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Message 1
From: ArtfulCarol # aol.com
Date: Sat, 17 Jan 2004 10:09:09 EST
Subject: [Baren 23890] Re: Shunga?
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Shunga--Traditional Japanese erotica.

Greg Krucera Gallery in Seattle is having a Japanese shunga and other Asian
erotica exhibit in February.
www.gregkrkucera.com

It is also the tradition not to necessarily sign the print.

?

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Message 2
From: Mike Lyon
Date: Sat, 17 Jan 2004 10:23:23 -0600
Subject: [Baren 23891] Re: Shunga?
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At 02:22 AM 1/17/2004 -0500, Steve wrote:
>Excuse my ignorance everyone. Could someone explain the term 'Shunga'?

Shunga (Japanese): Japanese illustrated sex 'manuals'. Literally "spring
pictures". Among the earliest types of woodblock printed "Ukiyo-e"
(picture of the floating world), shunga were first produced during the 17th
century and popular through the beginning of the 20th century (today they
have largely been replaced by "Hustler", "Penthouse", etc... Shunga were
so-called sex manuals and courtesan critiques which depicted highly
explicit love scenes most often between men and women, bout occasionally
only women or men and boys, or animals, sometimes in a humorous fashion.

Do a Google search for "shunga" (especially in their Images section) and
you'll have a better idea...

-- Mike


Mike Lyon
http://mlyon.com

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Message 3
From: eli griggs
Date: Sat, 17 Jan 2004 15:55:13 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [Baren 23892] Re: Shunga?
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Down here in Charlotte, 'Shunga' is a term of
endearment reserved for waitresses, lady cops and
grandchildren ;)

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Message 4
From: Sharri LaPierre
Date: Sat, 17 Jan 2004 18:03:52 -0800
Subject: [Baren 23893] Re: Shunga?
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Steve, someone else will explain this better than I, but a short
explanation is Shunga means Sex. It also means Pillow Books which
were, basically, kind of beautiful sex manuals. Or you could say it's
Erotic Art. Someone else will give the history.

Sharri

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Message 5
From: Consoft # aol.com
Date: Sun, 18 Jan 2004 02:30:54 EST
Subject: [Baren 23894] Beginners Questions
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After my first few attempts at woodblock printing I have a few basic
questions which I'd be grateful if you could help me with.

1. Why do the books tell you to mix the pigment with the paste on the block
itself? Wouldn't it be easier to mix it in a saucer first?

2. When I print, sometimes some of the ink comes through the back of the
paper onto the baren which then smudges the back of the next print. Is this
normal or what am I doing wrong?

3. When I do a multicolour print I'm not sure how to deal with the prints
as they come off the block before I go on to the next colour. Can you just
stack them one on top of the other?

Many thanks for you help

Steve

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Message 6
From: David Bull
Date: Sun, 18 Jan 2004 16:52:08 +0900
Subject: [Baren 23895] Re: Beginners Questions
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Most [Baren] members are probably asleep just now, so maybe one of us
members in Japan could step up to bat on this one ...

> 1. Why do the books tell you to mix the pigment with the paste on the
> block itself? Wouldn't it be easier to mix it in a saucer first?

We usually mix it on the block because there is no way that you can get
the balance between the two absolutely right in a cup. As you progress
through an edition, you will frequently find that you need a bit
more/less paste, or a bit more/less pigment. By always adding them
separately, you have much better control over this.


> 2.  When I print, sometimes some of the ink comes through the back of
> the paper onto the baren which then smudges the back of the next
> print.  Is this normal or what am I doing wrong?

Could be one (or more) of a few things ...
- paper could be too wet or soggy
- paper could be unsized
- way too much pigment/paste on the block

When printing really saturated colour, the pigment does get driven
deeply into the paper, and you can certainly _see_ it from the back, but
you shouldn't normally be able to 'touch' it ...


> 3.  When I do a multicolour print  I'm not sure how to deal with the
> prints as they come off the block before I go on to the next colour. 
> Can you just stack them one on top of the other?

Just stack 'em up, keeping the same order. Under normal conditions,
there should be no transfer or smudging, but if you're doing something
with a lot of paste, you might get a 'tamari' (paste build-up around a
printed area), and you should be careful to dab those off before laying
the next print on top.

Dave

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