Today's postings
- [Baren 28581] Re: Blogs (Annie Bissett)
- [Baren 28582] Cigar Boxes (Diane Cutter)
- [Baren 28583] Re: Cigar Boxes (Mike Lyon)
- [Baren 28584] great list (Barbara Mason)
- [Baren 28585] Re: Cigar Boxes (Diane Cutter)
- [Baren 28586] Re: Cigar Boxes (Mike Lyon)
- [Baren 28587] Dave's prints (cucamongie # aol.com)
- [Baren 28588] Baren Member blogs: Update Notification (Blog Manager)
Message 1
From: Annie Bissett
Date: Mon, 22 Aug 2005 11:37:34 -0400
Subject: [Baren 28581] Re: Blogs
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___ Barbara wrote:
"I never thought I would have the time or interest to read these blogs, but
I admit to watching Annie's teapot develop and hearing about Andy's trip to
California and anxiously watching David's new work appear on the treasure
chest site."____
And *I* had grown so cynical about the internet over the years that I never
thought I'd find an internet forum where people would be warm, welcoming,
civil, articulate, generous, and kind to one another, but Baren Forum
members are all of that and more. I've been really amazed, and so touched.
Thanks for admitting to watching/reading my blog, Barbara. It's nice to know
you're "there."
And now, off to finish some illustration jobs so I can keep working on my
woodblocks!
Annie Bissett
Northampton MA
http://woodblockdreams.blogspot.com
"I never thought I would have the time or interest to read these blogs, but
I admit to watching Annie's teapot develop and hearing about Andy's trip to
California and anxiously watching David's new work appear on the treasure
chest site."____
And *I* had grown so cynical about the internet over the years that I never
thought I'd find an internet forum where people would be warm, welcoming,
civil, articulate, generous, and kind to one another, but Baren Forum
members are all of that and more. I've been really amazed, and so touched.
Thanks for admitting to watching/reading my blog, Barbara. It's nice to know
you're "there."
And now, off to finish some illustration jobs so I can keep working on my
woodblocks!
Annie Bissett
Northampton MA
http://woodblockdreams.blogspot.com
Message 2
From: Diane Cutter
Date: Mon, 22 Aug 2005 09:02:11 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [Baren 28582] Cigar Boxes
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I need advice. I've gotten about 20 wooden cigar boxes from a friend
and want to use these for my first forays into woodblock printing. They
are from Honduras, Dominican Republic and Cuba and I don't know the wood
type but they seem easy to cut.
Question: What should I do to prep these after I've broken them down?
Sand them? Varnish them?
Diane
www.dianecutter.com
and want to use these for my first forays into woodblock printing. They
are from Honduras, Dominican Republic and Cuba and I don't know the wood
type but they seem easy to cut.
Question: What should I do to prep these after I've broken them down?
Sand them? Varnish them?
Diane
www.dianecutter.com
Message 3
From: Mike Lyon
Date: Mon, 22 Aug 2005 11:52:28 -0500
Subject: [Baren 28583] Re: Cigar Boxes
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Diane Cutter wrote:
>I need advice. I've gotten about 20 wooden cigar boxes from a friend and
>want to use these for my first forays into woodblock printing. They are
>from Honduras, Dominican Republic and Cuba and I don't know the wood type
>but they seem easy to cut.
>
>Question: What should I do to prep these after I've broken them down?
>Sand them? Varnish them?
Quality cigar boxes are usually of Spanish Cedar or similar -- very easy to
carve and with a pronounced grain a bit similar to Luan (door-skin). The
wood in cigar boxes is very thin, but you'll still want to sand them flat
and smooth in order to remove any paper, glue, oil, and/or roughness
(rougher areas print darker than smoother areas when using water colors).
If you're printing with oily colors, you are good to go (but you may want
to varnish the wood to make it less absorbent.
If you're printing with water colors, varnish or the like is generally
undesirable, but you may also find carving and printing much easier if you
glue the thin wood down to a similarly dimensioned sheet of 1/2" or heavier
plywood to reduce warping during printing. You can use any water-proof
wood glue (urethane glues work super) -- spread glue over plywood thinly
and evenly and then weight with a bunch of books (or whatever) for a few
hours or until the glue sets.
-- Mike
Mike Lyon
Kansas City, Missouri
http://mlyon.com
>I need advice. I've gotten about 20 wooden cigar boxes from a friend and
>want to use these for my first forays into woodblock printing. They are
>from Honduras, Dominican Republic and Cuba and I don't know the wood type
>but they seem easy to cut.
>
>Question: What should I do to prep these after I've broken them down?
>Sand them? Varnish them?
Quality cigar boxes are usually of Spanish Cedar or similar -- very easy to
carve and with a pronounced grain a bit similar to Luan (door-skin). The
wood in cigar boxes is very thin, but you'll still want to sand them flat
and smooth in order to remove any paper, glue, oil, and/or roughness
(rougher areas print darker than smoother areas when using water colors).
If you're printing with oily colors, you are good to go (but you may want
to varnish the wood to make it less absorbent.
If you're printing with water colors, varnish or the like is generally
undesirable, but you may also find carving and printing much easier if you
glue the thin wood down to a similarly dimensioned sheet of 1/2" or heavier
plywood to reduce warping during printing. You can use any water-proof
wood glue (urethane glues work super) -- spread glue over plywood thinly
and evenly and then weight with a bunch of books (or whatever) for a few
hours or until the glue sets.
-- Mike
Mike Lyon
Kansas City, Missouri
http://mlyon.com
Message 4
From: Barbara Mason
Date: Mon, 22 Aug 2005 10:14:29 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [Baren 28584] great list
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Annie,
We all thank you for the kind words...those of us behind the scenes do work hard to keep this list civil and professional...but the work is pretty easy as printmakers seem to be generally as you described them! In fact there are so few problems we rarely have to do anything!
So, Baren people, congratulations on having the best list on the internet! Of course, I do admit to a certain amount of prejudice. And again, thanks to Dave Bull for starting this remarkable internet family. Having met over 50 bareners in real life, they are exactly as they seem, wonderful people.
Best to all,
Barbara
We all thank you for the kind words...those of us behind the scenes do work hard to keep this list civil and professional...but the work is pretty easy as printmakers seem to be generally as you described them! In fact there are so few problems we rarely have to do anything!
So, Baren people, congratulations on having the best list on the internet! Of course, I do admit to a certain amount of prejudice. And again, thanks to Dave Bull for starting this remarkable internet family. Having met over 50 bareners in real life, they are exactly as they seem, wonderful people.
Best to all,
Barbara
Message 5
From: Diane Cutter
Date: Mon, 22 Aug 2005 11:14:19 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [Baren 28585] Re: Cigar Boxes
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Thanks, Mike...
That was most helpful. Yes, it looks like cedar. I'll use your advice regarding the sanding as the inside area is a little rough and the outsidea are a little scuffed or have been embossed with the cigars' brand.
Although I've only used oil-based inks up until now, I do plan to experiment with watercolors, so will experiment with varnish. Any suggestions as to brands for varnish? Better to brush on or spray on?
Diane
That was most helpful. Yes, it looks like cedar. I'll use your advice regarding the sanding as the inside area is a little rough and the outsidea are a little scuffed or have been embossed with the cigars' brand.
Although I've only used oil-based inks up until now, I do plan to experiment with watercolors, so will experiment with varnish. Any suggestions as to brands for varnish? Better to brush on or spray on?
Diane
Message 6
From: Mike Lyon
Date: Mon, 22 Aug 2005 14:23:39 -0500
Subject: [Baren 28586] Re: Cigar Boxes
Send Message: To this poster
Diane Cutter wrote:
>Any suggestions as to brands for varnish? Better to brush on or spray on?
Polyurethane will give a thicker film finish which will tend to fill the
grain (make it less pronounced in printing). Urethane is very hardy and
insoluble in turps and mineral spirits but more soluble in lacquer
thinners. A single thin coat of shellac will seal the surface without much
filling the grain -- it's less durable and soluble in alcohol but not in
turps, mineral spirits, or lacquer thinner. Spar (and other) varnish make
a film similar to urethane and is very durable. Regardless which you
choose, be sure to use fresh stuff or it will go on unevenly and dry with a
lot of tack.
No need to spray (which seems like an easier way but isn't, as spraying
tends to build a pebbly surface unless you're experienced with spray
finishing. All the above can be wiped on and rubbed out wet with a rag
(very easy to get a thin film) or can be painted with a brush (especially
polyurethane settles to a smooth film when brushed -- but don't go over
areas you've already applied or you may leave some printable 'brush ridges'
in areas which have begun to set up).
If you finish the blocks before carving, you'll carve crisper edges and the
finish will help reduce tear-out when cutting cross-grain. If you finish
after carving, the carved parts will also be sealed, but the edges will
print ever so slightly softer (depending on the thickness of the film).
Finish seals the wood, making it less absorbent (when oily printing on
unfinished wood surfaces, especially with softwood, the first prints pulled
may print lighter than expected because the wood will absorb some of the
oil from the ink). But -- so what? It's probably easiest to forget
finishing and just print the bare wood!
In water-color printing, some printers routinely seal the wood prior to
carving in order to make the surface uniformly absorbent (or
non-absorbent). I usually prefer to print from bare wood (personal
preference). Sealed areas will print markedly lighter than unsealed areas
because unsealed areas hold more water and pigment than sealed areas. This
can be used to produce very attractive 'shades' in uncarved areas which
have been partially painted with sealer with this difference in mind.
I've made some experimental uncarved 'reduction' prints in which I used
thinned shellac to 'stop out' the lightest areas, then printed the entire
surface in a light color, then re-coated the previously painted areas plus
the next-lightest areas with the thinned shellac, and reprinted the sheets
with a darker color, repeating until most of the block had been shellacked
and the darkest color had been printed. In that way the lightest areas of
the block/image build up a thicker surface from multiple coats of thin
shellac and the darkest colors print surprisingly light in well-shellacked
areas! This produces a subtle relatively low-contrast print which can be
very pleasing! The general technique is not my invention (the reduction
application might be unique to me so far, though) ... I tried it after
seeing one of Helen Frankenthaller's large plywood blocks (a reject) which
had been loosely painted with shellac over part of the surface and carved
in other areas to produce a soft change in depth of tone in one of her
prints. The shellac had also been dry-pointed in some areas -- the block
was press-printed -- in order to produce a much darker intaglio impression
from the additional color retained in the scratches. Endless interesting
stuff to explore! :)
-- Mike
Mike Lyon
Kansas City, Missouri
http://mlyon.com
>Any suggestions as to brands for varnish? Better to brush on or spray on?
Polyurethane will give a thicker film finish which will tend to fill the
grain (make it less pronounced in printing). Urethane is very hardy and
insoluble in turps and mineral spirits but more soluble in lacquer
thinners. A single thin coat of shellac will seal the surface without much
filling the grain -- it's less durable and soluble in alcohol but not in
turps, mineral spirits, or lacquer thinner. Spar (and other) varnish make
a film similar to urethane and is very durable. Regardless which you
choose, be sure to use fresh stuff or it will go on unevenly and dry with a
lot of tack.
No need to spray (which seems like an easier way but isn't, as spraying
tends to build a pebbly surface unless you're experienced with spray
finishing. All the above can be wiped on and rubbed out wet with a rag
(very easy to get a thin film) or can be painted with a brush (especially
polyurethane settles to a smooth film when brushed -- but don't go over
areas you've already applied or you may leave some printable 'brush ridges'
in areas which have begun to set up).
If you finish the blocks before carving, you'll carve crisper edges and the
finish will help reduce tear-out when cutting cross-grain. If you finish
after carving, the carved parts will also be sealed, but the edges will
print ever so slightly softer (depending on the thickness of the film).
Finish seals the wood, making it less absorbent (when oily printing on
unfinished wood surfaces, especially with softwood, the first prints pulled
may print lighter than expected because the wood will absorb some of the
oil from the ink). But -- so what? It's probably easiest to forget
finishing and just print the bare wood!
In water-color printing, some printers routinely seal the wood prior to
carving in order to make the surface uniformly absorbent (or
non-absorbent). I usually prefer to print from bare wood (personal
preference). Sealed areas will print markedly lighter than unsealed areas
because unsealed areas hold more water and pigment than sealed areas. This
can be used to produce very attractive 'shades' in uncarved areas which
have been partially painted with sealer with this difference in mind.
I've made some experimental uncarved 'reduction' prints in which I used
thinned shellac to 'stop out' the lightest areas, then printed the entire
surface in a light color, then re-coated the previously painted areas plus
the next-lightest areas with the thinned shellac, and reprinted the sheets
with a darker color, repeating until most of the block had been shellacked
and the darkest color had been printed. In that way the lightest areas of
the block/image build up a thicker surface from multiple coats of thin
shellac and the darkest colors print surprisingly light in well-shellacked
areas! This produces a subtle relatively low-contrast print which can be
very pleasing! The general technique is not my invention (the reduction
application might be unique to me so far, though) ... I tried it after
seeing one of Helen Frankenthaller's large plywood blocks (a reject) which
had been loosely painted with shellac over part of the surface and carved
in other areas to produce a soft change in depth of tone in one of her
prints. The shellac had also been dry-pointed in some areas -- the block
was press-printed -- in order to produce a much darker intaglio impression
from the additional color retained in the scratches. Endless interesting
stuff to explore! :)
-- Mike
Mike Lyon
Kansas City, Missouri
http://mlyon.com
Message 7
From: cucamongie # aol.com
Date: Mon, 22 Aug 2005 21:29:56 -0400
Subject: [Baren 28587] Dave's prints
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Hi Dave, thanks for sharing the treasure chest blog with us, I love the new one and it was fun going through some of the past few prints which I hadn't seen, they're great. Of course, I especially love the Magpie and Bee one, but they're all wonderful.
best wishes
Sarah
best wishes
Sarah
Message 8
From: Blog Manager
Date: 23 Aug 2005 03:55:01 -0000
Subject: [Baren 28588] Baren Member blogs: Update Notification
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This is an automatic update message being sent to [Baren] by the forum blog software.
The following new entries were found on the listed printmaker's websites during the past 24 hours. (8 sites checked, just before midnight Eastern time)
*****************
Site Name: Woodblock Dreams
Author: Annie B
Item: Reflection - First Block
http://woodblockdreams.blogspot.com/2005/08/reflection-first-block.html
*****************
[Baren] members: if you have a printmaking blog (or a website with a published ATOM feed), and wish it to be included in this daily checklist, please write to the Baren Blog Manager at:
http://barenforum.org/contact_baren.php
The following new entries were found on the listed printmaker's websites during the past 24 hours. (8 sites checked, just before midnight Eastern time)
*****************
Site Name: Woodblock Dreams
Author: Annie B
Item: Reflection - First Block
http://woodblockdreams.blogspot.com/2005/08/reflection-first-block.html
*****************
[Baren] members: if you have a printmaking blog (or a website with a published ATOM feed), and wish it to be included in this daily checklist, please write to the Baren Blog Manager at:
http://barenforum.org/contact_baren.php