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Message 1
From: David Bull
Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2004 22:18:13 +0900
Subject: [Baren 24270] Re: nikawa? spots?? sizing???
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Eva wrote:

> - In Japan I was told, that printers from Tokyo do not use liquid
> Nikawa to mix in the ink, but printers from Kyoto do.

Eva, I wonder if perhaps you have mixed up something else here ... The
major difference between traditional Kyoto and Tokyo styles of printing
is that Kyoto printers use much more _opaque_ pigments. They frequently
mix 'gofun' (which I think is just calcium carbonate ... from ground
shells) into their colours. They then print with a wider flatter baren,
not attempting to drive the pigment down deeply into the paper. Kyoto
printers may use liquid nikawa or not (I would hesitate to comment on
that), but Tokyo printers certainly do sometimes. It is most commonly
used when a good depth and saturation is needed, and also at the other
end of the scale, when the pigment has been thinned down so far that it
becomes too watery ...

> What about gummi arabicum?

Gum arabic is also frequently used, for those same purposes. It is my
'medium' of choice, and I used some this afternoon for just that
purpose. I wanted a delicate rose colour for a sky block, so I took some
deep carmine (powder), touched it with alcohol to get it 'wet', then
thinned it with liquid gum arabic down to the level I needed.


>  - When I give ink with my pigment brush to the block, I sometimes can
> later see in the print (at the spots where I put the ink) darker areas.
> Apparently the ink went into the grain. How to avoid this?

What you have done here is let your pigment touch a block that is too
dry. In this case, pigment is sucked deeply down into the dry wood in
that area, and you will have to print many many copies before the
'stain' goes away. Get the wood nicely primed with clean water before
allowing any pigment to touch it ...


> I used a recipe with gelatin and alum (from Rebecca Salters book). The
> result was extremely uneven (brighter points and clouds in the print),
> allthough I tried to brush the size on very evenly with a good brush.

Sounds like much too much alum in the mix. You really only need the very
slightest amount. The gelatine can be much more variable without
spoiling things too much, but only a trace too much of alum and you will
get into trouble with pigment not absorbing properly.


Hope this helps ...

Dave

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Message 2
From: Shireen Holman
Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2004 09:31:31 -0500
Subject: [Baren 24271] Re: Oily question...
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I do what Barbara does - spray and pack in plastic, but I've found that
with Arches 88 if you do it several times (for printing more than one
colour), the paper changes its consistency and doesn't look or feel as
nice. It works fine for just one printing. For more than one printing I
find that BFK Rives is much better.
Shireen

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Message 3
From: ArtfulCarol # aol.com
Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2004 11:13:16 EST
Subject: [Baren 24272] Re: PUZZLE!
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Big WOW!

Oh beautiful!

Oh thank you!

Oh! Oh! Oh!

We will all start bicycle riding...
Carol Lyons

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Message 4
From: Jsf73 # aol.com
Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2004 11:28:04 EST
Subject: [Baren 24273] Re: PUZZLE!
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Great work from everyone involved... and what an effort from Maria and
Barb...


Dont all put your second copy of the print up on ebay at the same time...lol.

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Message 5
From: "marilynn smih"
Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2004 08:54:32 -0800
Subject: [Baren 24274] Re: Oily question...
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John when I was taught to use arches 88 we were told to dip it in water.
Just get it wet quickly. Than you paloce it between 2 pieces of newsprint
inside a blotter and blot and than ou can put it on the plate. Beautiful
paper.
Mom Marilynn

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Message 6
From: "marilynn smih"
Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2004 09:01:09 -0800
Subject: [Baren 24275] RE: PUZZLE!
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Maria that puzzle is totally awesome. If you ever do it again I want in.
Last time i just felt like such a newbie, didn't want to spoil it for
everyone who is soooo good. Congragulations on a project well done.
Marilynn

_________________________________________________________________

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Message 7
From: richard stockham
Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2004 09:14:07 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [Baren 24276] Re: PUZZLE!
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The Puzzle Piece is delightful, and it has been fun to
watch it come together bit by bit. Thanks and
congratulations Maria, Barbara and everyone involved
for realizing woodblock printmaking as a 21st century
web event.


Richard Stockham
Birmingham, Alabama

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Message 8
From: "Maria Arango"
Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2004 10:49:50 -0800
Subject: [Baren 24277] puzzling questions
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Let me see if I can remember all the questions, both private and on
list:

-Yes, there will be another puzzle. Idea is gellin' and will announce
soon...there seems to be no limit to the breadth of my printmaking
insanity, or so I've been told. I'm just having fun with my friends.

-Yes, still in time to say something completely silly for the colophon.
I will finish it TONIGHT, though.

-The studio is not either organized! It is always a darned mess and I
try to keep cleaning it; I did an extra good job since Barbara was
coming. Cleaning a studio is also a good exercise to get the creative
juices flowing and entertain the cats for a good hour or so.

-The puzzle was an all-inclusive exercise, no jurying took place. The
only required cost to participants was a contribution to mailing the
thing back. I waited and waited until all that wanted to take part could
do so. Puzzle #2 will also be that way. There were 3 drop outs out of 44
participants, with 2 subs (and moi) covering for the drops.

-Drying racks in my studio will hold around 400 prints, give or take a
proof. They are Home Depot (or Lowe's) closet racks. They hang from
bicycle/utility hooks with chains; the height can be adjusted with an
S-hook. If planning on this system, I highly recommend rope and pulleys
instead, I just couldn't see myself spending $20 per pulley (times 4 per
rack, times 4 racks). I devised this method of hanging prints when I
looked at professional print drying racks, both in terms of floor space
and price (I'm still chuckling over the price of them thangs).

-Sorry about the smaller size of some block enlargements. The ones that
came on time received the large treatment. I simply didn't have time to
take individual pics of the later blocks.

-The "staff" and "director" consisted of: Maria Arango, Project
Director/Staff #1 and Barbara Mason, Co-printing Director/Staff #2. My
husband put up with me, so I guess that makes him Maria's-Husband,
Tolerator #1.

-Cost of the project will go up on the web, as will the gory details
(list of materials, time invested, etc.). I received plenty more than I
expected but if someone wanted to replicate the project or do something
similar I thought it would be of academic interest to divulge the
project cost, in time, materials and money. I got plenty of
contributions from everyone.

I think that covers them all so far. Someone asked me something about
the press...oh yeah, 24" x 36" Dan Patrick etching press. The actual
printing limit is 23" x 31" because of the diameter of the roller (L)
and the bed stops (W). So despite what Barbara may say, there was plenty
of breathing room for that sheet of 22" x 30" paper to fit through
there. The block(s) had been cut down to 21" x 27.5" in the pre-planning
phase.

Maria


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

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Message 9
From: FurryPressII # aol.com
Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2004 19:43:30 EST
Subject: [Baren 24278] exchange arrivals
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two internationalist came in today

Andy English
John Furr

Andy thank you very much for the prints you sent me I enjoyed them very
much my son enjoyed the Coltrain print he was suprised one of my "art" buddies
would be in to his kind of music because the son like it.

On the press accumulation club can you have too many of them? Well, my wife
thinks one is too many as she thinks the press is my girl friend.

john center

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Message 10
From: "Aimee Youmans"
Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2004 20:03:32 -0900
Subject: [Baren 24279] Re: New Baren Digest (Text) V26 #2552 (Feb 18, 2004)
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wow, indeed! maria, i had no idea what you were up to--it was a puzzle to
me. that is a bazillion times better than our quickie coffee-table collage
in kansas. shows what good organization , time, and oh so much talent can
do.. baren forum is truely inspirational...thank you all for that and so
much good advise...
i just lept off the waiting list for #20, my first BIG exchange (well, 50+
playing cards and 50- new year's cards was big for me, but in a different
way)....i'm nervous, a little shy, but determined to keep at his stuff till
i get it right....Hope everyone is keeping warm. It's 40 degrees and
raining in southeast Alaska.....Best regards---aimee

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