[Baren]: The mailing list / discussion forum for woodblock printmaking. Baren Digest Wednesday, 1 September 1999 Volume 08 : Number 685 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jack Reisland Date: Tue, 31 Aug 1999 10:06:05 +0000 Subject: [Baren 5536] Re: printing I don't remember if anyone covered this yet, but when printing a block where the design is very close to the kento, as in traditional Japanese printing, how does one avoid inking the kento and marking the paper? Jack ------------------------------ From: Aqua4tis@aol.com Date: Tue, 31 Aug 1999 17:50:58 EDT Subject: [Baren 5540] Re: web-sites andy just finished visiting your site your work is wonderful! i particularly like "end of may" and "black swan" ive saved your site and am looking forward to reading more about wood engraving are you familiar with martin shoengauer? he is a particular favorite of mine :-) georga ------------------------------ From: John Ryrie Date: Wed, 01 Sep 1999 10:14:26 +1000 Subject: [Baren 5542] Re:woodengraving Dear Andy Your web site is wonderful the print that I liked the best is (Walking Towards Ely). We have black swans hear but I was under the impression that in the UK they where all white. John Ryrie ------------------------------ From: David Bull Date: Wed, 01 Sep 1999 10:34:34 +0900 Subject: [Baren 5544] One-Point Lesson Jack wrote: > I don't remember if anyone covered this yet, but when printing a block > where the design is very close to the kento, as in traditional Japanese > printing, how does one avoid inking the kento and marking the paper? Time for a bit of break between printing colours here ... so: Here is a short 'One-point' lesson ********** ********** ********** (#36) Avoiding 'kento' stains ... *** Q: When printing a block where the design is very close to the kento, how does one avoid inking the kento and marking the paper? A: This photo might help ... (This was a difficult shot ... a black block, shot at an angle that makes focussing awkward ...) The fuzzy 'mountain' in the far distance is the 'kagi', the corner registration mark. The angled raised part in the middle right is the 'hikitsuke', the straight-line registration mark. The two 'railroad tracks' are part of the carved design of the print, which extends off to the left. The wood of the registration marks has been shaved down below the original level of the block, and in addition, has been beveled off away from the brushing area. So the baren thus sails over them by a fraction of a millimetre, and doesn't touch. The wood area between the registration mark and the carved area can give trouble though. It gets slathered with pigment, and if you press the paper down too far with your finger when you are inserting it into the mark, it picks up pigment here. You can carve it out deeper in a 'U' shape, but that tends to make it difficult to insert the paper cleanly against the mark. If it's any consolation, even the most famous of the old prints carry small marks and blotches in these two places ... It's one of the defining marks of a woodblock print ... ********** ********** ********** As usual, the 'with images' version of this 'one-point' lesson can be found in the Encyclopedia at: http://www.woodblock.com/encyclopedia/updates.html Contributions from experienced printmakers for future 'One-pointers' are eagerly solicited. ------------------------------ From: Jack Reisland Date: Tue, 31 Aug 1999 17:30:28 +0000 Subject: [Baren 5545] Re: One-Point Lesson Thank you, Dave, and (I think) Joe. As far as I can tell from that nifty shot, you still have to ink with some care (like Joe says) to avoid the flats of the kento. I guess if those occasional marks were OK with Hasui, it's OK with me. Jack ------------------------------ From: "Philip Smith" Date: Tue, 31 Aug 1999 20:45:57 -0700 Subject: [Baren 5546] Re: printing Jack,...try masking tape each time before you ink,.....Philip ------------------------------ From: viscult@mich1.telmex.net.mx Date: Tue, 31 Aug 1999 22:44:25 -0500 Subject: [Baren 5547] Re: Baren Digest V8 #684 Bareneers, Good discussion over here I like very much the idea of collaborative works. In fact, some years ago I was part of a visual collective group, and we made really interesting "Exquisite Corpses" and efimeral murals in the street. I also participate in mail-art projects, where 'zines and collective books are very common, although the quality is not always the best. I like also the idea of the huge piece made from an interpretation of an image, as well as the book. The theme of "sacred places" seems very interesting to work on. By the way, I just visited Horacio site and was positivelly impressed by his work. Congratulations Juan Guerrero, Mexico ------------------------------ From: "Horacio" Date: Wed, 1 Sep 1999 01:44:59 -0300 Subject: [Baren 5548] Re: RioGravura Jeanne, Thank you for your comments about RioGravura. I used the word ÒciceroneÓ in the sense of Òtourist guideÓ. The word is originated from Cicero, the Roman orator, and also means Òguide who understands and explains antiquitiesÓ. Besides, ÒciceronianÓ means eloquent, classical, or rhythmical, in the style of CiceroÓ. Sorry my Portuguese-like English (!?). Horatio. ------------------------------ From: "Horacio" Date: Wed, 1 Sep 1999 01:56:16 -0300 Subject: [Baren 5549] Re: RioGravura Georga, Thank you for your comments. I plan to include in my web site, as soon as possible, a gallery with my favorite Brazilian prints and printmakers with comments. The RioGravura exhibitions will give me the chance to make a better choice. Horatio. ------------------------------ From: Jack Reisland Date: Tue, 31 Aug 1999 20:10:25 +0000 Subject: [Baren 5550] Re: printing Thanks Philip, for more info on not printing kento. By the way, I just got my list of woodblock prints from Steven Thomas in Vermont today, I notice he has three Charles Bartlett prints, $1200 to $1400 each! Jack ------------------------------ From: Mary Krieger Date: Wed, 01 Sep 1999 07:04:34 -0500 Subject: [Baren 5551] ink on the edge + collaboration Hi all Philip's mention of masking tape encourage me to share. Instead of masking tape, I cover the areas that tend to print unintentionally with packaging tape - - that wide glossy tape that is used to seal cardboard boxes. The glossy surface makes it easy to rub off any excess ink. I had a taste of working in collaboration in my day job. We were producing a study guide which the authors wanted illustrated. They had made some suggestions for images but these weren't particularly workable. The artist we found was happy to do the work but wanted specific compositions. I got to be the person in the middle. Deciding on an idea, coming up with a composition which I described in an email to the artist. He sent me back a thumbnail. I described any changes that needed to be made. We repeated this with a full size pencil and then the completed inked picture. We did twenty four illustrations together in this way. It was like drawing by remote control. The artist was used to working in the comic book environment so it wasn't unusual for him, but it was the first time I had tried anything like it. Mary Krieger ------------------------------ End of Baren Digest V8 #685 ***************************