[Baren]: The mailing list / discussion forum for woodblock printmaking. Baren Digest Tuesday, 4 May 1999 Volume 07 : Number 552 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Gayle Wohlken Date: Mon, 03 May 1999 09:33:38 -0400 Subject: [Baren 4292] Re: Baren Digest V7 #551 Dave said: > Before using any new chisel like this, it's > not a bad idea to make a close-up sketch (or photo) of the shape of the > tip and the angle of the bevel. That's an idea I didn't think of, Dave. I'm glad you told me before I started using it and sharpening it. Thanks. * * * Thanks for the tip, Barbara, of placing a circle of mylar over the polyurethane varnish to prevent the scum from forming. Gayle ------------------------------ From: April Vollmer/John Yamaguchi Date: Mon, 3 May 1999 13:32:39 -0400 Subject: [Baren 4294] Rock and Roll Yes, those aisukis and soainomi rounded chisels are hard to sharpen. I also learned the figure 8 for sharpening. It is a good way to use the largest area of your sharpening stone. Rock and roll. Try to keep the bevel flat to the surface to keep the shape the same. Dave, you make me feel like such a beginner! Making sketches of the proper starting bevel of your tools! Well, your precision certainly shows in your prints. I'll always be a crude American! (Though my American audiences imagine I am quite precise!) Sarah Hauser and I had a great time at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden's Cherry Blossom Festival this weekend, enlightening the greater New York area about the virtues of hanga woodcut. So crowded it was a bit difficult to discuss the finer points of Japanese woodcut, but we did our best. Lots of kids, but lots of artists and printmakers, too. I always try hard to explain the difference between the Japanese and Western ways of printing blocks. Waterbase and oil base. THEN I have to describe how the way I print traditional Japanese technique is very American...like I was saying above, sort of crude and individual. (Relatively speaking, of course!) I look forward to meeting the west coast bareners when I visit the west coast, I'd love to see all Roxannes shows espeically. And Jean, I want to see those nice woodcuts (especially liked Leaving Kotar) in person, in SF. I guess you have a long year ahead, best of luck with your treatment. April Vollmer ------------------------------ From: "Brad A. Schwartz" Date: Mon, 3 May 1999 10:16:49 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [Baren 4295] Types of Wood... Hi... I recall someone on the list mentioning that they are doing their relief carving on Walnut... would that person please e-mail me about it? I've found a good source for black walnut and cherry and would like to know if there is anything I should be aware of when carving... I will be using oil based inks and a press... The wood is in 10" x 8-12' lengths, nearly 1" thick...and I will be working on 10x12" blocks (hopefully) I'm also thinking of having the Cherry made into 18x24" boards... is this okay to do or will I run into warping problems, etc?? Thanks for any input... Now to sharpen my tools... Brad A. Schwartz ------------------------------ From: "Bea Gold" Date: Mon, 3 May 1999 11:06:49 -0700 Subject: [Baren 4296] water soluble paints Thanks for responding April about where to purchase pigment suspensions. ". I get pigment ground in water from Art Guerra in NY 212-529-0628" Your demonstration at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden's Cherry Blossom Festival, sounded both fun and busy. Pigment suspension or tube paints have been an interesting dilema for me. I want to try a hanga type print for the exchange so am fussing over what to use. I finished cutting and am ready to start printing. Your color intrigues me and I'm assuming the richness is because of both the pigment and the material you use for adherence. Sounds more glistening than flour or rice paste. I also was thinking about the new Dual use paints - water soluble oils. Has anyone used them yet? Bea Gold ------------------------------ From: Mariten@aol.com Date: Mon, 3 May 1999 14:48:31 EDT Subject: [Baren 4297] Re: various From Maria in LV Georga, look in the Encyclopedia in the Library for information and downloadable books on Japanese printmaking and variations. The one that I, as a rookie, viewed as the most helpful was Mr. T. Tokuno's book " Japanese Wood-cutting and Wood-cut Printing." Found a new source of paper in Flax, San Francisco Catalog. They have many natural fiber papers, a decent stock of traditional American papers and many international papers, colored and not, just waiting to be tried. They also offer samples (3x5") for a few bucks so that you can feel and "taste" the paper before ordering (yum!). 1-888-727-3763 or http://www.flaxart.com e-mail paper@flaxart.com By the way, they roll their paper to ship despite my vehement protest. Good health to all, Maria ------------------------------ From: "Jeanne N. Chase" Date: Mon, 3 May 1999 15:57:37 -0400 Subject: [Baren 4300] Boston Museum Show Hello to All Just returned from a fabulous show. Went to Boston to see the Mary Cassatt Exhibition. wow, was impressed but really impressed when I saw the Dry Points that she did after she became a fan of the Japanese style of printing. It really was a treat. BUT, downstairs, where you really had to look for it, was a marvelous exhibition of Japanese woodcuts. I really only stumbled upon them by accident. I spent more of my time there. The show was Beautiful Women of Japan. No catalog, darn it!!!! Represented were; Eishi Hosadu, Eizan Kikukawa, Torii Kiyonaga and Kitagawa Utamoro. I hope they are not mispelled too badly. It was a huge show, more than 10 prints by each artist. I could finally really see up close the texture of the paper and the delicacy of the paint. It was the highlight of my trip and I went there to see the Cassatt Show, What a pleasant surprize!!!!! (even if my plane home was canceled, had to wait 10 hours in the Boston airport, had to stay overnight in a hotel, missed judging a show in Sarasota. It was worth it just to see the Japanese print exhibition. Now I will catch up on all of the e mails. Jeanne ------------------------------ From: "Bea Gold" Date: Mon, 3 May 1999 15:24:02 -0700 Subject: [Baren 4301] Boston Museum Show Hi Jeanne, Both shows sound fabulous - do you know if they are traveling and where if yes? ------------------------------ From: Graham Scholes Date: Mon, 3 May 1999 22:07:51 -0700 Subject: [Baren 4302] Sharpening a bull nose. I just found this and somehow was not sent. I think the question has been answer by Dave however this adds a bit more to the pot..... Phil mentioned the figure 8 motion as well as rocking. The figure 8 motion has little nothing to do with the sharpening....It is done so as not to cause groves in the carborundum stone. moving back and forth in the same track and you will soon ware the stone which would then need flattening. Roll the wrist when sharpening the outside curve of the stone. Make sure you do not change the angle.....tough to do but with practice you will get on to it. Practice on a piece of carbon paper to see that you are hitting all parts of the surface with you roll of the wrist and that you are hold it at the correct angle. For the inside you need a honing stone that as a round on one edge. Drag the back of the chisel layed flat on the curve of the stone just a couple of times lightly to remove the burr. Graham ------------------------------ From: judy mensch Date: Tue, 04 May 1999 08:03:35 -0500 Subject: [Baren 4303] Re: Boston Museum Show Jeanne: You make me feel like taking a trip to Boston as soon as I can. I'd love to see both shows. How fabulous! Judy ------------------------------ End of Baren Digest V7 #552 ***************************