Baren Digest Friday, 10 October 2003 Volume 25 : Number 2402 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Cucamongie#aol.com Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2003 09:12:29 EDT Subject: [Baren 23017] war & peace exchange just wanted to say BRAVO to the people in the war & peace exchange, strong work, all! best wishes Sarah ------------------------------ From: richard stockham Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2003 08:50:29 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [Baren 23018] refreshing reduction print transfer Does anybody had a suggestion about how to refresh the image transfer after the second or third impression of a reduction print. I have only done two impressions (out of a planned twelve impressions), but the original transfer is getting faint and difficult to see, which makes the carving much more iffy. I am sure it will be long gone by the time I get to the twelfth. If there's no saving it and it turns out to be a do-over, anybody have any suggestion for next time? Richard Stockham Birmingham, Alabama ------------------------------ From: Mike Lyon Date: Thu, 09 Oct 2003 13:17:54 -0500 Subject: [Baren 23019] Re: refreshing reduction print transfer At 08:50 AM 10/9/2003 -0700, Richard Stockham wrote: Does anybody had a suggestion about how to refresh the image transfer after the second or third impression of a reduction print. I have only done two impressions (out of a planned twelve impressions), but the original transfer is getting faint and difficult to see, which makes the carving much more iffy. I am sure it will be long gone by the time I get to the twelfth. If there's no saving it and it turns out to be a do-over, anybody have any suggestion for next time? Hi, Richard... Of course you just _knew_ you'd hear from me on this one, right? As you may already be aware, I use toner transfers (laserjet or xerox copies) and I make sure that my registration marks (kento in my case) are included in the copies to be transferred. You can read Nick Semenoff's wonderful discussion of toners (oriented toward lithography) here: http://duke.usask.ca/~semenoff/toner.htm One of my 'secrets' is that I do NOT transfer toner where the ink goes, but rather transfer toner only to the parts I want to carve away, so the toner doesn't touch the printing surfaces. (toner reduces the absorbancy of the surface, and hence prints lighter than the bare wood). After the block has been carved to the first state, subsequent states can be kept in tight register by trimming the duplicate plans exactly to the kento and registering them (I hold them in place with a bit of masking tape) to the carved kento. And you needn't use toner -- just plan ahead when you make your next image and hold onto your original plan with registration right on the drawing. You can then use carbon paper to trace your design onto your carved blocks over and over as you carve and print. I imagine that you could also use traditional or modern hanshita (paper bearing the plan is pasted to the block), but you will have to be very careful not to allow the hanshita to be pushed into the carved areas during pasting which would deform the hanshita and ruin the registration. Another 'secret' of mine is that I use a press with the block face down on the bed in order to transfer -- this way there is no deformation of the toner-bearing 'plan'. Here's how I do my toner transfers: First I dampen a sheet of blotter paper with lacquer thinner (or a cocktail of lacquer thinner and acetone mixed 50/50 -- certain toners require different solvents) and lay it on the press. Then Iay my toner copy 'plan' face up (toner up) on top of the blotter. Then I lay the block, face down, on top of the plan. Then I lay blankets on top of the block and run it through the press under relatively LIGHT pressure. Then I immediately (before the solvents can evaporate) remove the plan from the block and... VOILA! One thing, though... Actually, I register the block to the plan (toner against the wood) and use two little pieces of masking tape to hold it at the kento and lay that 'sandwich' down onto the solvent dampened blotter as I described. Even with my VERY black toner transfers, it can become hard to discern where the toner has been applied after printing very dark colors (like straight sumi), so after printing and before transferring the next design, I usually scrub my block with a brush and a little water, then rinse under running water and immediately dry it with an old towel I keep just for the purpose. Then I use a hair dryer to evaporate surface moisture and allow the block to dry before transferring the next plan... Hope this helps or gives you the germ of an idea you can use... - -- Mike Mike Lyon mailto:mikelyon#mlyon.com http://www.mlyon.com ------------------------------ From: Mike Lyon Date: Thu, 09 Oct 2003 14:16:48 -0500 Subject: [Baren 23020] Shellac and Squeegee My note about toner reminded me of something interesting I'd intended to share with you earlier (but maybe already know all about this)... I'm talking about moku-hanga now (pigments in water and paste), not 'oil-based' printmaking. I'd experimented with this years ago and had forgotten all about it until Tony Kirk at the Center for Contemporary Printmaking showed me one of Helen Frankenthaller's 'reject' blocks from a long-ago print... The Frankenthaller block was a big piece of fir plywood with a thick coat of varnish covering portions (among other alterations)... The effect of the the varnish was to reduce the amount of watercolor transferred during printing. Paul Furneaux had used this technique in some of the prints he was doing in the weeks before I arrived. In one of his more successful prints, one element was a block with a large oval varnished onto the surface and then Paul had scratched into the varnish with something sharp leaving some narrow criss-crossed lines like you might make on an engraving plate with a burin. I never got to watch Paul print, but I imagine that he brushed up this block as usual with pigment all over and then wiped the whole thing with a squeegee. When he printed (by press or by hand, the effect would be similar), the varnished areas were MUCH lighter than the non-varnished areas, and there were very sharp dark intaglio-printed lines where the scratches in the varnish held pigment under the squeegee... Very interesting effect and seems to be a natural technique to translate sort of etchings Barbara Mason likes to make into moku-hanga... Anyway, one of my students at CCP, Deborah Flavin, used shellac to paint her block and then experimented by brushing up and printing the entire block, brushing up and squeegeeing and printing, shellacking some more over the top of what had already been shellacked (giving much sharper contrast between lights and darks), etc. She made some very interesting and beautiful prints! It appears to me that 'traditional' moku-hanga reduction prints (now there's an oxy-moron: traditional Ukiyo-e reduction printing) can be made entirely without knives, using only shellac or other smooth and non-absorbent material to 'reduce' the block. Use of the squeegee to wipe the block REALLY enhances the difference between the treated and untreated areas... So those of you suffering tendonitis or carpal tunnel or who have so many band-aids that you can't feel your carving tools anymore or those those who hate to sharpen and prefer to use brute force to drag their blunt-nosed tool through the wood... There's hope! :-) - -- Mike Mike Lyon mailto:mikelyon#mlyon.com http://www.mlyon.com ------------------------------ From: richard stockham Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2003 13:28:04 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [Baren 23021] Re: refreshing reduction print transfer Thanks, Mike. That helps alot. I think your carbon paper suggestion will resolve my current issues quite nicely, thanks. One part I'm still a little fuzzy on is where you say: One of my 'secrets' is that I do NOT transfer toner where the ink goes, but rather transfer toner only to the parts I want to carve away, so the toner doesn't touch the printing surfaces. How do you only transfer toner to very narrow parts that you intend to carve away? Thanks again. Richard Stockham Birmingham, Alabama ------------------------------ From: FurryPressII#aol.com Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2003 16:36:10 EDT Subject: [Baren 23022] Re: Shellac and Squeegee I use shellac on some of my blocks when the wood wants to splinter and that cuts down the tendency for the wood to tear. I would never have used it if I only carved maple blocks. But one of the side benefits is that it seals the wood and you can see your transferred toner image even if you printed it in black as the ink does not stain the wood. john center ------------------------------ From: richard stockham Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2003 14:04:29 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [Baren 23023] Re: Shellac and Squeegee Mike, That is an interesting technique. Up until Dave Bull told me differently at your place this summer I thought it was necessary to seal all blocks before printing or they would warp. In fact Marco and I spent half a day driving around Kansas City looking for spar vanrish to seal our blocks. The 'problem' was we could only find urethane spar varnish. The reason I did not want urethane varnish was that I had had an occasion where I had used it before and the ink kept beading up on the plate even when I didn't want it to. This resulted in something like a goma zuri effect, even though I used a good amount of paste. Turns out that the difference was not whether it was urethane varnish or not, but whether the varnish had a gloss or matte finish. Your post suggested to me that my 'problem' turns out to be a useable technique. Thanks. Richard Stockham Birmingham, Alabama P.S. without the sealant the blocks do warp more noticably, but then, its always something. __________________________________ From: "Kristine Alder" Date: Thu, 09 Oct 2003 15:23:05 -0600 Subject: [Baren 23024] Re: Storage/display of New Year's prints Liz, The first postcard exchange I was in put the prints into polypropelene photo protection sheets.The 4 x 6 postcard format fits into the prepared sheets perfectly. Those that were not of the uniform size I placed into regular sheet protectors. I put all of them into a three-ring photo album. This has worked well for browsing through the prints without spoiling them, as I take it to school with me periodically and allow my students to linger over the prints. Since I also create handmade books, I have bound other sets of postcard prints into handmade albums. The prints are attached to the pages with an archival adhesive. (I have also experimented with dry mount tissue, but I am not pleased at losing some of the embossing on the prints.) Rice and wheat paste gives out after the pages are turned several times, depending on the type of paper the prints are on. ThenI bind the pages into the album. I have used a traditional Japanese stab binding as types of binidings. It's very rewarding to create a showcase piece for the fun little prints. For other exchange prints I have also created handmade portfolio cases to hold them. I do like the book or album best however, because it holds the promise of something special with each turn of the page. My two cents I guess. Kris Logan UT From: "Liz Horton" >Hi, everyone- > >The beautiful New Year's prints I've received from all of you have been >languishing in file folders because I can't figure out what's the best way >to store/display/keep them. What are all of you doing with yours? Does >anyone make their own albums? I'd love to hear about what designs or >structures work best. ------------------------------ From: "Robert Canaga" Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2003 14:34:56 -0700 Subject: [Baren 23025] Re: refreshing reduction print transfer Why not do as many transfers as you are reductions??? RC >- ----- Original Message ----- >From: "richard stockham" >To: >Sent: Thursday, October 09, 2003 8:50 AM >Subject: [Baren 23018] refreshing reduction print transfer > >Does anybody had a suggestion about how to refresh the >image transfer after the second or third impression of >a reduction print. I have only done two impressions >(out of a planned twelve impressions), but the >original transfer is getting faint and difficult to >see, which makes the carving much more iffy. I am sure >it will be long gone by the time I get to the twelfth. >If there's no saving it and it turns out to be a >do-over, anybody have any suggestion for next time? > >Richard Stockham >Birmingham, Alabama > > > ------------------------------ From: Mike Lyon Date: Thu, 09 Oct 2003 17:58:07 -0500 Subject: [Baren 23026] Re: refreshing reduction print transfer >At 01:28 PM 10/9/2003 -0700, Richard Stockham wrote: >How do you only transfer toner to very narrow parts >that you intend to carve away? Not a problem with carbon paper, Richard, but with toner, I make EVERYTHING which is to be carved black (regardless whether it's already been carved or not), so I needn't worry about exactly where I may have under or over carved a bit in prior states. Then I transfer as previously described and, because the block has already been carved, the toner only gets transferred in those areas which have not already been carved (the places to carve next)... I called it a 'secret' because it seems a little bit indirect -- that is, even though it's so simple, it wasn't immediately obvious and I had a big "AH-HA" when it came to me. I make a different toner sheet for each state -- that is, the entire print is planned in advance. If I don't plan in advance, then I needn't worry about any 'plan' -- I just carve where I feel I ought to. - -- Mike Mike Lyon mailto:mikelyon#mlyon.com http://www.mlyon.com ------------------------------ From: Salsbury Date: Thu, 09 Oct 2003 19:24:26 -0500 Subject: [Baren 23027] war peace prints Just looked at the war and peace exchange and they are terrific. Makes me wish I was better at this game and could participate. Yes, I know all levels are acceptable. I just can't get past my own negative impute on my wood cuts. It's much easier to toss them in the trash than to send them out into the world with my name on them. I found the discussion on paper quite interesting. I am always amazed to hear people talk about the cost of the paper. My rule of thumb is always buy the best paper for the print/project with out regard to price. You can always test on news print, but the real work should be done on good paper, that is suitable to the print. What good is an exceptional print done on a less suitable paper because it cost less. I am not saying that expensive paper is better. I am suggesting that cost should not be the main concern. We all have priorities and it's a matter of where we want to spend our money. My paper money comes from the cigarets that I have never smoked and the alcohol I don't consume in bars. No I am not a prude or pointing a finger. These are things that I can point to and say that's my paper money that I am saving up. I also know that I spend more money having lunch with friends over the course of the year than a few sheets of very expensive paper would cost. I would suggest to the newest printer on the block to use the best paper suited to the piece you are working on. Remember your work carries your name for ever. And besides after I have been dead for a couple hundred years, one of my prints could be worth twice the cost of the paper. ;-) Sue Salsbury Waterloo, IA. ------------------------------ From: Bette Wappner Date: Thu, 09 Oct 2003 20:39:47 -0400 Subject: [Baren 23028] Re: war peace prints Sue, you say you wish you could participate. Have you 'ever' participated in an exchange? I guess I could look thru previous exchanges, but its easier to just ask you! I agree with you on the paper issue. Using quality paper is key. Now saying that....I better order some quality paper for upcoming exchanges. Maria said in a few postings ago that she also concentrates on doing her 'best' for exchanges. I agree. Now if only I can say that I 'do' that! Since I've only done one exchange, but signed up for several now, that is my goal, and I think its a good one. Of all the people we want to submit our best to, it should be our colleagues. If we can achieve that, then the public should get the same quality as well. Once again, proud to be a part of this group. Nice to hear from you Sue - another Iowa girl! Bette Wappner ------------------------------ End of Baren Digest V25 #2402 *****************************