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

Baren Digest              Thursday, 13 April 2000      Volume 11 : Number 970

----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Andrew Stevens <arsteven@facstaff.wisc.edu>
Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2000 08:34:26 -0500
Subject: [Baren 9258] Re: reduction prints 

Keri,

I thought Philip's answer was mighty fine, but couldn't resist adding a few 
things about reductive prints. The process is usually carried out with 
opaque inks; because each impression of the block is printed atop previous 
impressions, this keeps the final thing from getting too muddy. Often 
people work from light to dark, that is, printing lighter colors for the 
early impressions and saving the dark colors for last; however, this is not 
always the case.

Picasso is sometimes cited as the inventor of this technique, though I know 
that one US printmaker & teacher Al Sessler (from my home state of 
Wisconsin) was using it at about the same time, and another Charles Smith, 
published a description of the process some years earlier. I think it was 
the students of Al Sessler who nick-named reductive printmaking "the 
suicide method."

Drew

Curator of Prints, Drawings, and Photographs
Elvehjem Museum of Art
800 University Avenue
University of Wisconsin--Madison

------------------------------

From: "Maria Arango" <maria@mariarango.com>
Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2000 07:56:16 -0700
Subject: [Baren 9259] Re: reduction prints webpage 

Keri,
Go to http://www.printmakingstudio.com/Studionotes/Reduction/Reduction.html
Hope it helps,
Maria

------------------------------

From: slinder@mediaone.net
Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2000 10:10:47 -0500
Subject: [Baren 9260] Re: reduction prints 

A good book to refer to:  Picasso Linocuts 1958-1963, Karshan.  The cover
reduction print, Still Life Under the Lamp, (21' x 25 1/4")  is in the Art
Institute Chicago, collection.

 There are Picasso linocuts on eBay today:
<http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=303931903>

Andrew, do you have Japanese prints in the collection at Elvehjem? (Wright's?)
Are they usually on  exhibit?  You had a wonderful special Japanese Print
exhibit a couple of years ago!

Sharen

------------------------------

From: Pedrobot@aol.com
Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2000 11:18:58 EDT
Subject: [Baren 9261] Re: reduction prints 

A little more on reduction prints:

I know that several members of [Baren] use the reduction method, at least 
occasionally.  Andrea Rich, Maria Arango, and myself have all been spotted 
doing color reductions, and I'm sure there are others.  You might check out 
some of these people's websites for examples.

I know I saw a really cool site on how Andrea crates her prints somewhere, 
but I can't remember where.  It's sort of a combination between reduction and 
key block printing.  Really cool.

- --Pete

------------------------------

From: Graham Scholes <gscholes@home.com>
Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2000 09:10:50 -0700
Subject: [Baren 9264] Re: Odds and Ends Questions 

>"Daniel L. Dew" wrote:
>  > Why varnish/shellac before carving?  Does it hold the fine line better?
>  > Can you see what's been carved better?

Barbara wrote.....

>  >You will have to ask Graham, I just do what I am told and when 
>someone who does
>such great work as Graham says to do it, I just do it.

Barbara,
It is for this reason you were invited back to Boot Camp.  (<:

To answer Dan's question ....

After I have sanded a block with 400 grit and is ready to accept the line
drawing, I use a 50/50 mix of varnish on the wood before applying the 
key line drawing.
This varnish should be the best quality you can fine.  Marine varnish 
is the stuff to look for.

Take a little bit, the amount you need to coat the wood you have prepared.
I smear this on with a cloth and allow it to sit for a moment and then with
600 grit sandpaper on a sanding block covered with a piece of cloth.
Flannel works good, which will act as a little cushion when rubbing the
sandpaper block on the surface of the prepared block. (Without a 
little padding you may accidentally score the surface with a corner 
or edge of the sanding block).

Allow to dry overnight and it will be ready to use.

Do the carving and when you are finished give the plate another coat of the
50/50 or even 60/40 varnish/thinner mix.  This protects the carved areas as
well as giving the fine fine lines a little more strength.  If you have a
particularly fine line that is questionable as to holding up with continual
printing another touch of varnish on that section will only help to
strengthen. Let this dry and very carefully sand with the 600 grit the top
relief areas of the plate.  Gentle now, gently does it. You just want to
take the shine of the surface

I should point out the plywood  'shina' that is used is not a firm as the
Japanese cherry and it needs some help.  Varnish is the answer to adding
strength.

The Shina seems *much* softer than the solid blocks of basswood I normally use.

Graham

------------------------------

From: JD Roehrig <jd423@zianet.com>
Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2000 10:40:23 -0600
Subject: [Baren 9265] Re: Baren Digest V11 #968 

In reponse to Daniel Dew, having lived in FL understand mold.
I used a Newsprint pad lightly dampened to insert prints, then placed
in a plastic bag and placed in the freezer.  I have used both waxed and
unwaxed Masa, my experience with unwaxed was a three block print,
so greater durability I can't attest to now.   Gayle's question as to
what
to call me, well.............., JD is the name.

JD
Capitan, NM

------------------------------

From: Andrew Stevens <arsteven@facstaff.wisc.edu>
Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2000 11:34:55 -0500
Subject: [Baren 9266] Re: reduction prints 

Sharen,

Do we have Japanese prints!? (said while rubbing hands together and 
winking) Yes.

We have about 4,000 Japanese prints (along with an equal number of western 
works on paper). Of these, about half are by Hiroshige. Sadly, we do not 
have perfect impressions of all of these, and I know the current Brooklyn 
show has better impressions than we do of many of the 100 Views of Edo. 
Still, it's a very good collection of Hiroshige, and we have quite good 
things by a number of other Japanese artists, including Hokusai, Buncho, 
Toyoharu, and some of the shin-hanga folk like Hasui, Goyo and Yoshida. 
There is a catalog of the collection with little tiny, black and white 
pictures of each print. I've been trying to promote an on-line catalog, but 
have no funders yet; it would be a substantial task to do it right.

Most of these prints were collected by a local mathematician E.B. Van 
Vleck, and given to the museum by E.B.'s son and daughter-in-law, John and 
Abigail. The elder Van Vleck was fortunate enough to be able to buy about 
4,000 prints for $4,000 when the First Bank of Wisconsin foreclosed on a 
loan to Frank Lloyd Wright. Wright had put the prints up as collateral for 
the loan. Even at the time (1920's) this was a major bargain. Wright was 
furious, as he had a right to be. I think Wright felt that Van Vleck should 
return the prints to Wright. Van Vleck kept the prints and earned Wright's 
enmity.

We try to work off this bad Karma by doing about an exhibition a year, 
though we don't have one scheduled now until May of '01. Of course it's far 
better to see these things out from under plexiglas, so we have a print 
room for looking at prints and other works on paper. We don't have a huge 
staff, and so can't just have general open hours, but we can usually manage 
appointments from Monday through Friday between 9:00 and 5:00. Contact me 
to make an appointment. If you're visiting Skokie, Madison is 3 hours up 
the road.

Andrew Stevens

Curator of Prints, Drawings, and Photographs
Elvehjem Museum of Art
800 University Avenue
University of Wisconsin--Madison
Madison, WI
USA
608-263-7377

------------------------------

From: Wanda <robertson@canby.com>
Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2000 10:22:09 -0700
Subject: [Baren 9267] Re: Paper questions 

I've done some Hanga with Masa paper. It is very thin & the extra bright
white is kind of glaring - but could be useful. It works for Hanga
because it is a sized paper. Also, it is a very inexpensive paper, so
could be valuable for practicing & for proofing blocks.

I've never heard of it being waxed - what would that be for?

Wanda

------------------------------

From: Wanda <robertson@canby.com>
Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2000 10:35:50 -0700
Subject: [Baren 9268] Re: reduction prints 

Hmm... I'm working on a reduction print right now. I use translucent base &
layer the colors to produce other color combinations. Although, you could also
use opaque inks and/or a combination of both.

But, Philip, I don't think you can get 9 colors from 3 layers. You are only
going to leave the previous colors you laid down. Of course you could use very
thin layers & continue to cut away & pile up *that* color - then you could
create lots of colors from 3 colors and many passes through the press.

I think Picasso was the one who *said* he invented it - he probably thought he
invented a lot of things. :-)

Welcome to Baren, Andrew!

Wanda

------------------------------

From: Wanda <robertson@canby.com>
Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2000 10:50:36 -0700
Subject: [Baren 9269] Re: reduction prints webpage 

Maria wrote:
> Go to http://www.printmakingstudio.com/Studionotes/Reduction/Reduction.html

Yes! Excellent explanation of the reduction cut! Sorry, Maria, I forgot about
your step-by-step production. Really nice!

Wanda

------------------------------

From: "Philip Smith" <smithart@pacifier.com>
Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2000 14:17:01 -0700
Subject: [Baren 9270] Re: reduction prints 

Wanda,...you're right,...9 is two to many, you can however get 7
colors,......3 colors overprinting each other is 6 plus one area where they
all overprint is 7.      Philip

------------------------------

From: "Daniel L. Dew" <ddew0001@tampabay.rr.com>
Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2000 17:58:20 -0400
Subject: [Baren 9275] Re: reduction prints webpage 

P.S.  Us reduction block guys don't always work with opaque ink.  Look at
the prints of mine in the members section.  A mix of both opgue and extended
inks.

Dan Dew

------------------------------

From: Marcia Roberts-deutsch <marcia@hcc.hawaii.edu>
Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2000 12:06:18 -1000
Subject: [Baren 9276] Re: reduction prints 

Hello, all--I've been enjoying the exchange about reduction prints, and it
was nice to be reminded to revisit Maria Arango's great website. I was
also reminded of a workshop I took with Karen Kunc a few years back which
really opened my mind to the expanded possibilities of reduction prints.
On any given layer (or in any given "state" to use Maria's terminology)
Karen might ink separate areas differently, using alone or in combination
any or all of the following: solid color, blended colors, including
transparent to opaque (easiest to do with a roller, of course), and
stencils to further define color shapes within larger fields. Sometimes,
if I remember correctly, any given stage could also be printed more than
once, with different inking, before the matrix was further reduced.
(Perhaps not entirely traditional or conventional--but I think Picasso
would be jealous!)

Cheers, and aloha from 

Marcia Morse  

------------------------------

From: krisalder <krisalder@cc.usu.edu>
Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2000 15:50:54 -0600
Subject: [Baren 9278] RE: Masa 

Wanda,

 You asked about waxed Masa. The only explanation I have ever gotten is that 
"wax" (actually extra sizing) was added to Masa to give it a little more 
strength and to help keep the oil-based ink from saturating the paper fibers.  
Whether this is fact or not I don't know.  I heard it from an art professor a 
few years ago.

Thanks gang for the great info!  Keep it coming!
Hope to have my website up and running soon so I can share my prints with you, 
too.

Kris

------------------------------

From: Marcia Roberts-deutsch <marcia@hcc.hawaii.edu>
Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2000 12:25:06 -1000
Subject: [Baren 9279] Re: Paper questions 

In addition to wrapping stuff (!), the waxed Masa also serves well for
making stencils for either rolled up ink (see previous message about Karen
Kunc's work), or for pochoir--open stencil printing with brush 
application.

Marcia Morse

------------------------------

From: "Daniel L. Dew" <ddew0001@tampabay.rr.com>
Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2000 20:09:57 -0400
Subject: [Baren 9280] LINO MAN 

Hello earthlings, LINO MAN here.
Breaking with my norm (lino), I'm now carving a smallish print 8"x9" in
Poplar.  Wish I had asked about the varnish before carving,  as the cross
grain carving is being done a la Mundie (with a razor blade). I went
shopping today at the wood store.  I had to leave LINO MAN in the car, he
would have croaked in this woody enviroment.  Picked up some nice wood and
very good advice from a kind old gent.  Picked up a 5"x5" piece of Cheery
wood, 2 pieces of 8" x 10" Black Walnut and a 10" x 10" un-identifiable
piece of "island" wood.  Close grain, very pretty, very light considering.
Oh well, LINO MAN is crying that he needs to finish some sacred tree thing,
but then WOOD MAN gets to come out.

Dan Dew

P.S. I'm really not this weird, just a long hard day at the other job!

------------------------------

From: Wanda <robertson@canby.com>
Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2000 22:05:42 -0700
Subject: [Baren 9281] Purdue print exhibit 

Could someone please send me the URL for the small-print competition page?

And any other URLs that have some of Karen Kunc's work?

Thanks,

Wanda

------------------------------

From: Krista Harberson <kristah@mb.ginet.or.jp>
Date: Thu, 13 Apr 2000 20:54:26 +0900
Subject: [Baren 9282] Re: Purdue print exhibit 

dear wanda,

i read your message about karen kunc on the baren site. i just spoke on a
panel with her in miami for SGC. she teaches at university of nebraska i
believe. they prolly have a web site you can access. provocative work, and a
rather intense person in the flesh. sorry i can't be of more help than that.

hope you find what you're looking for.

sincerely,

krista harberson

------------------------------

From: judy mensch <mensch@interport.net>
Date: Thu, 13 Apr 2000 08:07:39 -0400
Subject: [Baren 9283] Re: Purdue print exhibit 

Wanda, If you can wait, Karen Kunc is doing a workshop where I work.
It's either the end of April or May.   I could ask her.  Judy NYC

------------------------------

From: Mary Krieger <mkrieger@mb.sympatico.ca>
Date: Thu, 13 Apr 2000 07:28:37 -0500
Subject: [Baren 9284] Re: reduction prints 

Hi all

I am another Baren member who works in reduction prints from time to time -
actually the print I did for the last exchange was a reduction print. ( A
decision that had me questioning my sanity mid process)

I have reduction prints using blended colors posted at my website in the
'Secondary Colours' area

http://www.mts.net/~mkrieger

One of the other Canadians on the list also does reductions - Gabrielle Gagnon

She has a website too at

http://members.xoom.com/gagn_prints/

Nice to hear about other's discoveries.

Mary Krieger
Winnipeg Manitoba Canada

------------------------------

End of Baren Digest V11 #970
****************************