Today's postings
- [Baren 24808] Re: summit (JEANNE CHASE)
- [Baren 24809] Re: Teaching an old dog new tricks (Mike Lyon)
- [Baren 24810] Re: Teaching an old dog new tricks ("marilynn smih")
Message 1
From: JEANNE CHASE
Date: Tue, 6 Apr 2004 06:18:08 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [Baren 24808] Re: summit
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John
A Summit in Toronto would be fantastic!!!! Hope the plan works as I am dying for another get together and learning session. Put me down!!!!
Regards
Jeanne N.
Message 2
From: Mike Lyon
Date: Tue, 06 Apr 2004 08:43:17 -0500
Subject: [Baren 24809] Re: Teaching an old dog new tricks
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Margaret wrote:
>This printing technique is, to put it mildly, "tricky". I've followed the
>discussions on the online forum, and also talked to Sacramento Carol, who
>sometimes does hanga.
Hey Margaret -- I thought your comments about Japanese water-based printing
technique seemed a bit discouraging and wanted to balance that by offering
my own opinion that the Japanese moku-hanga technique is no 'trickier' than
any other. To those who are familiar only with Western relief printing
traditions, it can seem 'different' and... 'inscrutable' (heh, heh,
heh). But it is one of those wonderful 'ways' along which you may travel
as long as you like yet never 'arrive'. Our western relief printing (and
lots of stuff) can be approached like this too, I suppose, but Western
philosophical orientation and historic models are so different.
Anyway, I hope that everyone who is interested will go ahead and boldly
attempt Japanese block printing technique. My own first try was eight
years ago in the spring of 1996
http://www.mlyon.com/images/twin_woodcut.jpg -- After reading a little bit
about it I was curious! I used watercolor brushes to scrub watercolor over
four birch plywood blocks I'd carved -- as it turned out, I hadn't
understood very much at all about traditional registration methods (nor
much else about the techniques), but I was still thrilled and excited about
the prints I'd made which really were so much more painterly and 'open'
than any of my previous relief prints... A few months later I spent two
weeks in a workshop with Hiroki Morinoue where I received my first genuine
introduction. At the end of the workshop I carved and printed
http://www.mlyon.com/images/Fishwife.jpg -- that was after I spent a few
hours studying reproductions of Hiroshige's 100 Views of Edo (which I'd
never seen before and which inspired the color scheme, the perspective, and
the treatment of sky and water in the print).
I was 'hooked' and for the past several years this kind of printmaking has
become my principle activity. Here's how I describe it for the workshops
I've been invited to lead:
"Japanese woodblock printmaking enjoys the luminous brilliance of
watercolor using non-toxic materials, minimal workspace and simple hand
tools. Japanese woodblock technique differs radically from western
relief-printing in that no press is used, no solvent other than water is
needed, the pigment sinks deeply into the paper and colors may repeatedly
be overprinted practically without limit."
I think that's pretty accurate.
-- Mike
Mike Lyon
http://mlyon.com
>This printing technique is, to put it mildly, "tricky". I've followed the
>discussions on the online forum, and also talked to Sacramento Carol, who
>sometimes does hanga.
Hey Margaret -- I thought your comments about Japanese water-based printing
technique seemed a bit discouraging and wanted to balance that by offering
my own opinion that the Japanese moku-hanga technique is no 'trickier' than
any other. To those who are familiar only with Western relief printing
traditions, it can seem 'different' and... 'inscrutable' (heh, heh,
heh). But it is one of those wonderful 'ways' along which you may travel
as long as you like yet never 'arrive'. Our western relief printing (and
lots of stuff) can be approached like this too, I suppose, but Western
philosophical orientation and historic models are so different.
Anyway, I hope that everyone who is interested will go ahead and boldly
attempt Japanese block printing technique. My own first try was eight
years ago in the spring of 1996
http://www.mlyon.com/images/twin_woodcut.jpg -- After reading a little bit
about it I was curious! I used watercolor brushes to scrub watercolor over
four birch plywood blocks I'd carved -- as it turned out, I hadn't
understood very much at all about traditional registration methods (nor
much else about the techniques), but I was still thrilled and excited about
the prints I'd made which really were so much more painterly and 'open'
than any of my previous relief prints... A few months later I spent two
weeks in a workshop with Hiroki Morinoue where I received my first genuine
introduction. At the end of the workshop I carved and printed
http://www.mlyon.com/images/Fishwife.jpg -- that was after I spent a few
hours studying reproductions of Hiroshige's 100 Views of Edo (which I'd
never seen before and which inspired the color scheme, the perspective, and
the treatment of sky and water in the print).
I was 'hooked' and for the past several years this kind of printmaking has
become my principle activity. Here's how I describe it for the workshops
I've been invited to lead:
"Japanese woodblock printmaking enjoys the luminous brilliance of
watercolor using non-toxic materials, minimal workspace and simple hand
tools. Japanese woodblock technique differs radically from western
relief-printing in that no press is used, no solvent other than water is
needed, the pigment sinks deeply into the paper and colors may repeatedly
be overprinted practically without limit."
I think that's pretty accurate.
-- Mike
Mike Lyon
http://mlyon.com
Message 3
From: "marilynn smih"
Date: Tue, 06 Apr 2004 08:18:00 -0700
Subject: [Baren 24810] Re: Teaching an old dog new tricks
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Harry, you most certainly have one up on me for starting Hanga. I had never
even done a woodcut, only lino. My background is painting and I love hanga
now because it uses wonderful color and water based pigments. It takes some
time to learn but if you never jump in you never learn. I took a workshop
and learned some basics. But these people on Baren know more than you can
ever imagine. When we had our summit last June I really got my feet wetter
and learned some things that I did not learn in the workshop. There are
alternatives with this technique as with any other type of art. I have
found printmaking to be more technical in approach than painting and
certainly a real challenge, but a great joy.
My first hanga reduction plate is coming along and I am hoping for a few
really fine prints, but it is magic just to see things happening. I am
slowly doing it because that takes away any pressure and allows me to have
great pleasure in this process. So I work on it around my varied Cabo
activities and around the 3 other oil based blocks I have carved for my
nudes and poetry book. YES, they are carved and proofed!!!!!
This morning I woke and layed in bed with the soft morning light and my
composition for my exchange print started to come together. I guess it will
have a real Mexican touch! I am so excited about doing this print, but have
no wood!!! Maria, tell me where in Vegas i can get good wood??? And paper
too!!!! Can you??? I need addresses for art supplies, because that is the
biggest city we will stay in for any length of time until we are back in
small town America. HELP, I will be there some time in May. You can mail me
off list, please??
Harry, I would encourage you to try hanga and to never think any questions
you have are dumb, just ask this list they will help you any way they can.
there are no people I have ever met who are kinder and more giving.
Marilynn
_________________________________________________________________
even done a woodcut, only lino. My background is painting and I love hanga
now because it uses wonderful color and water based pigments. It takes some
time to learn but if you never jump in you never learn. I took a workshop
and learned some basics. But these people on Baren know more than you can
ever imagine. When we had our summit last June I really got my feet wetter
and learned some things that I did not learn in the workshop. There are
alternatives with this technique as with any other type of art. I have
found printmaking to be more technical in approach than painting and
certainly a real challenge, but a great joy.
My first hanga reduction plate is coming along and I am hoping for a few
really fine prints, but it is magic just to see things happening. I am
slowly doing it because that takes away any pressure and allows me to have
great pleasure in this process. So I work on it around my varied Cabo
activities and around the 3 other oil based blocks I have carved for my
nudes and poetry book. YES, they are carved and proofed!!!!!
This morning I woke and layed in bed with the soft morning light and my
composition for my exchange print started to come together. I guess it will
have a real Mexican touch! I am so excited about doing this print, but have
no wood!!! Maria, tell me where in Vegas i can get good wood??? And paper
too!!!! Can you??? I need addresses for art supplies, because that is the
biggest city we will stay in for any length of time until we are back in
small town America. HELP, I will be there some time in May. You can mail me
off list, please??
Harry, I would encourage you to try hanga and to never think any questions
you have are dumb, just ask this list they will help you any way they can.
there are no people I have ever met who are kinder and more giving.
Marilynn
_________________________________________________________________