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

Baren Digest            Wednesday, 24 November 1999    Volume 09 : Number 794

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From: B Mason <bemason@concentric.net>
Date: Tue, 23 Nov 1999 10:36:29 -0800
Subject: [Baren 6782] Wet Paper 

Dave and Graham,
I have another wet paper question, if I am layering many colors over one
another in large areas what happens to the paper with all this build up
of paste? Is this like megga sizing input for the poor paper? I was
using very transparent colors, working from light to dark. Now I am
wondering if all this paste is good. I could probably find it somewhere
in the notes, but asking these "dumb" questions is easier and probably
refreshes everyone's memory.
On my next print I am definitely doing smaller areas, as I can see that
breaking up the area is the way to go. I can see that the paper is
looking slightly crackled and I assume that is the paste. Only someone
obsessed with this would notice, I am sure.

To everyone - I am reading the most wonderful book, I found it by
accident at Powells. It is called "Carved Paper..the art of the Japanese
stencil" published by the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, 1998. This is a
book worth everyone's time, the designs are too die for and the
information is wonderful and relates to woodblock in an amazing way. The
only difference is that they are carving paper instead of wood. It was
$60 so not inexpensive. According to this book,( and they are tooting
their own horn I am sure,) there is not other publication on this media.
Even if there is, this is an exquisite book, great for the coffee table.
I would have loved it for Christmas or any other gift receiving
occasion. As I read it I will post some small bits of information. the
author lives in Portland, too lucky. Maybe I willcall her. There must be
many more pictures not in this book. If any of you live in Santa Barbara
try to see this collection. It started out as a museum catalog for a
show and grew from there.
Barbara

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From: Graham Scholes <gscholes@home.com>
Date: Tue, 23 Nov 1999 12:50:26 -0800
Subject: [Baren 6783] Re: Wet Paper 

>Dave and Graham,
>I have another wet paper question, if I am layering many colors over one
>another in large areas what happens to the paper with all this build up
>of paste? 

The paste should be of such thickness that is will just drop the end of a
pencil.
Too thin and you won't get enough.  Too thick and you have a hard time
getting it off.

On a plate that is oban size  10 x 15  (that is inches)  with about  to 60
% to 70% printable surface you will apply about 3 good size drops.
with about 3 to 4 dabs of pigment.   As  you progress with the inking the
brush and the brush becomes well primed, it may get somewhat saturated and
cutting back becomes necessary.

You are going to have to practice and experiment remembering  the results
as you go.  Most times I have NOT put on enough paste rather than having
put to much paste on.

Graham


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From: B Mason <bemason@concentric.net>
Date: Tue, 23 Nov 1999 13:22:49 -0800
Subject: [Baren 6784] paste 

Graham,
Thanks for answering. I think I was using the right amountof paste, I
had it thinner than normal as I was trying to do those goma's and there
was no pigment on the board, just paste. It looked pretty good, if I
added water to is, it got all bubbly and wouldn't smooth out on the
board, so settled for very thin paste. I never take the easy way.
On the rest of the colors, I may have used too much. Live and learn. I
am saving up the questions for summer.
Barbara

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From: Josephine Severn <severn@acay.com.au>
Date: Tue, 23 Nov 1999 21:29:49 +1100
Subject: [Baren 6785] BFK Paper 

Barbara said
"The next print will be on good paper. I would like to hear about BFK,
though as I have a lot of it."

My two cents worth. Always, always use the best materials you can
afford. Apart from the points already made, there's nothing worse than
producing that one-off never to be repeated masterpiece in  a moment of
inspiration and doing it on a scrap of second rate paper, envelope,
table napkin, whatever. And if you try to repeat it on good paper, not a
chance. This has happened to everyone at some stage, right? You know,
that two minute sketch on cartridge that is never to be repeated.

What about the waste? you say. My solution is paper making. Beside
making delicious paper for printing on (in my dreams?) or at least
trying to do so, you can recycle all those reject prints and failed
works made along your learning curve and croppings of your good paper.
Its easy, cut/tear, soak, blend, vat, mould, couch, dry. Not wasting
beautiful materials is one of my prime motivations as a closet
environmentalist and all round cheapskate. Starving artist isnt a
misnomer.  Remember, waterleaf (or unsized paper) is the best for relief
printing.

I spent a happy hour digging around in Maria's paper page. The
papermaking page on Print Australia is growing and contains a wealth of
info on how to make paper yourself, watch this space.

On BFK. My favourite and  most often used intaglio paper. From one of my
printing books.

Rives White (also comes in beautiful greys and creams), 22 x 30", 29 x
41", half sized, 100%rag, 115lbs, 230lbs, Wet for one hour, mould made,
edition paper for intaglio and surface colour.

I've also used this for monoprint and relief printing (with and without)
press. Yum! Not to mention making artist books from it...

Hope this inspires you to have a go. I started papermaking with an egg
whisk (no blender), a bucket and sink, some scraps of fabric to couch
onto and an embroidery frame stretched with fly wire as a mould. The
result was the paper disks shown on my Vic Park pageand the Mother-self
page.

Josephine

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From: David Bull <davebull@woodblock.com>
Date: Wed, 24 Nov 1999 08:47:59 +0900
Subject: [Baren 6788] Re: Wet Paper, New greeting card site ... 

Graham wrote:
> On a plate that is oban size  10 x 15  (that is inches)  with about  to 60
> % to 70% printable surface you will apply about 3 good size drops.
> with about 3 to 4 dabs of pigment. 

These numbers are what works for Graham, but for my taste they are a
little low.  Graham is looking for quite lightly toned colour, with a
little 'speckle' scattered through it for atmospheric effect.  If you
were after a more solid colour, (of the kind we saw in 'Maria's' print
this summer, you would need maybe double this amount ...

***

Got something interesting for you to look at this morning ...  I
received a note yesterday from the owner of a new 'greeting card' web
site - you know the kind, where you type in a friend's email address and
they end up getting an 'email' greeting card, usually complete with
cheesy animations and music.

http://www.aetiket.com/ecard/

... is another such site, but with a difference - it is a very elegantly
designed and executed site, and the 'cards' that are 'sent' are a model
of restraint.  But rather than ramble on about it here, I most heartily
suggest you head on over there and take a look ... then try it out. I am
sure that some of you will be interested in having your work involved in
his project.

A month or so back we had an offer from a publisher to use some of
your woodblock prints in a new publication (unpaid), and your reactions
were divided between 'Ripoff!', and 'Good opportunity!'.  You may (or
may not) feel the same way about the possibility of having your images
used as part of this site (_if_ he likes your work, that is!)  So just
to get a head start on the discussion that will inevitably follow, I
would like to quote here a short segment from an email I received from
him this morning, in which he gives a bit of explanation of his
philosophy on this, which is clear - it is an exchange allowing him to
use the image, in return for the excellent visibility he gives your
work.

> I do not charge for the artist portfolios: I believe that there is a fair
> exchange of quality content for added visibility and free promotion. I
> believe my site can also serve artists well as a tool for self-promotion.
> Much better then sending a single email is to send a Thank You eCard with
> your own artwork on it! Take a look at the 'Signature' eCard in Robert
> Tracy's portfolio for an example of what can be done.
> 
> I don't see the eCards as competing with other interests you may have: at 72
> dpi and jpeg compressed at 60%, the images are not suitable for printing,
> even with high quality printers. But on the screen, I do believe that the
> Aetiket eCard format does add value to the images, and at very least
> increases visibility where you might have had none before. A small percent
> of people coming by will actually stop and consider buying a copy. If my
> Aetiket eCards increases the number of people coming by, and increases the
> percentage of people that actually purchase a print from you, I will
> consider my site a success.
>
> In my curatorial wisdom (!) I have turned down artists whose work I did not
> believe would enhance the quality of my site. I have also turned down
> contributions from users for the same reason. I have also had requests to
> add advertising space to my site, and for the time being, I have chosen not
> to do so: I quite dislike advertising banners...

He (Eric Fandrich) has also asked to be part of any discussion on this,
so I will CC: him on this posting.  If you are replying, please add: 
CC: Eric Fandrich <EricFandrich@aetiket.com> 
... to your email header, so that he will have a chance to read your
comments and reply to them.

(And a little note for After-Five members - funny that just as your
conversation turned to Redoute ... this greeting card site came up.  If
you're a Redoute fan, make sure you head on over there!)

***

Julio wrote, re next Saturday:
> How can any true barener forget our birthday ! I think we are 
> all just waiting to see what type of celebrations you have prepared 
> for us this time.......

Maybe I'll send you a birthday card from http://www.aetiket.com/ecard/!!!

I have no special celebration planned - saving something up for Xmas,
actually ...    But I will be posting a birthday message later in the
week - one that should stimulate quite a bit of discussion ...

Dave

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From: B Mason <bemason@concentric.net>
Date: Tue, 23 Nov 1999 16:24:10 -0800
Subject: [Baren 6789] paper 

I enjoyed all the paper sites, what I meant for the BFK was how to use
it for Hanga. Maybe Matt will give me some pointers one of these days.

Josephene, you are amazing. I can't imagine going to all the work to
make paper. I have friends that do so and I save all my scraps and matt
board for them, but it is such a mess and we live in the land of weeks
to dry. The humidity here is high and it rains almost daily except in
the summer. Friends on the other side of the Cascade Mts have much drier
climate and make paper in no time. Think I will buy paper and put my
energy into carving and printing. The more I do the more I want to
do.It's like an obsession. I keep telling my husband it is a lot cheaper
than jewelry and furs.
Barbara

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End of Baren Digest V9 #794
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