Today's postings
- [Baren 34851] Dave's print (Cucamongie # aol.com)
- [Baren 34852] Re: A couple technical questions ("Mike Lyon")
- [Baren 34853] Re: Thanks again : Latest print (L Cass)
- [Baren 34854] Re: Latest print (Dave Bull)
- [Baren 34855] Re: Latest print (Barbara Mason)
- [Baren 34856] Baren Member blogs: Update Notification (Blog Manager)
Message 1
From: Cucamongie # aol.com
Date: Tue, 15 Jan 2008 09:28:22 EST
Subject: [Baren 34851] Dave's print
Send Message: To this poster
I must register another "wow" about your print Dave!
How did you get the nice texture on the wave splash and on the rock?? Love
the composition as well.
Harry is right when he says that your chances for continuing to deny
yourself "artist" status are very slim indeed :)
best wishes and happy printing
Sarah
How did you get the nice texture on the wave splash and on the rock?? Love
the composition as well.
Harry is right when he says that your chances for continuing to deny
yourself "artist" status are very slim indeed :)
best wishes and happy printing
Sarah
Message 2
From: "Mike Lyon"
Date: Tue, 15 Jan 2008 10:24:20 -0600
Subject: [Baren 34852] Re: A couple technical questions
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Hi, Alex --
With respect to the effect of paste
* GRAINY printing (goma zuri) is obtained when there's little or no
paste in the pigment (and block and brush).
* SMOOTH printing is usually the result of moderate paste in
pigment/block/brush.
* BRUSH MARKS in the prints come from lots of paste in
pigment/block/brush.
You can very quickly 'OWN' this fundamental principal of moku-hanga printing
by conducting a very simple 'experiment':
1. prepare six or ten sheets of the printing paper you prefer -- not
too damp -- allow to relax over night.
2. Clean your best printing brush so there's NO pigment and NO paste
at all remaining in it -- shake it well and let sit 'til paper's ready
(tomorrow).
3. While you wait for your paper to be ready, prepare an uncarved
block of your preferred wood, kento optional for this test (but preferred so
you can get consistent re-printing) - You'll definitely have the CLEAREST
results if the the surface of the block is flat and smooth -- I sand through
400 grit - but YOU should prepare the surface of the block however you
normally print, with the understanding that rough spots, curly grain,
texture from grain, and other variations will 'print' and therefore will
tend to obscure what I think you'll see in the prints you're about to pull.
So I suggest your block be sanded until the surface is mirror-smooth and
shiny (cherry actually shines at 400 grit)!
4. Prepared watercolor will work for this test, but because it
contains a lot of wetting agents, won't give as dramatic results as pigment
suspensions or paste made of dry pigments and alcohol then mixed with water
'to taste'.
5. Dampen your block with water and let it relax for 15 minutes or so,
being sure the surface doesn't dry out - when you're ready to print, the
block should be evenly damp - NO excess moisture - nice matte surface, no
glossy 'wet' spots.
6. With your CLEAN brush (NO PASTE), brush up block with a mid-value
tint of pigment and water - surface before printing should NOT BE WET - just
matte and not 'dry'.
7. Print a sheet or two - feel free to reprint one of the sheets
repeatedly two to five times in order to see the effect of additional
printings. These prints will (hopefully) show pronounced goma-zuri (dotty
or splotchy looking color field)
8. Now, add a couple decent dabs of paste along with pigment and brush
it up and print a sheet or two - These prints should show less goma and look
smoother
9. Continue adding more and more paste (plus pigment of course) with
each new print. Prints should show less and less goma, smoother and
smoother printing until.
10. When you've added TOO much paste,the smooth printing won't be smooth
any more - your brush will begin leaving trails (brush marks) in the prints
- swirls if you swirled your brush, straight if you brushed straight, etc.
OK, now you've "GOT IT" - the ability to control grainy / smooth / brushy
printing solely through paste content of the mix!
Mike
Mike Lyon
Kansas City, MO
http://mlyon.com
With respect to the effect of paste
* GRAINY printing (goma zuri) is obtained when there's little or no
paste in the pigment (and block and brush).
* SMOOTH printing is usually the result of moderate paste in
pigment/block/brush.
* BRUSH MARKS in the prints come from lots of paste in
pigment/block/brush.
You can very quickly 'OWN' this fundamental principal of moku-hanga printing
by conducting a very simple 'experiment':
1. prepare six or ten sheets of the printing paper you prefer -- not
too damp -- allow to relax over night.
2. Clean your best printing brush so there's NO pigment and NO paste
at all remaining in it -- shake it well and let sit 'til paper's ready
(tomorrow).
3. While you wait for your paper to be ready, prepare an uncarved
block of your preferred wood, kento optional for this test (but preferred so
you can get consistent re-printing) - You'll definitely have the CLEAREST
results if the the surface of the block is flat and smooth -- I sand through
400 grit - but YOU should prepare the surface of the block however you
normally print, with the understanding that rough spots, curly grain,
texture from grain, and other variations will 'print' and therefore will
tend to obscure what I think you'll see in the prints you're about to pull.
So I suggest your block be sanded until the surface is mirror-smooth and
shiny (cherry actually shines at 400 grit)!
4. Prepared watercolor will work for this test, but because it
contains a lot of wetting agents, won't give as dramatic results as pigment
suspensions or paste made of dry pigments and alcohol then mixed with water
'to taste'.
5. Dampen your block with water and let it relax for 15 minutes or so,
being sure the surface doesn't dry out - when you're ready to print, the
block should be evenly damp - NO excess moisture - nice matte surface, no
glossy 'wet' spots.
6. With your CLEAN brush (NO PASTE), brush up block with a mid-value
tint of pigment and water - surface before printing should NOT BE WET - just
matte and not 'dry'.
7. Print a sheet or two - feel free to reprint one of the sheets
repeatedly two to five times in order to see the effect of additional
printings. These prints will (hopefully) show pronounced goma-zuri (dotty
or splotchy looking color field)
8. Now, add a couple decent dabs of paste along with pigment and brush
it up and print a sheet or two - These prints should show less goma and look
smoother
9. Continue adding more and more paste (plus pigment of course) with
each new print. Prints should show less and less goma, smoother and
smoother printing until.
10. When you've added TOO much paste,the smooth printing won't be smooth
any more - your brush will begin leaving trails (brush marks) in the prints
- swirls if you swirled your brush, straight if you brushed straight, etc.
OK, now you've "GOT IT" - the ability to control grainy / smooth / brushy
printing solely through paste content of the mix!
Mike
Mike Lyon
Kansas City, MO
http://mlyon.com
Message 3
From: L Cass
Date: Tue, 15 Jan 2008 11:58:56 -0500
Subject: [Baren 34853] Re: Thanks again : Latest print
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Dave -
(More philosophizing from one who is primarily (a not great) painter.....)
It's obvious from all the feedback that your technical skill with the
'River in Winter' has grabbed the many 'Bareners' attention - by it's
very nature it makes for a
simple striking composition and the hardness of the rock becomes a
strong contrast or complement to the water - you may say this is a
common subject but not
everyone has the skill to convey it so well. If you will forgive my
saying this, the other prints in the series (so far) are more
conventional and don't deliver the 'pow' of the
moving water one... it might be interesting to consider what
compositions/effects you could so successfully convey with your great
skill/craft. Perhaps
the same subjects but seen through fog or mist which would simplify
the forms and/or spectacular sky effects that call on your woodcutting skills.
The evening one of 'Forest in Autumn' with moonlight. e.g. looks too
kind of 'hard-edged' with so much detail and could have been cropped
down to the figure
and just a small bit of the tent and smidgeons of trees and foliage
glowingly bathed in light ?! Someone or other has said that "less is more"!
I really think this separation of artist/craftsman is a silly notion
in any case - it's like the never ending question of determining what
or who is a 'professional' artist?
Louise C.
(More philosophizing from one who is primarily (a not great) painter.....)
It's obvious from all the feedback that your technical skill with the
'River in Winter' has grabbed the many 'Bareners' attention - by it's
very nature it makes for a
simple striking composition and the hardness of the rock becomes a
strong contrast or complement to the water - you may say this is a
common subject but not
everyone has the skill to convey it so well. If you will forgive my
saying this, the other prints in the series (so far) are more
conventional and don't deliver the 'pow' of the
moving water one... it might be interesting to consider what
compositions/effects you could so successfully convey with your great
skill/craft. Perhaps
the same subjects but seen through fog or mist which would simplify
the forms and/or spectacular sky effects that call on your woodcutting skills.
The evening one of 'Forest in Autumn' with moonlight. e.g. looks too
kind of 'hard-edged' with so much detail and could have been cropped
down to the figure
and just a small bit of the tent and smidgeons of trees and foliage
glowingly bathed in light ?! Someone or other has said that "less is more"!
I really think this separation of artist/craftsman is a silly notion
in any case - it's like the never ending question of determining what
or who is a 'professional' artist?
Louise C.
Message 4
From: Dave Bull
Date: Wed, 16 Jan 2008 09:10:23 +0900
Subject: [Baren 34854] Re: Latest print
Send Message: To this poster
> ... forgive my saying this, the other prints in the series
> (so far) are more conventional and don't deliver the 'pow'
> of the moving water one... it might be interesting to consider
> what compositions/effects you could so successfully convey
> with your skill/craft.
They are conventional because that's me ... I'm a sort of 'plain white
guy', so that's how most of my output (images, music, words) comes out.
It might be relevant to think of a comparison with a couple of
musicians: a highly-trained classical player who can play 'anything'
you put in front of him, and some young kid with a guitar he got hold
of.
Who is the 'real' musician? If you toss into the mix the fact that the
classical guy can _only_ play what's written down in the black dots on
the page, and is helpless without them, and that the kid and a couple
of his friends may be really able to put something together that gets
everybody 'up and dancing', then things get complicated!
For most of my life I've been (literally), the classical musician type.
So last year, deciding to throw away the sheet music, grab a guitar,
and jump off the cliff was really quite a big decision (especially
considering that I make a _living_ at this, and have a mortgage, etc.
etc.).
So this set of 12 prints is going to show the process as I am pulled
back and forth between the two worlds. I'm going to swim out into
deeper water a bit, but will then skittle back into the shallows where
I know I won't drown!
This current print was quite a nice stroke of inspiration, and the
instant I got the concept I knew that there was a winner there. I doubt
that I will be so ... lucky? ... very often. But I guess that's the
name of the game, isn't it ... pressing forward and trying to hit the
spot as often as we can!
Dave
> (so far) are more conventional and don't deliver the 'pow'
> of the moving water one... it might be interesting to consider
> what compositions/effects you could so successfully convey
> with your skill/craft.
They are conventional because that's me ... I'm a sort of 'plain white
guy', so that's how most of my output (images, music, words) comes out.
It might be relevant to think of a comparison with a couple of
musicians: a highly-trained classical player who can play 'anything'
you put in front of him, and some young kid with a guitar he got hold
of.
Who is the 'real' musician? If you toss into the mix the fact that the
classical guy can _only_ play what's written down in the black dots on
the page, and is helpless without them, and that the kid and a couple
of his friends may be really able to put something together that gets
everybody 'up and dancing', then things get complicated!
For most of my life I've been (literally), the classical musician type.
So last year, deciding to throw away the sheet music, grab a guitar,
and jump off the cliff was really quite a big decision (especially
considering that I make a _living_ at this, and have a mortgage, etc.
etc.).
So this set of 12 prints is going to show the process as I am pulled
back and forth between the two worlds. I'm going to swim out into
deeper water a bit, but will then skittle back into the shallows where
I know I won't drown!
This current print was quite a nice stroke of inspiration, and the
instant I got the concept I knew that there was a winner there. I doubt
that I will be so ... lucky? ... very often. But I guess that's the
name of the game, isn't it ... pressing forward and trying to hit the
spot as often as we can!
Dave
Message 5
From: Barbara Mason
Date: Tue, 15 Jan 2008 16:49:50 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [Baren 34855] Re: Latest print
Send Message: To this poster
Dave,
This is exactly why we are artists...we just go
forward and try the next thing, some with more success
than others. I admire your ability to make a living at
all from your art and craft, it is not an easy thing
as many on this list will attest to.
My best to all
Barbara
>
> This current print was quite a nice stroke of
> inspiration, and the
> instant I got the concept I knew that there was a
> winner there. I doubt
> that I will be so ... lucky? ... very often. But I
> guess that's the
> name of the game, isn't it ... pressing forward and
> trying to hit the
> spot as often as we can!
>
> Dave
>
>
Message 6
From: Blog Manager
Date: 16 Jan 2008 04:55:41 -0000
Subject: [Baren 34856] Baren Member blogs: Update Notification
Send Message: To this poster
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. (42 sites checked, five minutes before midnight Eastern time)
*****************
Site Name: Belinda Del Pesco Fine Art Blog
Item: Watercolor: Sam
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/BelindaDelPescoFineArtBlog/~3/217090457/watercolor-sam.html
*****************
Site Name: Jennifer Martindale
Author: JennifersCabin
Item: Cabin Studio
http://jenniferscabin.blogspot.com/2008/01/cabin-studio.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
For reference, sites/blogs currently being checked are:
http://barenforum.org/blog
http://woodblock.com
http://woodblock.com/roundtable
http://woodblockdreams.blogspot.com
http://studiodiary.blogspot.com
http://larimerart.blogspot.com
http://artflights.blogspot.com
http://printmakersmaterials.blogspot.com
http://mlyon.com/blog
http://room535.blogspot.com
http://mleeprints.blogspot.com
http://snowgum.blogspot.com
http://pressing-issues.blogspot.com
http://www.1000woodcuts.com
http://theitinerantartist.blogspot.com
http://PLawing-Printmaker.blogspot.com
http://readdevine.blogspot.com
http://mokuhankan.com/conversations
http://mokuhankan.com
http://belindadelpesco.blogspot.com
http://vizart.blogspot.com
http://phare-camp.blogspot.com
http://amymstoner.blogspot.com
http://williamleeholtfineart.blogspot.com
http://web.mac.com/g_wohlken/iWeb/Site/Blog/Blog.html
http://curiousmatthew.blogspot.com
http://laine.lainegreenway.com/index.html
http://azuregrackle.com/blogs/index.php?blog=2
http://blog.olansa.co.uk/
http://bea-gold-retrospective.blogspot.com
http://www.jauntyrakes.blogspot.com
http://sheiko.blogspot.com
http://studio-window.blogspot.com
http://alynn-guerra.blogspot.com
http://web.mac.com/barebonesart/iWeb/site/blog/blog.html
http://curiouslydrawn.blogspot.com
http://veloprint.blogspot.com
http://kathewelch.blogspot.com
http://serendipityartist.wordpress.com
http://ainescannell.blogspot.com
http://www.pistolespress.blogspot.com
http://1000woodcuts.com/latest.html
http://myhermitude.blogspot.com
http://jenniferscabin.blogspot.com
The following new entries were found on the listed printmaker's websites during the past 24 hours. (42 sites checked, five minutes before midnight Eastern time)
*****************
Site Name: Belinda Del Pesco Fine Art Blog
Item: Watercolor: Sam
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/BelindaDelPescoFineArtBlog/~3/217090457/watercolor-sam.html
*****************
Site Name: Jennifer Martindale
Author: JennifersCabin
Item: Cabin Studio
http://jenniferscabin.blogspot.com/2008/01/cabin-studio.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
For reference, sites/blogs currently being checked are:
http://barenforum.org/blog
http://woodblock.com
http://woodblock.com/roundtable
http://woodblockdreams.blogspot.com
http://studiodiary.blogspot.com
http://larimerart.blogspot.com
http://artflights.blogspot.com
http://printmakersmaterials.blogspot.com
http://mlyon.com/blog
http://room535.blogspot.com
http://mleeprints.blogspot.com
http://snowgum.blogspot.com
http://pressing-issues.blogspot.com
http://www.1000woodcuts.com
http://theitinerantartist.blogspot.com
http://PLawing-Printmaker.blogspot.com
http://readdevine.blogspot.com
http://mokuhankan.com/conversations
http://mokuhankan.com
http://belindadelpesco.blogspot.com
http://vizart.blogspot.com
http://phare-camp.blogspot.com
http://amymstoner.blogspot.com
http://williamleeholtfineart.blogspot.com
http://web.mac.com/g_wohlken/iWeb/Site/Blog/Blog.html
http://curiousmatthew.blogspot.com
http://laine.lainegreenway.com/index.html
http://azuregrackle.com/blogs/index.php?blog=2
http://blog.olansa.co.uk/
http://bea-gold-retrospective.blogspot.com
http://www.jauntyrakes.blogspot.com
http://sheiko.blogspot.com
http://studio-window.blogspot.com
http://alynn-guerra.blogspot.com
http://web.mac.com/barebonesart/iWeb/site/blog/blog.html
http://curiouslydrawn.blogspot.com
http://veloprint.blogspot.com
http://kathewelch.blogspot.com
http://serendipityartist.wordpress.com
http://ainescannell.blogspot.com
http://www.pistolespress.blogspot.com
http://1000woodcuts.com/latest.html
http://myhermitude.blogspot.com
http://jenniferscabin.blogspot.com