[Baren]: The mailing list / discussion forum for woodblock printmaking. Baren Digest Tuesday, 6 July 1999 Volume 08 : Number 619 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: April Vollmer/John Yamaguchi Date: Mon, 5 Jul 1999 09:36:12 -0400 Subject: [Baren 4856] Vollmer Bea, Ruth Vollmer is only related in that her family came from Germany...and I hear she was a very nice person and a good artist! (hope that makes a relation!) Graham, the kraft paper cover trial suggestion sounds good, but the real bamboo sheaths have so much character you have to deal with...the ribs, the top and bottom, front and back, they seem to cup slightly, too. Which reminds me, what kind of color does Graham's guy have? Is it watercolor, gouache or plain pigment? I use pigment ground in water from Art Guerra in NYC, Susan Rostow also makes a good color, designed for monoprint, with lots of pigment. I think it has gum arabic and glycerine in it, McClain's will carry it. Nice bokashi lesson, Dave and Himi, Thank you! April Vollmer ------------------------------ From: April Vollmer/John Yamaguchi Date: Mon, 5 Jul 1999 09:46:42 -0400 Subject: [Baren 4857] 'Woodlike Matsumura' Dave, I don't suppose 'Woodlike Matsumura' has a catalogue in English? April Vollmer ------------------------------ From: David Bull Date: Mon, 05 Jul 1999 23:48:33 +0900 Subject: [Baren 4858] Re: Updates ... Gary wrote: > Nice addition to the Encyclopedia, Dave. I also saw something in there I > have not seen before and wondered if you concocted that yourself, or can > obtain it that way. That is the 9 ply block seen in those photos. Since Shimano-san died a couple of months ago, these are the blocks I am using (while my own wood supply cures). They are from Matsumura-san. The centre core is 9-ply shina plywood (15-ply available as an option). The outer two faces are 5mm layers of cherry, bonded into place under a gigantic press that they have in the back room at their place. They also make these blocks in magnolia ('ho' in Japanese), and will make them at any size one wants, up to some quite large sizes. They aren't particularly cheap - an 'oban' cherry block on 9ply core will run about 4,000 yen, but considering that I don't have much of an alternative, that's not so bad. Some of the cherry planks they have in stock are not too bad, and I'm having pretty good luck with these blocks. All my surimono prints this year so far have been carved on them, and I'm finding that they give me good fine lines, and very good wear (or lack of it) over the run of 200+ copies. *** April wrote: > Dave, I don't suppose 'Woodlike Matsumura' has a catalogue in English? I asked him about this again just last week, and again his answer was the same ... "It's still in preparation. Not just yet ...". They are a pretty busy place, and it seems this project isn't on their front burner. Send 'em an email asking for it. If they get enough letters, they'll start to get a real idea of just how much business they can get from overseas and might finally get it finished! I've bent his ear just so much about "Open up a web site! Pictures of the stuff ... click here to order ... type in the VISA number ... you'll clean up!" that I don't think he believes me ... woodlike@mtd.biglobe.ne.jp *** Hideshi wrote: > You will have a chance to look at my work in USA . > If you have time please go and see . > > " The Art of the Engraver From Historical to Contemporary " > > at Davis & Elkins College Library , July 11 to September 15 . > > 100 Campus drive Elkins , West Virginia I sure would like to hear a report on this show ... Any [Baren] members going to be in that area sometime over the summer? *** Administrivia: (1) The woodblock.com 'Download' page has been updated with the past three months [Baren] discussions. The download packages - complete three-month discussions, with index files - are available in both Mac and Win versions. http://woodblock.com/download.html (2) Now only eight slots left in Exchange #3 ... (3) When posting messages to [Baren], please try and avoid leaving the subject line blank; this confuses the list server. The message gets sent out OK, but without the proper [Baren XXXX] identification number ... Sorry, but I have no way to control this ... Thanx ... Dave ------------------------------ From: Gayle Wohlken Date: Mon, 05 Jul 1999 11:05:34 -0400 Subject: [Baren 4859] Re: Baren Digest V8 #618 Great photo essay, Dave and Himi. So much clearer to see the gradation printing, rather than only read about it. Also, Graham, you came through on baren with a good description to go with the photos (on your website) about the hori dai. Thanks. I think that should go into the encyclopedia, too. Gayle ------------------------------ From: Graham Scholes Date: Mon, 5 Jul 1999 08:29:47 -0700 Subject: [Baren 4860] Re: Vollmer April wrote.... >Graham, the kraft paper cover trial suggestion sounds good, but the real >bamboo sheaths have so much character you have to deal with...the ribs, the >top and bottom, front and back, they seem to cup slightly, too. The idea is to train the fingers to go through the motion and the holding down of so many parts as you fold, twist and tie..... >Which reminds me, what kind of color does Graham's guy have? Is it >watercolor, gouache or plain pigment? Ground colourant suspended in water base giving a pure and satuated pigment. Go to: http://www.members.home.net/gscholes/wksp2.html Regards, Graham ------------------------------ From: Aqua4tis@aol.com Date: Mon, 5 Jul 1999 15:01:34 EDT Subject: [Baren 4862] Re: hello j.ryrie could you explain what you mean by a self-ink press???? ive never heard of this dave you said "these are the blocks I am using (while my own wood supply cures)." what do you mean ? ive never heard of curing blocks what is it ? graham im so enjoying the pictures from your workshop maybe someday ill be able to get up there in person thank you for all the info everyone thanks to all of you i dont write much as im new and pretty much a beginner compared to the rest of you only tried hanga one time but i so enjoy reading the corespondence here and all the information is wonderful i belong to several one list groups and this one is by far the best georga ------------------------------ From: agatha Date: Mon, 05 Jul 1999 13:06:07 -0700 Subject: [Baren 4863] Re: john, what sort of proof press do you use? i am looking for one myself right now. ------------------------------ From: John Ryrie Date: Tue, 06 Jul 1999 11:25:35 +1000 Subject: [Baren 4864] Re: I don't know if self inking press is the right term, The press has a motor that drives two rubber rollers that ink the surface of the block as they parses over it. The paper is held on a cylinder behind these and the block is locked into the bed of the press. This is good for printing type but wood being softer, depending on the variety some times requires a bit more ink and I have to use a hand roller, especially wen printing the image and text in one pull. John ------------------------------ From: John Ryrie Date: Tue, 06 Jul 1999 11:38:16 +1000 Subject: [Baren 4865] Re: My press as I said is a Vandercoock SP 20 Test Press. 1961 I haven't used meany others But the vandercoock is very popular with other artists I have met. it has a bed size 50X66cm. I got this press about 8 years ago for $125 Aust' as it was on its way to the scrap yard. For bigger prints I use an etching Press. ------------------------------ From: baren_member@woodblock.com (Maria in LV) Date: Mon, 5 Jul 1999 22:55:20 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [Baren 4866] covering barens Message posted by: Maria in LV Thanks to Graham's instructions and numerous entries in the Pedia, I just successfully covered not one, but two barens! Do practice as recommended, I covered about ten "barens" with kitchen parchment before attempting the skins. I did not have too many problems (other than the obvious lack of six hands) with the technique; you guys made it sound worse than it is or I had beginner's luck. I did have huge problems with the skins drying as I covered, less than 2 minutes! Darned heat. I slightly ripped one in a non-functional place on top of the handle. I oiled them right away to avoid them cracking as they dried completely. Any other suggestions for this problem? Welcome all new members! Health to all, Maria ------------------------------ End of Baren Digest V8 #619 ***************************