Baren Digest             Thursday, 23 November 2000     Volume 13 : Number 1223


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

From: Shireen Holman <shireenh@earthlink.net>
Date: Wed, 22 Nov 2000 09:53:44 -0500
Subject: [Baren 12202] Re: bleed prints and stuff 

Barbara wrote:
>I have been printing linoblock lately and found I needed so much more
>ink it wasn't even funny. I like the way the linoblock cuts, but not so 
>sure I like the way it prints. Guess we can't have everything, where is 
>the challenge if it was just easy!!??

One thing that I found when doing linocuts is that although the block seems 
to cut very smoothly it really wrecks your tools very quickly. It's 
something about the materials that go into the linoleum. I've completely 
stopped using linoleum, and I've been totally unsuccessful trying to 
resharpen the tools I used with it. Maybe you just have to have a different 
set of tools for linoleum and for wood.
Shireen


***********************************************
Shireen Holman, Printmaker and Book Artist
email: shireenh@earthlink.net
http://home.earthlink.net/~shireenh/
***********************************************





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

From: "DRAGO G KISIC" <kisic@PRODIGY.NET>
Date: Wed, 22 Nov 2000 10:24:31 -0500
Subject: [Baren 12203] Re: paper charset="iso-8859-1" 

Dan, thank you for your information, it's very helpfull, tell me one more
thing, you mean you dampen  your Arches 88 on both sides or just on one
side?, thank you again, Maria.

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

From: "Maria Arango" <maria@mariarango.com>
Date: Wed, 22 Nov 2000 08:13:01 -0800
Subject: [Baren 12204] Re: display of blocks charset="Windows-1252" 

Thanks all for the suggestions on display of blocks!
Daryl has the 8' x 4' Mobious block hung in the gallery at UNLV just bare in
all its glory. It is a birch block and we had sealed it with a redwood color
polyurethane stain/sealer. Well the sealer crawled into the cuts giving a
reddish glow to the image against the black inked relief; the whole block
shines. It really is a sight to see. The rest of his show is very good also,
by the way. He is currently the sole printmaker doing woodcuts at the
University.

On another note, I just finished a commission for my father-in-law and had
some trouble with a joined block (two cherry blocks about 20 x 48 cm each to
make a gorgeous 48 x 40 cm block). Usually, I just butt two blocks together
on the flattest part of the garage floor, glue them with that wonder they
call carpenter's glue, clamp and leave overnight. Aside from having to plane
the joint in some cases, most of the joints have been perfect.
This last one, though, the joint was a wee bit off and there was a slight
crack on the top of the joined blocks, about a mil in width and perhaps a
couple of centimeters long. No problem, I usually just fill these with a
mixture of wood filler and my own sawdust, sand, recarve if necessary. But
this pesky one kept "regurgitating" the wood filler on about the third
print. Looked perfect, seemed good on the first and second, about the third
print, spit spit blah, here came the wood filler and my crater reappeared,
even after thouroughly cleaning the crack so the filler would stick. I
printed with a press and had no trouble in the past, but I suspect the
pressure was the culprit.
I'm finished now, but any ideas what went wrong? I'm baffled, confused, in a
state of dazed incomprehension...wait, that's normal for me. Suggestions
appreciated.

Health to all,
Maria

<><><><><><><><><><><><>
Maria Arango, Printmaker
Las Vegas  Nevada  USA
http://www.1000woodcuts.com
maria@mariarango.com
<><><><><><><><><><><><>





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

From: Greg Carter <artfool@bulloch.net>
Date: Wed, 22 Nov 2000 12:18:11 -0500
Subject: [Baren 12205] Re:   Baren Digest V13 #1221 

I was very intrigued by Jeans's comments about the SGC conference.

>I suggest that anyone going for the first time should just watch and listen
>and attempt some hands-on printmaking, if the opportunity arises.  There are
>limitless opportunities for catching foot-in-mouth disease.  I try to think
>of the closed-mouth African statue aesthetic, while attempting to
>participate in the activities of higher education academics.

My comments are not specifically addressed to SGC but any time a number of
people get together drawn by a specific interest but come from different
backgrounds and experience. It seems that there are different ways that
people respond in those situations.  There are some that always attempt to
prove how much they know about a subject when they are discussing it.  This
does seem to happen a lot in academia because this is one way we move up
the pecking order and get the brass ring(what ever that might be) I think
it is important to remember that at the heart of an organization like SGC
is a shared love and vision, even if we come from different perspectives
and this is were we all can meet.  What I am getting at is I hope no one
that attends SGC for the first or second time and keeps quiet to avoid the
proverbially foot in mouth and instead approaches it through their passion
for printmaking

On another level I must say that the best way to meet more people and
become more engaged is to actively participate in an organization.  I
remember meeting a new member of SGC who was amazed at how many people I
seemed to know and how active I was at the conference, I just shrugged it
off but my friend Art pointed out that it was my third conference and I had
presented at two and was about to made treasure, not because of who I was
but because I cared about the organization and wanted to participate.  I am
very glad that we can discuss our different organizations that support
printmaking on Baren because it important to see Baren as a part of an even
larger network of artists coming together to celebrate an art form that
they love.

On a final and somewhat self-serving note, I am currently in charge of
scheduling the Southern Graphics Council Travailing Exhibition and am
looking of exhibition sites for 2002.  The current Exhibition is one of our
best ever with a wide rage of prints from artists from around the United
States.  If anyone is connected to an institution that might like to book,
the exhibition please contact me off line at my school address
gcarter@gsaix2.cc.gasou.edu

Thanks
Greg Carter








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

From: Wanda <robertson@canby.com>
Date: Wed, 22 Nov 2000 09:41:11 -0700
Subject: [Baren 12206] Re: old wood block uses 

Ray Hudson wrote:
<snip>
> http://www.ucsd.net/Virtual_Museum/pages/ray_hudson%20+.htm
> This was for the school at Unalaska, Alaska, and I encouraged the kids
> to do rubbings from it.   The photo here is not the best & doesn't show
> the wood grain that adds a lot and helps tie the whole thing together.
<snip>

Ray & Andrea, is the confusion because of the other print shown on the
page you pointed us to? The "Bear in Kindergarten"? Really a sweet print
- - I love it. The board collage is below that one on the page. And what a
great idea - and for the children to be able to make rubbings from it!
Thanks for showing us Ray.

Wanda





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

From: Andrea Cuchetto (Dega) <andreadega@ureach.com>
Date: Wed, 22 Nov 2000 14:24:15 -0500
Subject: [Baren 12207] Re: old wood block uses 

Ray Hudson wrote:
>  After I pegged the
> boards together I did not make a print; merely a "woodblock
> collage"--weighed a ton.  Ray

Ray, I thought that's what you said. But, the picture looks so 
unified, like it is a singular image/theme--that's part of what 
confused *me*. It is probably no use trying to explain further--
I'm just not getting it for some reason. Perhaps I will just 
have to look at it first hand the next time I'm in Alaska!
Andrea.




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

From: barebonesart <barebonesart@home.com>
Date: Wed, 22 Nov 2000 11:30:43 -0800
Subject: [Baren 12208] Re: Baren Digest V13 #1222 

>I need three graduate hours in studio fine art to qualify for a job. Does
>anyone know of any courses that are available without being enrolled in in a
>mmmMFA program. I"m interested in all studio art areas.

In most areas  one and two week courses are offered in June for teachers in
the elementary, primary, secondary school systems. These courses are usually
3 grad. credits and some of them are studio courses.  If you are anywhere
near Portland, Or. the last week in June the Northwest Print Council offers
such a course with grad credit thru Portland State U. Check with your local
Public School System and they will have a list of whats available.

Sharri LaPierre






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

From: barbara patera <b.patera@worldnet.att.net>
Date: Wed, 22 Nov 2000 12:20:42 Pacific Daylight Time
Subject: [Baren 12209] Re: figurative show 

Graham,

Would love to see your figurative show.  Live in the Seattle area so could possibly make it. Where is it being 
held?

Barbara P.



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


From: "Daniel L. Dew" <ddew0001@tampabay.rr.com>
Date: Wed, 22 Nov 2000 18:12:59 -0500
Subject: [Baren 12211] Re: paper 

> Dan, thank you for your information, it's very helpfull, tell me one more
> thing, you mean you dampen  your Arches 88 on both sides or just on one
> side?,

Oooopsy, wrong Barener.  Me is Dan, me no dampen anything.  Maria, sometimes
she gets all wet and stuff, but not me.


dan dew



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

From: "Maria Arango" <maria@mariarango.com>
Date: Wed, 22 Nov 2000 16:27:51 -0800
Subject: [Baren 12212] Re: paper charset="iso-8859-1" 

"DRAGO G KISIC" wrote:
> Dan, thank you for your information, it's very helpfull, tell me one more
> thing, you mean you dampen  your Arches 88 on both sides or just on one
> side?, thank you again, Maria.

The procedure that I use for dampening paper is to fine spray every other
sheet with a spray bottle of the common kind and stack the paper. Since I
live in a single-digit humidity environment, I tend to be generous with the
water (you can actually hear the paper go "gurgle, gurgle, aaaahhh" on very
dry days). I then take the stack, place it on a plastic sheet covering a
formica board, put another plastic sheet on top, another formica board. I
can print in a couple of hours if I'm in a hurry or leave the whole thing
overnight if I am not. If I leave it longer the edges tend to dry out.
Experiment in your own climate.
Inspect the paper prior to printing, there should be no standing water, no
wet feeling at all; the paper will feel soft and cold. I find that it takes
a better, crisper impression this way, although it will sag a bit more into
the unclean recesses of your block than dry paper.

Here is a recap without the nonsense:
- -spray every other sheet
- -stack for at least two hours to allow moisture to disipate evenly
throughout the sheets
- -look for soft, cool paper, not wet or even damp

Stack:
- -formica (or heavy wood) board
- -sheet of plastic (like a trash bag)
- -paper stack
- -sheet of plastic
- -formica board

Just another couple of notes, Arches 88 is ready to go dry as it is very
receptive to ink. It is much easier to register dry paper for multiple block
prints because you eliminate the shrink/expand variable. If prining by hand
(no press) by all means dampen your paper and save your muscle for push-ups.

Hope this helps,
Maria

<><><><><><><><><><><><>
Maria Arango, Printmaker
Las Vegas  Nevada  USA
http://www.1000woodcuts.com
maria@mariarango.com
<><><><><><><><><><><><>





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

From: Cucamongie@aol.com
Date: Wed, 22 Nov 2000 20:39:26 EST
Subject: [Baren 12213] hand coloring 

Carolyn, I have hand-colored some prints, I'm assuming you are using water 
base ink for the printing part.  If I'm going to be getting the paper very 
wet, I do tape it down and/or flatten it between blotters which I put under 
some heavy books (but some of the color will go from the print onto the 
blotters if you do this). If you are using thick paper like stonehenge and 
just touching up a little area, you can just do it without taping, etc.  I 
use drafting tape, particularly with the very thin Japanese papers as you are 
less apt to tear it up when you take the tape off.  If you need a more opaque 
look you can use gouache.  I have even tried using slightly diluted Akua 
Kolor (water based printing ink) which I apply w/watercolor brushes to tint 
some prints.
just my little 2cents
Sarah

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

From: Graham Scholes <gscholes@home.com>
Date: Wed, 22 Nov 2000 19:22:44 -0800
Subject: [Baren 12214] Re: figurative show 

>Graham,
>
>Would love to see your figurative show.  Live in the Seattle area so 
>could possibly make it. Where is it being
>held?
>
>Barbara P.

It will be at my studio/gallery
http://members.home.net/gscholes/images/Studiomap.gif
We are about 5 minutes from the BC ferry terminal.

It is a joint show with my close buddy Betty Rollins.
Betty and I have been drawing the figure every week for the last 9 years.
There will be approximately 60 peice in the exhibition ranging from 
oils, charcoal, pastel, watercolours, conte.... have I missed 
anything, oh litho prints and one woodblock.

Dates are Dec 2nd and 3rd.

If you are coming and plan to stay over night or just a day trip let 
us know and we will help you with an economical approach.

Regards

Graham





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

From: Lawrence <vurt1@optushome.com.au>
Date: Thu, 23 Nov 2000 15:09:21 +1100
Subject: [Baren 12215] Re: bleed prints and stuff 

>Barbara wrote:
>One thing that I found when doing linocuts is that although the block 
>seems to cut very smoothly it really wrecks your tools very quickly.

Not sure if this is relevant but over here there are two different sets of 
lino tools that you can get, dollar difference of about 3 bucks. The thing 
is that the cheaper set is made out of really cr*** steel and if you try to 
sharpen them the steel burrs away. The other set will last for ever, I have 
one set that is 12 years old and I've cut a lot of Lino with it. Lino is 
just cork and linseed so ought not damage your tools to the state you have 
described unless the tools are made with rubbish steel.

You can always heat the lino to make it smoother (I don't because I like a 
certain amount of resistance in the lino).

regards


Lawrence






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

From: Wanda <robertson@canby.com>
Date: Wed, 22 Nov 2000 20:31:14 -0700
Subject: [Baren 12216] Re: bleed prints and stuff 

Shireen Holman wrote:
> One thing that I found when doing linocuts is that although the block seems
> to cut very smoothly it really wrecks your tools very quickly. It's
> something about the materials that go into the linoleum. I've completely
> stopped using linoleum, and I've been totally unsuccessful trying to
> resharpen the tools I used with it. Maybe you just have to have a different
> set of tools for linoleum and for wood.

Shireen, have you tried Portland Linocut blocks? They are available from
McClains, and are made in Portland Oregon. They say they are having
trouble getting good linoleum, but so far they are pretty good. I know a
couple of people who have been carving these blocks for 3 years now
without sharpening their tools at all!

Wanda






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

From: "John and Michelle Morrell" <jmmorrell@gci.net>
Date: Wed, 22 Nov 2000 19:30:08 -0900
Subject: [Baren 12217] Margins, Baren 1222 charset="iso-8859-1" 

How were the dragon exchange prints done for margins?  I asked about a month
ago whether the 4x6 was image size or paper size for the snake print, and no
one had an answer.  Seeing that so many hanga printers had barely a margin
at all, I figured I'd go with the 4x6 image size.  The "4x6 or thereabouts"
doesn't leave much of a margin, and although I'm over half thru with the
printing portion, I'm not too happy with the margins.

Most of you would probably say, suit yourself, whatever.  I'm still
wondering whether to greatly increase the proportional margins to an
approximate 6x8 paper size or cut or tear down the paper to 1/8-1/4 inch
margins.  The paper isn't anywhere near heavy enough to make a postcard out
of.  Any general preferences?  I've done more framing than I'd like to
admit, but I've never floated anything.

Also, I have a question for Dave on the Japanese printing process and
posture.  Most of us who sit quietly  in western chairs wind up with at
least cramped legs if not a variety of ailments--neck spurs, tendintis, back
problems, varicose veins, swollen feet, carpal tunnel, and the like.  Your
Japanese colleagues seem to hang in there to quite an old age and still keep
on printing.  Are there any rules or conventions of posture you guys
observe?  Any special stretching routines?   I know you sit on mats, not
chairs, but beyond that it all gets fuzzy.  Please advise if possible.

Thanx.

<^><^><^><^><^><^>
    Michelle Morrell
   jmmorrell@gci.net
<^><^><^><^><^><^>







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

End of Baren Digest V13 #1223
*****************************