Baren Digest              Wednesday, 6 August 2003      Volume 24 : Number 2331


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Message removed due to comments not related to printmaking


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From: Julio.Rodriguez#walgreens.com
Date: Tue, 5 Aug 2003 14:03:23 -0500
Subject: [Baren 22457] Re: Baren Digest V24 #2327 

Welcome Tony and Brad....you'll find the website full of great printmaking 
stuff and the discussion group is...well...dare I say titillating ???

Re political statements and the such on Baren.... as a printmaker I 
sometimes endeavor to put a little bit of my views into the work I do, 
alas, had I wanted to be a writer, I be putting down the same thoughts 
into words. While the forum's discussion guidelines excludes far outakes 
into  religious and political discussion.....there is plenty of room for 
self-expression in the prints we create and share.

Following that line,  exchange #17, War & Peace should be quite 
illuminating  {;-)

thanks....Julio Rodriguez (Skokie, Illinois)

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From: "Brad Teare" <tearebl#ldschurch.org>
Date: Tue, 05 Aug 2003 15:00:32 -0600
Subject: [Baren 22458] Stiff ink charset=us-ascii 

What's the best way to stiffen ink? I am printing with cherry blocks using 
Daniel Smith oil relief ink. I use miracle gel occasionally and have a tin 
of Hanco Setswell compound (though I don't know how to use it really).



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From: FurryPressII#aol.com
Date: Tue, 5 Aug 2003 17:46:24 EDT
Subject: [Baren 22459] Re: Stiff ink 


Magnesium carbonate will stiffen oil based ink.  It will also make it more 
opaque.  You could also use some litho ink as it is stiffer than Smith's ink.

graphic chem has mag. carbonate.

john


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From: David Bull <davebull#woodblock.com>
Date: Wed, 6 Aug 2003 07:06:22 +0900
Subject: [Baren 22460] Re: Introduction 

Brad wrote:

> My name is Brad Teare and I have recently subscribed to Baren. I work 
> in the European  tradition, using oil based inks and brayers.


> Six months ago I decided to fuse my two interests and began block 
> printing small landscapes.


Brad sent me an image of one of his prints ...   Brad, so everybody can 
get a chance to see the interesting work you are doing, I've put it up 
where we can all see it, here:
http://barenforum.org/temporary/brad_teare.jpg

You said:

> ... not being able to hold a crisp line in the last blocks


Is it only the final blocks that have this problem? Not the earlier ones?

Dave


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From: "Maria Arango" <maria#mariarango.com>
Date: Tue, 5 Aug 2003 15:27:13 -0700
Subject: [Baren 22461] RE: crisp lines and stiff ink 

Brad, welcome! Very nice work, I enjoy landscapes when they "say" something.

Regarding crisp lines on blocks, I have found that as oil-based ink builds
up on the edges of cut areas in the block I need to run a "cleaning" print
once in a while. What works best for me is a damp blotter or several sheets
of newsprint, run every 10 prints or so without reinking the block. Works
miracles. Also watch for build up on the roller/brayer, after several prints
sometimes I notice that I'm building up too much ink on the roller with the
same number of passes (which I don't count like I should), just eliminate
the extra ink by rolling on a sheet of newsprint.

Also, sometimes the crisp-culprit for me is the bottom sheets of a damp
paper pile, not built up ink on the block. When the paper sits on a pile of
dampened paper, the bottom sheets tend to remain a bit damper than the top.
Those extra damp sheets tend to print a bit fuzzier.

For stiffening inks, either calcium carbonate or whiting will work (might be
the same thing?). Sometimes I dislike adding opacity to the ink and I use
plate oil instead, #7 is quite thick and adds/keeps transparency.

Maria

PS I know that conversation is over, but the woodcut folks who first dropped
my jaw were the Italian chiaroscuro guys in 16th century woodcuts, Ugo da
Carpi being the principal, but also Antonio Fantuzzi, Rossigliano...there
are others. After them, I saw nothing but contrast, Caravaggio and Goya
remain my all time favorite for the drama in their works, while Van Gogh and
Munch continue to inspire the insanity behind the energy in many of my
works. All in all, while I admire meticulous craftsmanship, for me it is
energy emanating from an image that grabs me by the lapels and smacks me in
the face. In viewing art, I like to be smacked.

<||><||><||><||><||><||><||>
Maria Arango
maria#mariarango.com
Las Vegas Nevada USA
http://www.1000woodcuts.com
<||><||><||><||><||><||><||>



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From: Mike Lyon <mikelyon#mlyon.com>
Date: Tue, 05 Aug 2003 17:31:43 -0500
Subject: [Baren 22462] Re: crisp lines and stiff ink 

At 03:27 PM 8/5/2003 -0700, Maria Arango wrote:

>plate oil instead, #7 is quite thick and adds/keeps transparency.


But plate oil also leaches into the paper and tends to first oil it, then 
'burn' it, eventually brittle it, and ultimately destroy it over 
time...  You should see some of my early plate-oil-in-the-ink prints 
now!  I don't 'feel' as old as those heavily toned papers look!  A little 
varnish might be a better choice?

- -- Mike


Mike Lyon
mailto:mikelyon#mlyon.com
http://www.mlyon.com  

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From: Barbara Mason <barbaramason45#yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 5 Aug 2003 18:22:39 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [Baren 22463] Setswell  


Brad

Setswell is an ink modifier, it loosens the ink. It was
originally designed to allow you to print large flat areas of
color over other large areas smoothly. I have used it in my ink
for viscosity printing for years, I use it up to 25% although the
recommended usage is 5%. I have not had any noticable change in
the paper or ink in 20 years so think it is a safe modifier. I
would use it with litho ink.,You might have better luck with
litho ink instead of the relief ink. Most printers I know use
litho for relief printing instead of the relief ink. It is easier
to control and has a lot more pigment in it, I recommend the
Handschy ink from Graphic Chemical. You can add a lot of
transparent base and still have intense color. I have printed
lots of woodblocks using ink with setswell and transparent base
added, the secret is thin layers of ink. Better to print a block
twice than to have the ink too thick. Hope this helps.

Best to all,

Barbara



>Brad Teare <tearebl#ldschurch.org> wrote: What's the best way to
>stiffen ink? I am printing with cherry blocks using Daniel Smith
>oil relief ink. I use miracle gel occasionally and have a tin of
>Hanco Setswell compound (though I don't know how to use it
>really).





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From: Barbara Mason <barbaramason45#yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 5 Aug 2003 18:36:08 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [Baren 22464] Paul Furneaux 


Baren Friends,

As I am sure you have heard, Paul's studio burned this last fall.
Wanda, Sharri and I had the pleasure of meeting Paul when we were
in Edinbourgh in the summer of 2002 for the Text Messages exhibit
(and vacation of course).

I have written to Paul several times asking if there is anything
we can do for him as I know he has been pretty depressed. He lost
all his tools and his life's work in the fire. Friends from
around the world have sent him things and he is slowly getting
going again. He will be doing a residency at the Conemporary
Print Center this fall. Where Mike Lyon will be teaching in
Conneticut. As of my last request if he needed anything, he said

"If you feel it would still be appropriate and any of the forum
members wanted to send a piece of wood or a sheet of paper they
would be greatly received.Perhaps 12x16 or 9x12 inches would be a
good size for the wood?I certainly will not feel offended in any
way if this would be an inappropriate request ."

So if you are feeling generous and want to help Paul out, send
any extra stuff to

Center For Contemporary Printmaking
     Mathews Park ,299 West Ave.
     Norwalk CT.06850 
 
I am sending him a couple of sheets of paper and a couple of
tools I have duplicates of. Do not ask me how I managed to buy
the same tool twice, I have no idea how I did that! Best to all,
Barbara


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From: Chromoxylo#aol.com
Date: Wed, 6 Aug 2003 00:24:34 EDT
Subject: [Baren 22465] Re: Stiff ink 



An old time ink maker told me to use rice starch which works very well if 
mixed thoroughly. You don't need very much to thicken the ink but using a muller 
to mix it would be a good idea.

Paul Ritscher


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From: Barbara Mason <barbaramason45#yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 5 Aug 2003 23:00:51 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [Baren 22466] Re: Stiff ink 

Paul, I tried mixing some of the neri-zumi black ink from the
Baren Mall with Akua Kolor Black to try to get it darker and it
did work. I don't know if there is any starch in this but it did
get thicker. Do you think any starch would work or only rice?

Dave, Do you know what is in this neri-zumi? Is there any starch?
It is the most amazing black I have ever seen. I know it is sumi
concentrate, but what is in sumi ink????? Barbara

>Chromoxylo#aol.com wrote: An old time ink maker told me to use
>rice starch which works very well if mixed thoroughly. You don't
>need very much to thicken the ink but using a muller to mix it
>would be a good idea.

Paul Ritscher 



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End of Baren Digest V24 #2331
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