Baren Digest Wednesday, 19 December 2001 Volume 17 : Number 1659 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Jean Eger Womack" Date: Tue, 18 Dec 2001 10:45:33 -0800 Subject: [Baren 16520] Re: Baren Digest V17 #1656 Who is the moderator of this discussion these days? Why can't these people stick to the subject of woodcuts? Jean http://www.jeaneger.com ------------------------------ From: "bemason" Date: Tue, 18 Dec 2001 11:16:35 -0800 Subject: [Baren 16521] Fw: Re: Baren Digest V17 #1656 Jean, Wanda is still moderator, here email is robertson@canby.com I have no idea why we are not talking about woodcuts....but Wanda is not responsible for that, only the list members. If we get too far afield we will certainly lose members, but perhaps we have said it over and over so many times we need a break. The best way to bring the list back to track is for people to ask questions and others to answer. Seems to me we have been hearing about some wonderful exhibits out there, so not all is lost. I for one am asking Santa to sharpen all my tools for me...they sure need it and I am really lazy (maybe incompetent is a better word) about doing it. good season to all, Barbara > Who is the moderator of this discussion these days? Why can't these people > stick to the subject of woodcuts? > Jean > http://www.jeaneger.com > > ------------------------------ From: Rob Brown Date: Tue, 18 Dec 2001 11:36:37 -0800 Subject: [Baren 16522] Re: Baren Digest V17 #1652 Hello all... I have been doing web development for some time now and I would like to point out a few tips about Images for the web... First, JPEG are not always smaller than Gifs... the two image formats have different methods of compression... I dont want to get more technical but if you want to know more: http://www.upenn.edu/computing/group/dmp/technical/colors/compression.html The general rule of thumb is Jpeg is for Photos and complex images Gif is for simple color palettes. How this would apply for prints, is that if you have a lot of textures, and complex gradients, and colors then I would say a Jpeg will give you the smaller image... however if you have lets say a black and white print, or color print with not too many textures, then use Gif. More on the subject http://hotwired.lycos.com/webmonkey/geektalk/97/30/index3a.html?tw=3Ddesign Hot wired is probably one of the best info sites on web design... If your looking for good compression software... by far Adobe has done the best Job with Photo shop, They just came out with a program called photo shop elements... I think you can get it for a hundred bucks, maybe cheaper http://www.boxtopsoft.com/ - boxtop makes some good software to for GIf Jpeg optimization... ROBERT BROWN - rob@roloplane.com Berkeley CA 510.558.9155 ------------------------------ From: FurryPressII@aol.com Date: Tue, 18 Dec 2001 18:40:21 EST Subject: [Baren 16523] Re: Fw: Re: Baren Digest V17 #1656 i personally am not bothered if one talks about related issues. Marketing is also important if wants to be a secausful artist. Many people have different things they need to know. Please do not be so judgemental what you might need to others might know already. They best resposnce is to ask questions etc. I personally like the other subjects and am not bothered by things i know already. I would like to see one of my blocks printed in the japanese methiod by some one who prints on the same level as i do in the western manner just to see the difference between the two prints from the same matrix. John Center ------------------------------ From: Dan Dew Date: Mon, 17 Dec 2001 18:49:14 -0500 Subject: [Baren 16524] Re: Fw: Re: Baren Digest V17 #1656 Funny you should say: > I would like to see one of my blocks printed in the japanese methiod by some > one who prints on the same level as i do in the western manner just to see > the difference between the two prints from the same matrix. I would love to carve the blocks, send them to someone who would print them Hanga style also. Or, I am willing to print Western style for anyone who wants to send me their Hanga cut blocks. Dan Dew ------------------------------ From: James G Mundie Date: Tue, 18 Dec 2001 19:12:03 -0500 Subject: [Baren 16525] Munakanta exhibition advance notice Hey, all you Munakata fans, this one is hot off the presses from the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Mark your calendars and get out your wallets... *** "Munakata Shiko (1903-1975): Japanese Master of the Modern Print" July 27, 2002-November 10,2002 Philadelphia Museum of Art Berman/Stieglitz galleries, Ground Floor; and Galleries 241, 242, 243 in the Asian Wing Munakata Shiko, admired by artists throughout Europe, Asia and the United States, has not received much public recognition outside of Japan. This first comprehensive retrospective of his work in the United States, will celebrate his contributions as of one of Japan's most significant modern artists as well as one of the great print artists of the twentieth century. Co-organized by the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the exhibition Munakata Shiko (1903-1975) will include more than 128 paintings, prints, calligraphy, and ceramics from throughout the artist's prolific and expansive career. Born in the remote region of the prefecture of Aomori, Japan, Munakata came from a modest family and did not have formal training as an artist. While he was equally skilled as a painter, printmaker, and calligrapher, it was through his woodblock prints that he gained international acclaim. Munakata's work draws from the traditional art of Ukiyo-e, woodblock prints, so important to European artists such as Claude Monet and Vincent van Gogh. Inspired by the Impressionists, Munakata, forged an identity for himself by personalizing and expanding the Ukiyo-e process. An artist who responded to the nature and characteristics of his materials, Munakata belonged to a movement called "Mingei" or "popular art," which looked back to Japanese pre-industrial traditions where anonymous craftsmen--or artists who did not purposefully stress their own individuality-celebrated the beauty and integrity of natural materials. For Munakata, the wood that he transformed into art through his woodblock prints, became a central theme, as is evident from his references to the "way of the woodblock," or the "blood vein of the woodblock." A pioneer of modern Japanese art, Munakata was the first Japanese artist to gain international recognition in the post-war period. In 1952, Munakata was awarded a special prize for excellence at the 2nd International Woodblock Print Exhibition held in Lugano, Switzerland. He took the top prize in the Ṣo Paulo Bienal in 1955, and in 1956 he received the International Woodblock Print Award at the 28th Venice Biennial, further establishing himself as a world-class artist. In the 1950s and 60s, Munakata contributed to the promotion of cultural exchange between Japan and the United States during a series of exhibitions, demonstrations of traditional woodprint techniques, and university lectures in Philadelphia, Boston, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Seattle, St. Louis, New York, Cleveland, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. The Philadelphia Museum of Art Philadelphia has the only full set of the first seven lithographs Munakata ever produced, made in Philadelphia during his visit in March 1959. A definitive, bilingual catalogue accompanying Munakata will be co-authored by Felice Fischer, Luther W. Brady Curator of Japanese Art and Curator of East Asian Art, Philadelphia Museum of Art; Robert T. Singer, Curator and Head, Japanese Art Department at LACMA; Hollis Goodall, Associate Curator of Japanese Art at LACMA; and Kawai Masatomo, Professor of Japanese Art History, at Keio University, Tokyo, and a leading scholar in Japanese ink-painting studies. *** James Mundie http://missioncreep.com/mundie/index.htm ------------------------------ From: "bemason" Date: Tue, 18 Dec 2001 16:19:02 -0800 Subject: [Baren 16526] Re: Fw: Re: Baren Digest V17 #1656 John, Blocks are carved a little more deeply for woodblock printed in Hanga, things are wet and swell so tiny shallow lines that print well in oil don't print as well in hanga. they tend to fill in a bit with pigment. If you are carving in lino, I am not sure how that would work. The linoblocks available here have presboard backing and eventually really swell up when they get wet, so printing them in hanga is a problem also. Otherwise the printing looks similar. I have printed blocks both ways and find oil easier, especially for blended rolls, you know, that subtle change from one color to another seamlessly. It is a lot harder to do with hanga, but very beautiful. Also, a press is faster, usually. But if you don't have one, hanga is easier to print than oil. I could try it for you, although there is no question that Wanda is a better printer in hanga than I am. I learned but didn't practice like she has. I loved learning, though and would sure take more classes, just for the fun of being around it. I have all the stuff!!! Barbara > I would like to see one of my blocks printed in the japanese methiod by some > one who prints on the same level as i do in the western manner just to see > the difference between the two prints from the same matrix. > > John Center > ------------------------------ From: "bemason" Date: Tue, 18 Dec 2001 16:21:08 -0800 Subject: [Baren 16527] Munakanta exhibition advance notice Jim, When this happens, please remember your friends who would like to get this catalog....let us know when it is available. Barbara > A definitive, bilingual catalogue accompanying Munakata will be > co-authored > by Felice Fischer, Luther W. Brady Curator of Japanese Art and Curator of > East Asian Art, Philadelphia Museum of Art; Robert T. Singer, Curator and > Head, Japanese Art Department at LACMA; Hollis Goodall, Associate Curator > of Japanese Art at LACMA; and Kawai Masatomo, Professor of Japanese Art > History, at Keio University, Tokyo, and a leading scholar in Japanese > ink-painting studies. > James Mundie ------------------------------ From: "David Stones" Date: Wed, 19 Dec 2001 13:34:54 +0900 Subject: [Baren 16528] Re: Content Dear All, While noting Jean's comments (and understanding the reasons) it may come as bad news that this "traditional" printer much appreciates information on a variety of non-woodblock print but-related-to-it subjects on [Baren]. I've just opened a website and went through hell and high water in a crash-study to "correct" it to something I would like to show printer- folk. I had one airport paperback in English... Already I've received some positive interest that will certainly promote present-day woodblock. (Positive help today: Rob's info on images - but which IS the choice to set the scanner: "Watercolours"? "Photos"? etc. before we even have and image to send? - I've found "Photos" set "Sharp" on the pro scanner they let me use)... Scanner? Today is my "day off" and I go to the 21st century. To do battle, at a post-Edo printing co., with the Mac... Illustrator, Photoshop Quark and others. It's all in Japanese on-screen and my reading isn't the best... so some comments on these programs or where to get website info augments my 8-book library of "Dummies" books and helps us folk not living in the English-speaking world. All such info finally goes TO woodblock prints/woodblock in general as it helps me create (a book one day?) - market or just promote my disappearing craft. And if any lurkers are out there saying this discussion isn't worthy of [Baren] space please contact me off-line - you don't know the half of it! So, whether it be computers or oily ink, I'm ready to browse the mails... if I don't have an interest it gets deleted but I'm pretty sure that most people who post on [Baren] do so out of the wish to help others... ...and in return maybe (my) old-fashioned, print one at a time and chuck out the clock, while sitting on the floor methods may interest some as yet, keyboard-bound future printer... Thanks for your (non-print?) time on this memo. Dave S ------------------------------ From: Ray Hudson Date: Wed, 19 Dec 2001 05:41:46 -0500 Subject: [Baren 16529] Munakata!! Regarding the upcoming Munakata show: Wow! I'm packing my bags. Thanks, Jim, for the advanced notice. Ray H ------------------------------ From: "Diane Tigue" Date: Wed, 19 Dec 2001 06:56:39 -0600 Subject: [Baren 16530] Re: Fw: Re: Baren Digest V17 #1656 I agree with John - I don't mind side issues because they are informative too. I'm on a terrier list and people are as cross as two sticks lately. Let's lighten up - on the humorous side I just did my first "Japanese" woodcut. All went well until the inking - el stinko. I resorted to the old roll up method but I will perservere. diane - ----- Original Message ----- From: > i personally am not bothered if one talks about related issues. Marketing is > also important if wants to be a secausful artist. Many people have > different things they need to know. Please do not be so judgemental what > you might need to others might know already. They best resposnce is to ask > questions etc. I personally like the other subjects and am not bothered > by things i know already. > I would like to see one of my blocks printed in the japanese methiod by some > one who prints on the same level as i do in the western manner just to see > the difference between the two prints from the same matrix. > > John Center ------------------------------ End of Baren Digest V17 #1659 *****************************