--- Go to the Opening Page of the [Baren] web site ---

Message 1
From: Mike Lyon
Date: Tue, 06 Jan 2004 08:04:32 -0600
Subject: [Baren 23810] Re: shunga exchange #19
Send Message: To this poster

At 10:22 PM 1/5/2004 -0500, John Center wrote:
>Just a reminder the date for dropping out has passed and the due date is
>approching. The pillows are due feb 1st. ...as we came to no conclusion
>on if they should be bound or not I am going to treat it like a normal
>exchange and if you want to bind it i will leave that up to you .

Exchange #19 participants: If you would like to purchase a ($30, a great
value, and beautiful!) portfolio case for your exchange prints, please
order one IMMEDIATELY at
http://www.barenforum.org/mall/products/exchange_cases.html -- please DO
write into the "Special instructions/comments (if any):" field that the
case is for EXCHANGE #19 CHUBAN.

There are five eager-to-print-erotic-image people on the #19 waiting list
(well... SOME of them are eager, I'm sure) -- if you will not be able to
deliver your completed prints by February 1 to John Center in Chicago,
please let him know immediately (TODAY) so that he can draft the 1st
willing wait-lister and we can complete this exchange ON TIME! John
Center's mailing address may be found here:
http://barenforum.org/exchange/exchange_19/exchange_19.html and his
official coordinator's email address is mailto:Coordinator19@BarenForum.org
if you need to contact him directly.

Thanks,

Mike (exchange manager) Lyon

http://mlyon.com

• [Back to message index]

Message 2
From: James G Mundie
Date: Tue, 6 Jan 2004 10:25:01 -0500
Subject: [Baren 23811] Re: counting a limited edition
Send Message: To this poster

Emma Jane Hogbin writes:

> To put it mildly--my printing skills are awful. At
> this point every 1 in ten prints is "acceptable."
>
> My question is this--what do I do with the other nine if I am doing
> a limited edition print? Can I rip them up and pretend they never
> existed and count only the prints which are successful?

By all means, pull the screwed-up prints out and only present your best
work as the edition.
You're in control, so there's no reason to show the world what you
consider to be failures.
I should note that this is one of the reasons why a number in a limited
edition doesn't really
mean anything, because print number two may actually have been the
eleventh print from the block.
It's really just an elaborate construct to preserve our fragile printing
egos. :-D

It may seem like a colossal waste of time and paper to cull the bad ones,
but I think you'll also find it extremely liberating. Also, in time the
number of rejects will lessen as you refine your skills. As others
have mentioned, you may want to hang onto the rejects to use for further
experimenting, collage, etc. I find old rejects especially handy when I
need a piece of paper for a quick proof, but I don't want to 'waste' a
good sheet of paper.

There is another reason to hold aside some of your rejects: several
months down the road you may not be quite as critical of what you first
perceived as a mistake. Sure, a big blob of ink where it shouldn't be is
a major problem, but sometimes it's a minor thing like one area
underprinted a bit so that it doesn't look as strong as the rest of the
edition. With some time and distance, some of the rejects may no longer
look so offensive to the perfectionist in you, and you might want to do
something with them - say, a second hand-colored state or another block
overprinted. Sometimes inspiration needs time to steep, and a
well-rested critical eye can also tell you a great deal about your work
and methods so that you become your own teacher.

Best wishes for a healthy and prosperous new year,
James Mundie
http://www.missioncreep.com/mundie/images/ Prodigies: Anomalous Humans by
James G. Mundie

• [Back to message index]

Message 3
From: FurryPressII # aol.com
Date: Tue, 6 Jan 2004 11:44:06 EST
Subject: [Baren 23812] Re: shunga exchange #19
Send Message: To this poster

I am going to do a wood cut title page and colophon The latter I will not
be able to cut until I know who exactly is in the exchange so if you know
you are not going to get it in please tell me.

john

• [Back to message index]

Message 4
From: Sharri LaPierre
Date: Tue, 6 Jan 2004 09:31:38 -0800
Subject: [Baren 23813] Re: counting a limited edition
Send Message: To this poster

Emma,
Where I come from that is what is known as your "kill rate". It does
get better, but never perfect - at least, not for anyone I know. The
ones that are really, really bad I throw out after tearing in half so
I'm sure they never surface anyplace. Sometimes they go into my
papermaking box. Those that are good in spots go into my collage,
bookmark, box material, possibilities for overprinting/painting, etc.
files. Only the ones that pass muster get signed, numbered and
dispersed. Using rejected prints as underpaintings makes for some very
interesting works :-)

Keep at it, gal - the tenacious bird gets the worm. (I wonder why that
saying never caught on??)

Happy Printing,
Sharri

• [Back to message index]

Message 5
From: Emma Jane Hogbin
Date: Tue, 6 Jan 2004 12:41:32 -0500
Subject: [Baren 23814] Re: counting a limited edition
Send Message: To this poster

Sharri LaPierre wrote:
> Where I come from that is what is known as your "kill rate". It does
> get better, but never perfect - at least, not for anyone I know.

/relieved sigh/ Thanks everyone. :)

> ones that are really, really bad I throw out after tearing in half so
> I'm sure they never surface anyplace.

Agreed. Done. Etc. (Some really are beyond awful.) Some are in the range
of, "Hey! If I use my face as a baren, I wonder if this will print!" ok,
it's not *quite* that bad, but I'm sure you get the idea. :)

> Sometimes they go into my
> papermaking box. Those that are good in spots go into my collage,

Ooo. Collage. Good idea. Some of the prints have good "areas" on them. But
the print is really faint in other corners where I didn't apply enough
pressure. Or one time I peaked and didn't /quite/ get the paper lined up
when I put it back down. I have another one that's all fuzzy because
the ink had dried on the block and the print wouldn't "stick" while
I was rubbing the back. That one's kind of fun. But I would never send it
to another print maker.

I'm sure I could send the botched prints to a publisher and have them make a book
of "this is every single mistake a beginner printer will make." There may
be some money in that...(I bet everyone who's signed up for the monkey
exchange is now emptying out their waste baskets in preparation for my
prints. heeee.)

emma :)

--
Emma Jane Hogbin
[[ 416 417 2868 ][ www.xtrinsic.com ]]

• [Back to message index]

Message 6
From: "Maria Arango"
Date: Tue, 6 Jan 2004 10:27:33 -0800
Subject: [Baren 23815] Re: counting a limited edition
Send Message: To this poster

Sharri, I think the one that stuck is: "The early bird gets the worm"
but my husband is quick to point out: "..but it is the second mouse that
gets the cheese" :-)

Anyhoot, "bad" prints on good paper make a WONDERFUL hand made recycled
paper in tones of gray like the newsprint we proof on and looks so
lovely. Also save a pile of scrap paper for cleaning rollers, cleaning
blocks by running them through the press with scrap paper on them,
sketching new ideas, and finally, my all time favorite...roller
paintings!

Head down, keep plowing...

Maria

• [Back to message index]

Message 7
From: "Maria Arango"
Date: Tue, 6 Jan 2004 17:01:48 -0800
Subject: [Baren 23816] transferring inkjet to block
Send Message: To this poster

Howdy all,

We were discussing a while back different methods of transferring inkjet
printouts to the block and I just thought I would update with a few
things I found. I find this useful because I don't use tracing paper or
hanshita when I do engravings or very detailed woodcuts...or woodcuts
where I know I will use a rotary tool.

The method that worked best for me was to print with my injet on a laser
transparency (for overhead projectors); use _laser_ because the ink
won't hardly adhere to the transparency and therefore will transfer
easily. Inkjet transparencies take up too much of the ink and the
transfer is weak.
Scan drawing or sketch and tweak it until you get only pure black and
whites in a decent resolution (300 suffices). Gray scales will dull your
transfer because the ink from the black will run into the ink from the
grays and you will lose detail.
Print out your scan (reversed!) medium or high resolution on the laser
transparency and quick quick quick, place on smooth dry block carefully.
Takes a bit of practice not to smudge the thing (not me, ahem, just
everyone else).
The ink will transfer almost by itself, but feel free to rub gently with
finger pressure. Any light areas or areas not well defined can be
improved with a spoon. A baren is too much tool for this job and will
make the transparency slip around (not me, again, ahem ahem).
Larger drawings can be split in Photoshop and printed in chunks, since
you are using transparencies, joining them together on the block is not
a problem.

Pronto! Presto! Perfect transfer on your block! ...every time...amazing.
Maria


Maria Arango
www.1000woodcuts.com
Las Vegas Nevada USA

• [Back to message index]

Message 8
From: Charles Morgan
Date: Tue, 06 Jan 2004 19:01:21 -0800
Subject: [Baren 23817] Re: transferring inkjet to block
Send Message: To this poster

Very clever, Maria. Does it help at all to run it through a press, or is
that superfluous?

And how much of the ink comes off? Can you wash the transparency and reuse it?

Cheers ..... Charles

• [Back to message index]

Message 9
From: L Cass
Date: Tue, 06 Jan 2004 22:15:45 -0500
Subject: [Baren 23818] Re: question for Maria
Send Message: To this poster

Hi Maria (and anyone else who sells their blocks)

We had mentioned this a while back and now I have buyers interested in the
blocks but how can you ensure that someone won't be printing from them???
The large x which I've seen used to strike out a metal plate would spoil
the appearance of a nice woodblock - so what do you do??

Thank you Gayle for the handsome old ram and thanks for 2 more monkeys
(John Center's I think) and the large hairy one from? -it's not signed and
I'm afraid I discard the envelopes too hastily so don't remember the
senders - will get to work on my monkey this week now that my show and the
hols have ended!

Happy New Year to all!
Louise Cass


www.LCassArt.com

• [Back to message index]

Message 10
From: "Maria Arango"
Date: Tue, 6 Jan 2004 19:19:30 -0800
Subject: [Baren 23819] Re: transferring inkjet to block
Send Message: To this poster

> Very clever, Maria. Does it help at all to run it through a
> press, or is
> that superfluous?
>
> And how much of the ink comes off? Can you wash the
> transparency and reuse it?
>
> Cheers ..... Charles

I haven't tried to run through the press, I'm afraid that it would slip
ever so slightly and make a blurry mess?
The ink transfers as soon as you place the transparency on the block
since the wood is much more absorbent than plastic :-)

All of the ink comes off, yes you can use and reuse and reuse and reuse
and reuse...

Maria

• [Back to message index]

Message 11
From: "Maria Arango"
Date: Tue, 6 Jan 2004 19:30:44 -0800
Subject: [Baren 23820] Re: question for Maria
Send Message: To this poster

>
>
> Hi Maria (and anyone else who sells their blocks)
>
> We had mentioned this a while back and now I have buyers
> interested in the
> blocks but how can you ensure that someone won't be printing
> from them???
> The large x which I've seen used to strike out a metal plate
> would spoil
> the appearance of a nice woodblock - so what do you do??
>

Hi Louise,

I have had printmakers come up and ask if they could print from them if
they buy them!!! EEEEEEEK...
I use a two part polyurethane resin, called Enviro-Tex Lite. It is
available at any Dick Blick art store or their website www.dickblick.com
or at www.misterart.com

The stuff is probably nasty for you so make sure you have good
ventilation and gloves. Also have alcohol handy because the stuff seems
to get everywhere and it is completely solvent in alcohol while still
wet (I have a cat incident here that I will spare you :-).
Anyhow, eliminating the bubbles and keeping the dust off while drying is
the hardest part. Otherwise, just read the instructions that come with
it. You can pour just a thin coat to soften the lines and fill in the
details or as much as a 1/8" coat. I've had a block in my studio for
about 5 years with no visible yellowing; it faces my sunny window. There
is a slight yellowing when you first pour it on, mostly it darkens
everything as if you were getting it wet.

Good luck,
Maria

• [Back to message index]

End of [Baren] Digest