Baren Digest                Monday, 30 June 2003        Volume 23 : Number 2282


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From: "Joseph Sheridan" <sheridanpsm#msn.com>
Date: Sun, 29 Jun 2003 14:56:49 -0400
Subject: [Baren 21999] Re: Keeping focus 

Fellow Members -- my thoughts on the focus.

I have loved and collected Japanese prints for some years. Just a few 
short years ago, one would have to mine for information on artists. The 
internet has certainly helped and recently more and more books have been 
recently published on the subject. BUT I could find almost nothing on 
the actual process of the technique.

Then I found Dave's website, became a member of Baren and joyed at the 
addition of the Baren Mall. To you folks who use other techniques, I 
can't tell you what it meant to find all this information laid out in 
front of me. Dave's site, the one point lessons, the library etc. 
inspired and empowered me to try this technique.

So I NEED the focus of Baren to always return to the Japanese technique. 
I admit, and please forgive me for doing so, I sometimes delete messages 
with subjects of solvents, solar and presses in their titles. 
Oil and water may not may mix but they certainly lead to interesting 
conversation and wonderful exchanges! It's a great group because of all 
our imput! But I like it best when we speak of hanga.

Joe


 
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From: Jsf73#aol.com
Date: Sun, 29 Jun 2003 15:17:18 EDT
Subject: [Baren 22000] Re: Keeping focus 


I will add my support for those who believe that Baren should focus 
predominently on Hanga style printing. When I found Daves web site I was astounded that 
he was so willing to share his knowledge while receiving nothing in return.

I am a member of several other forums and web sites related to different 
activities and no one is so generous with their kknowledge and time. Some sites 
require substantial payment for dubious techinical information in return.

Most inportantly, I found no other sites related to hanga printing techniques 
anywhere on the net, while I was able to find numerous sites on most other 
printing techniques. So hanga should be the prime focus of this forum.

However, that being said, aside from hanga technique I am interested in 
discussion of art theory as to what you should use the hanga technique for 
different works and when such techniques are not appropriate to use. While I like the 
Shin hanga landscapes of Hiroshi and Toshi Yoshida, i also love Toshi 
Yoshida's abstracts and I was really taken by the work of Michael Scheider. I would 
love to see more of such works that stretch the boundaries of hanga. 

It is great to preserve a technique that has been in use for hundreds of 
years, and while such an effort is noble, times change and so too has Moku Hanga 
printing. In an age of digital printing it is good to see how many people are 
using digital design capabilities to enhance their Hanga printmaking.

I hope to be a member of this forum for many years to come and look forward 
to many discussions with everyone here even if you must throw in some oily 
speak.

John Furr



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From: Ray Hudson <rhudson#together.net>
Date: Sun, 29 Jun 2003 15:36:21 -0400
Subject: [Baren 22001] ah, practice 

I was struck by several things at the summit.  Not the least of them was
the inclusiveness of the gathering: oil and water can mix quite
harmoneously.  Although I print with water, it's not the moku hanga
technique.  I found the various demonstrations and simultaneous work of
the moku hanga folks stimulating.   The print I did trying this
technique looked a bit like dirty dishwater.  Michael's statement that
"if technical skills are not sufficient to realize the idea adquately,
practice on the technique comes first" reaffirms what I saw everyone at
the summit attempting.  Discussions on Baren regarding oil technique are
of interest to me in that I adapt them to the problems I'm confronting
with my own work which now includes moku hanga, however flimsy &
uncertain.  I especially relish a posting when a moku hanga practioner
delivers some words of wisdom.
Always staring over,
Ray

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From: Barbara Mason <barbaramason45#yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 29 Jun 2003 16:29:32 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [Baren 22002] Re: (no subject) 


Reneea,
Good to see you here! You will really enjoy this group! How soon
can we convert you to water based printing? I am giving a class
on Tuesday nights this fall at PAN...come down and learn how to
do this! The best part is it is portable....you know how hard it
is to carry that press around with you!

Reneea is one of my favorite people, to know her is to love her!
But she lives almost to Mt Hood....really far from me so we do
not see each other very often. She runs a plant nursery with her
husband...so if you have gardening questions, save her address
for off list questions! Best to all, Barbara

Reneeaugrin#aol.com wrote:
>Dear Bareners and Barenesses,
>
>I have been lurking about for a while now and have enjoyed the
>lively discussions, passionate debates and intelligent
>camaraderie of Baren.
>
>I have been working with woodblock printmaking for 25 + years and
>am delighted to find a group of fellow enthusiasts.
>
>I usually use oily inks (and vegetable oil for cleaning up), but
>would love to learn more about moku hanga.  I once attempted this
>beautiful method in college and am inspired by 'you all' to  try
>it again.
>
>Thank you all for sending so many inspiring links of woodblock
>work.
>
>Renee in Damascus, Oregon

PS.   Hi Barbara M. ! 



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From: JMartin906#aol.com
Date: Sun, 29 Jun 2003 22:32:19 EDT
Subject: [Baren 22003] hanga and oil printing 



I have been making both oil based prints and hanga prints in the last few 
years.  I have really liked the idea that I could participate in an exchange on 
baren in either medium.  I agree with the folks who are staying "don't fix it 
if it ain't broke".  

Hello to Renee.  I live in outside of Carver...

Suzi Sutherland-Martin  


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From: Jan Telfer <jtelfer#iinet.net.au>
Date: Mon, 30 Jun 2003 11:43:44 +0800
Subject: [Baren 22004] Re: Indented woodblock 

Dear Everyone,

Thank you for your responses to my indented block.

The block I was using was a Shina 3 ply, thicker than I normally use 
and I had finely sanded it initially.
The offending section was between two smalled carved areas and I 
thought that I had caught a bit of flotsom and jetsom in the carved 
points, or the edges were raised but that wasn't the case either.

Richard...


> Your problem is most likely your flat baren. Dave
> showed me how my baren was flat and so I had less
> power and control. The solution is to shim it with a
> few circles of washi (of succesively smaller size)
> between the coil and the backing. So when you re-cover
> the baren with the bamboo sheath the baren surface has
> a slightly rounded crest. The improved use is
> impressive.


I used my large Japanese coilled barens, John Root's barens from 
Bootcamp 2001 and his new ones from 2002 but even they didn't "fix it" 
unless I applied specific pressure to that finger print area and rather 
than putting too much pressure on with any baren it was just as 
efficient to use my finger pressure on that small annoying point.


>  Did I mention I re-covered my baren half
> a dozen times last week?


Well, done Richard.  did you have to use your tongue too, like my 
Bootcamp photos show?

The dent wasn't evident when I sanded the block or cut it but only 
after I started printing with the larger roller and baren, even now 
because I know it is there I can just pick it out.

thank you everyone for your suggestions.

Jan


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From: Jan Telfer <jtelfer#iinet.net.au>
Date: Mon, 30 Jun 2003 11:59:12 +0800
Subject: [Baren 22005] Re: Oily printers 

Philip wrote:


> The oily technique does require a press but it's so
> enjoyable to see those rich blacks come up in one pass.


I am both an oily and a hanga printer, Philip,  and I never use a press, 
but hand print all my woodblocks with a baren and use both traditional 
and European papers for both techniques although prefer Japanese papers 
for hanga.  But never use a press.

I don't even overload my oily blocks with ink either so that they are 
very "squishy" .. that really grates on me, but use a finely rolled 
thin layer of ink and then print it with shoulder pressure at a waist 
high table.


> Multi color prints, hanga, seem to be trying to imitate
> water color painting.
> Limited color prints and black on   white are far more
> effective I think. It's the design that's important,
> technique  comes second.
>

Technique is important in every art form.  Striving for cutting and 
printing perfection is important, but art is art and design should rate 
in equal proportions to everything else that  you are striving for, 
whether it be in oil, hanga, drawing  or painting.

My Mum always said "If it is worth doing it is worth doing well"

Jan


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From: Bette Wappner <bettewappner#earthlink.net>
Date: Mon, 30 Jun 2003 00:23:31 -0400
Subject: [Baren 22006] Re: Keeping focus 

John Furr and all: 

John, I am so pleased to have met you at the Summit.  You are so nice,
funny, a gentleman, and a wonderfully talented artist- even your beautiful
"ginko piece" at the Summit was beautiful.

I too am interested in the Moku Hanga technique which is specialized to this
group.   

New techniques are important as well as concentrating on the traditional
Moku Hanga Japanese Technique which got us to where we are today.

Bette Wappner




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End of Baren Digest V23 #2282
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