[Baren]: The mailing list / discussion forum for woodblock printmaking. Baren Digest Thursday, 6 January 2000 Volume 10 : Number 848 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Graham Scholes Date: Wed, 5 Jan 2000 19:57:23 -0800 Subject: [Baren 7503] The use of Wax...... Jack wrote.... >I asked Dave this one once, he mentioned carving the little seat for the >ferrule a little lower on the handle, so the ferrule can slide a little >lower, and tighten. Well hell ..... I didn't think about that... what could be easier. You don't want to do that to often.... Handles could last for ever as the blades are replacable. Being of Scot decent and all you know I would not want to have to buy a new handle. > Also, Graham, in answer to Daniel's question, you mentioned using wax to >fill grain on a block. It seems a little risky to put that much wax on >something that you will be printing water based pigments from, wouldn't a >lacquer or shellac based wood filler be less likely to cause later trouble? >Of course, having never tried it, I'm just guessing. I saw the filler idea posted by some one else. I'm sure it would work. I wondered about the sanding thingie. Wood filler required heavy duty sanding sometimes and it could be a problem...Care is the watch word. There is no problem about the use of wax as long as you use lots of paste. I have found that after several inkings and proofing that the wax does not affect the pigment. I recall now on one piece I used was to fix an area I use a light touch of 400 wet/dry sandpaper. It seems to remove the last bit and give the surface a tooth. Graham ------------------------------ From: Wanda Date: Wed, 05 Jan 2000 20:32:27 -0800 Subject: [Baren 7504] Re: 'nother question Are you supposed to carve the sute-bori with the u-gouge? I may be doing something wrong - I've been carving that little groove out with the hangi-to. Am I a bad girl? I use the flat side of the "to" to cut the kento & borders, which are pretty much straight up and down - and I use the beveled side for all the other cutting. The edges are supposed to be beveled, right? Makes sense to use the natural bevel of the blade to get that. To me, anyway. I am feeling *so* pleased today, as I received my very own copy of Phillip's "The Technique of the Color Woodcut". I also found several copies of his "Color in the Canadian Rockies" written by Nelson & illustrated by Phillips. So I had to have one of those, too. I think the Rockies book illustrations are water colors, but a very worthwhile book anyway. Such gorgeous work! And such beautiful scenery. Wanda ------------------------------ From: Wanda Date: Wed, 05 Jan 2000 20:32:56 -0800 Subject: [Baren 7505] Re: General Questions Holy cow, Daniel! That thing is just gorgeous! No, don't make the bottom completely black - leave it the way it is, the grain just adds to the feel of the piece. Such sorrow, such suffering - I sure hope you are in exchange #5! Did you use a photo retouch program to try to blacken in the bottom? Take that off of there right now and stop fighting the wood. (hmmm. too forceful?) :-) If this is your very first woodblock print, you are off to a flying start! I'll bet this was *hard* to carve - try birch or shina or basswood or pine or cherry or pear or apple or - did I miss any? I, myself, am particularly fond of shina plywood and birch plywood. Did you print with a press? You'll get a long list of everyone's favorite water-base pigment/ink, I'm sure. Wanda ------------------------------ From: Graham Scholes Date: Wed, 5 Jan 2000 21:09:06 -0800 Subject: [Baren 7506] Re: 'nother question Wanda wrote.... >Are you supposed to carve the sute-bori with the u-gouge? I may be doing >something wrong - I've been carving that little groove out with the >hangi-to. Am I a bad girl? There is no set rule.... just recommendations. I use both tools to achieve the sute-bori the easiest way for you. I believe the purpose of the sute-bori is to relieve pressure that could build up when cutting a very fine key lines. I don't have many of these in my work as I do not like the Key Line look. I try to kiss fit colours in any registration I require. If I miss..... well that's the looseness I like. >The edges are supposed to be beveled, right? Makes >sense to use the natural bevel of the blade to get that. To me, anyway. Yes that's for sure... >I am feeling *so* pleased today, as I received my very own copy of >Phillip's "The Technique of the Color Woodcut". I also found several >copies of his "Color in the Canadian Rockies" written by Nelson & >illustrated by Phillips. So I had to have one of those, too. I think the >Rockies book illustrations are water colors, but a very worthwhile book >anyway. Such gorgeous work! And such beautiful scenery. I will never forget the feeling of elation the hit me the first time I walked into the exhibition as saw our works hung side by side..... It struck my that I was pretty lucky to be even in the same room with his work let alone hung side by side. Actually a bit scary... I have a few platforms to achieve. If any of you get near or into Winnipeg be sure to drop into the Pavilion which is a building set aside for a permanent collection of Walter J Phillips' work. Graham ------------------------------ From: "DShack" Date: Wed, 5 Jan 2000 21:52:30 -0800 Subject: [Baren 7507] Re: Help regarding ink (from Margaret) > Graphic Chemical makes very high quality relief inks, oil-based and > water-based. I myself prefer the viscosity of oil-based inks, and like the > opaque and semi-opaque coverage they can give. However, because my studio is > also my small apartment, I prefer to use water-based inks. If you want a > water-based ink that feels like and prints like an oil-based one, they are the > company for you. Is that their Pro-Line PPI Ink? They don't say if it is water or oil based. They do say resin based, which may be water based, but it is not clear. Dwight ------------------------------ From: "John Ryrie" Date: Thu, 6 Jan 2000 18:21:04 +1100 Subject: [Baren 7508] grain filling I used to use this stuff for filling grain, It was Austrian made, I don't remember what it was called and the company has gone out off business. So that's not much help, but it was made for this and was used by cabinet makers to fill grain before painting. It was the consistency of oil paint, Oil based and was putt on with a spatula then sanded. There must be an equivalent product available, a trades person would know. John ------------------------------ From: "John Ryrie" Date: Thu, 6 Jan 2000 18:49:58 +1100 Subject: [none] Daniel This is very impressive for a first woodcut. I look forward to seeing more. I found a good book in the library to day 'The Inuit Print' it's a catalogue from the National museum of Man in Ottawa. I'm shore this work will be familiar to those of you on that side of the world. The prints are stone cuts and there are also some coloured stencil prints. They are wonderful works, if you don't know this work I'd recommend you look them up. The book # is ISBN 0-660-00082-2 A dragon from Jeanne arrived today thank you. John http://www.geocities.com/laddertree ------------------------------ From: Gayle Wohlken Date: Thu, 06 Jan 2000 07:22:13 -0500 Subject: [Baren 7510] Re: Baren Digest V10 #847 Personally, I like the way your print looks, Daniel. It has vibrancy and even in the area where you say you want it so black, there is a variation that gives a look of life to it. To me this is a perfectly beautiful print. Poplar is a good wood to use, but seeing your results with the oak makes me want to try it. With poplar I'm not able to get such interesting variations in the places I want the woodgrain to show. I use a soft roller, and oil based relief ink I order from Daniel Smith. Gayle ------------------------------ End of Baren Digest V10 #848 ****************************