,
I first learned woodcut on pine planks back in the 1960's.  Then at San
Francisco State, Sylvia Walters recommended birch ply.  I liked working on
it and cutting freely with minumum pattern.  So I have done a few very
large prints.  "Doorskin" is good for the big ones also.  

I also like cherry. I might go to Berkeley and try to find an oban sized
piece for this project.  It will be THE print of the season.  REcently I
tried basswood, which Graham recommends.  It is very soft and easy to cut.
I had to sand it quite a bit to start.  The shellac was a little bit
sticky, so I went out and bought a new can of shellac.  AFter drawing the
pattern and shellacing,  I sanded it a little bit.  It is very pleasant to
cut, as long as there's not too much detail.  I'm doing a reduction print
of wildflowers of this area.  It's not very good.  If it was five times
larger, it would be better.  I better sign off and go reduce it some more.

Jean
  
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From: Ray Esposito <brassring@brassring.org>
Date: Sun, 30 Aug 1998 20:35:26 -0400
Subject: [Baren 1494] Re: basswood 

Jeanne wrote:
>Hello Ray
>I thought you were moving?  Anyway, I live in Sarasota, the home of the
>Ringling everything; school, museum, mansions, streets, you name it.
>Do you live in Florida too?  Where?  

Fern Park just north of Orlando.  Been here five years.  Will be moving to
Maryland December 1st.

>Hot is'nt it ?  

Understatement if I ever saw it!!!!!! :-)>>>

>Admire your Brass Ring project !!!!  

Thank you.

>Do you also do prints?

Mostly monotype and collagraphs with a few woodcuts tossed in so I can
irritate everyone on Baren.

Cheers

Ray Esposito

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From: David Bull <davebull@woodblock.com>
Date: Tue, 01 Sep 1998 14:02:11 +0900
Subject: [Baren 1495] Monthly update 

It's the end of another month, and time to see how the Encyclopedia has
been doing ...  Here is the current 'Top 10' (along with previous
month's rankings) 

1 (1) - Contributors to the Encyclopedia
2 (2) - Printmakers on the web
3 (4) - Carving Techniques for Creating Texture (Mundie)
4 (3) - 'Editor's Choice' Exhibition
5 (5) - Basic Carving Tools (Bull)
6 (6) - Suppliers in America (Bivins)
7 (7) - 'Turn of the Century' Printmakers Exhibition
8 (8) - Bibliography
9 (new) - Groups and Associations
10 (9) - Traditional Keyblock Method (Bull)

Dropped down to #11:  - Newbie Journal (Esposito)

I have also updated the monthly 'stats' page at:
http://www.woodblock.com/stats/stats.html

It's interesting to look at the 'Referrer' section of that stats page
and see how people are finding us.  We sure owe a lot to Yahoo!

I can identify links from a few [Baren] members also ...
155:http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~xs3d-bull/main_page.html
12: http://users.lanminds.com/~jeaneger/hotlinks.html
9:  http://www1.plala.or.jp/Hideshi/info.html
6:  http://www.inquo.net/~beckorro/woodcut/woodcut.htm
4:  http://www.ooloopress.com/library.html
3:  http://www.seas.gwu.edu/staff/sheryl/artframe.html

Matt's entry here would have been higher, but until just recently his
page pointed not to the Encyclopedia directly, but to my own web site
(which I don't have logs for ...)

The Encyclopedia entry on 'Groups and Associations' that appears on the
list for the first time ... has only _one_ entry!  Does anybody have any
additions?  

Dave

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End of Baren Digest V4 #261
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