[Baren] the mailing list / discussion forum for woodblock printmaking Baren Digest Friday, 4 August 2000 Volume 12 : Number1102 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Arye Saar" Date: Thu, 3 Aug 2000 16:12:30 +0200 Subject: [Baren 10805] Fw: Exhibition To BM (Baren Members), Sometime ago i let go of my intentions for having an exhibition here in the Jordan Valley. Below there are some excerpts from a note to Dave that might be of interest. The exchanges involved are #4-#5. Later i will send some pix's of the place. Arye - ----- Original Message ----- From: Arye Saar To: Dave Bull > Hello Dave, > > Just to let you know about exhibition developments so far: > > Place: Beit Gavriel, Jordan Valley (Most southern point of the Sea of Galilee) . > They are not going to charge us. > In contact with two Museums that are interested. > Date: Not decided yet. > Frames: Got a source - Pre-made frames factory.. > Have to find a framing business. > Financing: Got already about 3/5 of the amount needed. > (Donated by "Degania Silicon"). ~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ Snip ~~~~~ ~~~~~ > Hope to have the answer from the second firm soon for the rest > 2/5 missing. > > Will let you know of future developments. > > Arye > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ------------------------------ From: Gayle Wohlken Date: Thu, 03 Aug 2000 09:24:44 -0400 Subject: [Baren 10806] Re: Baren Digest V12 #1101 Baren types > > If I recall, you are referring to the plastic baren with the formed > pebble pattern, > I can't remember if there was a bamboo sheath tied onto this? > With your answer I will be able to respond to your question. ? Graham, I don't know if that's right. I don't know about pebbles, it has a bamboo sheath and you said it was really well made, and Marco used it for some of his intense printing. It looks a lot like the one in the second picture Dave showed us. http://woodblock.com/temporary/barens/murasaki.jpg (Dave, could that be like the one I ordered from Woodlike Matsumura that was about $75?) I just need to know if John's baren will be useful to me, too, and if in some way I don't yet understand, I need two? Do I need a better one? Mine was described as strong by Graham. Thanks for any help to a new baren user. Gayle ------------------------------ From: Graham Scholes Date: Thu, 3 Aug 2000 09:01:18 -0700 Subject: [Baren 10807] Re: Revolution >Perhaps something a little more sophisticated than my simple 'wooden >foot'? >http://woodblock.com/temporary/baren_jig.jpg ... > Dave Can you clarify something with regards to your "wooden foot". How do you work it.? It struck me last night (when I got up to go potty) that the only time you can get the ategawa that is being wrapped into the round jig foot is .... AFTER ..... it has had the bamboo husk already positioned and wrapped on both sides. I don't see how the foot comes into play. If as I see it, the first half of the husk has been folded and the tail twisted, which is the part you need to hold secure while you proceed to fold tuck and twist the other end. How is it possible to get the ategawa done into the circle jig, when the bamboo husk prior to forming, is sticking out beyond the ategawa and the circle jig. It cannot be forced down and then endeavour to achieve the critical folding and twisting. If the unit is not down and into location how does the foot hold? Also, would it not have to be positioned flat when tucking and folding. There is a lot of pressure in the operation and to have the ategawa partly in and partly out of the jib seems it could be a big problem. Maybe you can clarify. Graham ------------------------------ From: "Jean Eger" Date: Thu, 3 Aug 2000 09:40:43 -0700 Subject: [Baren 10810] Baren covering Dave, I guess the leaf covering is trimmed to the right size, yes? Can you give a diagram of the shape of the leaf? Then I soak the leaf overnight, or should I put it between damp towels? Jean Eger ------------------------------ From: David Bull Date: Fri, 04 Aug 2000 12:01:29 +0900 Subject: [Baren 10811] Re: Baren covering Jean wrote: > I guess the leaf covering is trimmed to the right size, yes? Can you give a > diagram of the shape of the leaf? Then I soak the leaf overnight, or should > I put it between damp towels? Instructions for tying the baren ... this is something that I have been considering ... and endlessly postponing ... for years now. I've had no way to get a good set of photos taken here, so have just ignored the question ... But over at the workshop this summer Greg and Gayle made a bunch of sketches of the process, along with many detailed notes, and I would like to turn these into a set of web pages. At the moment though, Greg is very busy moving house and I can't bother him. Once he's settled down, we're going to attack the problem, and will be putting up some comprehensive instructions on baren tying. As for Jean's immediate questions: - - the trimming to shape is done during the tying process. Only after the sheath is moistened, softened, stretched as widely as it will go, and then 'killed' with a hard implement, is it folded in half lengthways, and the curve at one end then made with scissors. Printers here do not pre-soak the sheaths, but simply grab one from the pile at the moment it is needed. We run it under the tap for a minute or so, letting it get wet through. No overnight soaking or damp towels are necessary - but you do have to keep your water brush nearby during the tying process, and dab more water on it as necessary (if you're slow, like me). *** Graham asked: > Can you clarify something with regards to your "wooden foot" ... Please understand that the tool I showed the other day is not intended to be a comprehensive jig for handling the entire tying job. I first made it (just the circular part) as a way to hold the four corners in place while I twisted and tied the final handle portions. It works quite well for that job. Sometime later, I added the wooden bit on top, with the idea of holding down the end that had already been folded and twisted, while I did the final pinching and twisting of the other side (_after_ that had been folded in). This is the point in the process where I seem to lose control most often, and lose the tightness due to slippage of the already twisted end. So I do all of the folding out 'in the open', and only slip the baren into this jig at the moment of pinching and twisting the second side ... and only sometimes ... I still feel that I shouldn't start to depend on a crutch like this. Gosho-san certainly doesn't use one, and he can sure tie it! *** Arye wrote: > Place: Beit Gavriel, Jordan Valley (Most southern point of the Sea of Galilee) What Arye is talking about of course, is the next in our series of [Baren] international exhibitions. The date for this next one is not yet confirmed, but the location is set (with the possibility of the exhibitions being moved to additional venues as well). Prints from Exchanges #4 and #5 will be involved, and it is Arye's idea to be able to handle everything 'at that end', with the members not being charged for the participation. He has arranged some corporate sponsorship already, and is working on more. We will keep you informed as further details become available, and when Arye is ready for it, we will let you know what you have to do in the way of sending information, etc. etc. *** Exchange #6 is now in the final stages of collation, and Gayle is whipping the stragglers into place. Here at [Baren] Central I've been granted an advance peek at the set (hey, it takes _time_ to get those web pages ready, you know!) and can let you know that this is one very interesting set of prints! The 'x by 2x' format has really turned out to be a good one, and there is no question that we will have to return to it again in the future. And now that we are in August, that means that the official three-month long 'cut/print' period for Exchange #7 has begun ... with only three months until the deadline on November 1st. If you're a participant, please get started soon, so _you_ won't be one of the stragglers come November! Dave ------------------------------ End of Baren Digest V12 #1102 *****************************