--- Go to the Opening Page of the [Baren] web site ---

Message 1
From: Leigh Beatty
Date: Mon, 16 Jan 2006 06:20:01 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [Baren 29886] Wood/Akua Color
Send Message: To this poster

I am ashamed to tell you how long I have been lurking. It has been a long time. I am just getting into all this and am full of questions but I will start with the 2 that are current in my mind.

I know that many of you use Shina (?) but I am trying to use what is on hand. I have a ready supply of Mohogany and Walnut from a cabinet-maker friend. I've heard that Walnut is something to stay away from but I don't know why. (Except of course for the hardness. My hand still aches but I love the wood texture.) What about Mohogany? I have a ton of cherry but it is not all kiln dried but it has been sitting around for a decade or so in various garages. Some of it seems quite brittle from a cabinet making standpoint but what about woodblock. Is it worth the trouble of planing down and trying? Any thoughts?

I am using Akua monotype inks in an effort to use what I have. I have Methyl Cellulose on hand too. Is there any benefit to trying them together? What, if anything will it add to the print or printing process?

As always, thank you for all your knowledge, Leigh.

• [Back to message index]

Message 2
From: ArtfulCarol # aol.com
Date: Mon, 16 Jan 2006 10:42:04 EST
Subject: [Baren 29887] Re: An Invitation from CSP
Send Message: To this poster

Benny Alba, welcome to Baren and good luck for the CSP.
I have a seasonal studio in LA and use it about 3 times a year.

By the way, which organization is the oldest one, since you are the second
oldest one? Is it the Albany Print Club?

Carol Lyons
_http://www.rst-art.com/artfulcarol.htm_
(http://www.rst-art.com/artfulcarol.htm)
NYC and LA

• [Back to message index]

Message 3
From: ArtfulCarol # aol.com
Date: Mon, 16 Jan 2006 10:44:51 EST
Subject: [Baren 29888] Sorry ! Delete!
Send Message: To this poster

I made a clicking mistake! Sorry!
C.L.

• [Back to message index]

Message 4
From: Mike Lyon
Date: Mon, 16 Jan 2006 09:43:54 -0600
Subject: [Baren 29889] Re: atomizer/kirifuki
Send Message: To this poster

Dear Tom,

Low volume VERY fine mist misters (with integrated 'pump' to
pressurize the air inside) are widely available at your local
cosmetics store -- they're generally made of spun aluminum and most
produce a very fine mist in low volumes... Or try this FROOGLE link:
http://froogle.google.com/froogle?q=mister+aerosol

For an inexpensive large volume high quality aerosol mister, try:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000638I5A -- these are inexpensive
and work great!

-- Mike

• [Back to message index]

Message 5
From: Mike Lyon
Date: Mon, 16 Jan 2006 09:58:05 -0600
Subject: [Baren 29890] Re: Wood/Akua Color
Send Message: To this poster

Dear Leigh,

Welcome to Baren!

I haven't enjoyed carving walnut, but that doesn't mean you won't --
I find that it's alternating closed and open grain encourages my
tools to speed up in the soft open grain and slow down in the harder
closed grain and makes it pretty difficult for me to maintain control
and pretty easy for my knife to skip across the surface... but to
each her own!

That 10 year old cherry will be pretty great for woodblocks I imagine
-- by all means, plane some flat and give it a try -- especially for
moku-hanga!

Mahogany should carve easily and print with a pronounced straight grain...

The Akua monotype inks should be 'good to go' as they come out of the
bottle and you likely won't want to use methyl cellulose with them, I
don't think... But if you'd like to print Japanese Technique using
water-borne pigments, then either rice paste or methyl cellulose can
be used to add 'body' to the pigment-in-water (smoother printing with
less granularity until you add 'too much' in which event your brush
marks will show up on the print) and both are also effective
retardants, increasing the 'open time' of the inky block quite a bit
over just water...

Good luck!

Mike

• [Back to message index]

Message 6
From: "Marilynn Smith"
Date: Mon, 16 Jan 2006 10:41:36 -0800
Subject: [Baren 29891] Re: Baren Digest (old) V34 #3338
Send Message: To this poster

I really was not going to get inot this chit chat thingy. But I had a
problem answering emails when I went away from the digested format to
indiviual mailings. I suggest the digest for those who like to post often,
than you can read everything said in one day and answer it all in one email.
I finally found a way to make our dear archivist a little happier, I have
hooked my hotmail to outlook express, so hopefully there is not a string of
stuff she has to deal with. Also, more than these chattty emails I am
annoyed by those who post the entire digest back with their replies. You
can set your email to reapond without sending it all back, that is different
for each type of mailing system you are using. I suggest taking a minute to
check out those buttons at the top of your screen. Search around and find
the one that gives you the option of sending back only a reply without the
entire list. I know this has been said many times, but one more reminder.
Another tip, everyone who posts to this list has their email address at the
top of their posting, just cut and paste to a new mailing for individual
responses.
I personally do not mind off woodblock, at times, especially if it is about
art. And it is fun at times to hear of an event, birth of a grandchild or
even my local earthquake, as long as it is a short comment. I usually put in
a oneliner with art talk.
Happiness,

Marilynn

• [Back to message index]

Message 7
From: Leigh Beatty
Date: Mon, 16 Jan 2006 11:33:50 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [Baren 29892] Re: Wood/Akua Color
Send Message: To this poster

Thanks Mike. Guess I will give that Mahogany a whirl. Glad to hear that you had the same experiences with the Walnut that I did. I only had one little spot that was tough as nails and I didn't know if that was the norm or just an anomaly. I do love seeing that gain though.

What is the optimal thickness for the cherry I have. It is in 2 and 3 inch slabs now. I can make it anything I want. All the rest of the wood I have is 3/4" thick. Is that a good thickness?

I'll stick with the Akua color for now but when I run out...

Thanks, Leigh.

• [Back to message index]

Message 8
From: Pauldejode # aol.com
Date: Mon, 16 Jan 2006 15:03:28 EST
Subject: [Baren 29893] Re: Walnut & cherry
Send Message: To this poster

Walnut can be quite an inconsistent wood for carving, sometimes very hard ,
othertimes v. soft. Cherry is a much more consistently hard wood. These
factors come into play much more relevantly when you consider the length of a print
run. In times gone by the preparation of the boards took considerably longer
and so a longer print run was desirable to get the most out of one's resources.
Wanut will soften around the edges much more quickly and so as the print run
progresses the edges blurr.The fibre legth of walnut is also much longer
therefore being more prone to splitting.All said good walnut can be an excellent
choice, all depends on the board. Good luck!!

• [Back to message index]

Message 9
From: Mike Lyon
Date: Mon, 16 Jan 2006 15:02:35 -0600
Subject: [Baren 29894] Re: Wood/Akua Color
Send Message: To this poster

Dear Leigh,

3/4" is OK -- much thinner than that and cupping during water-based
printing can be problematic (glue thinner planks to 3/4" plywood
backing to help keep 'em flat during printing) -- but shouldn't be
much of a problem for oil based printing (although running thin
blocks through the press under heavy pressure can warp them
dramatically, 'specially if run through with grain parallel to
rollers) -- thicker is fine, too -- and if you use some restraint you
can carve and print both sides of the block, and/or after carving and
printing plane thick blocks flat and smooth and carve and print again.

-- Mike

• [Back to message index]

Message 10
From: FurryPressII # aol.com
Date: Mon, 16 Jan 2006 16:55:17 EST
Subject: [Baren 29895] wood walnut?
Send Message: To this poster

I have used walnut a couple of times it has an interesting grain when
printed. I carved a walnut block because I wanted the block as wood carving after
I printed it. It does have a distinct texture but so do other woods people
like to use. Most fruit woods carve nicely.
My personal fav. is maple because it is a very even wood. And does not split
when carved in fine lines.

I remember reading that Albrect Durer used pear wood for his blocks. It is
not that hard but it is very even in texture but almost impossible to get in
America. The one large block of Pear I carved was softer than both walnut
and cherry. But it did have very even grain. Box wood is used for wood
engraving because it has a very hard and even grain a good block of box
engraves like a piece of ivory (almost) but getting a block beyond a few inches
wide is next to impossible that is why it is glued together also the small
logs tend to split into half rounds when they are being dried.

I have to get carving the colophon block i need a good kick in the pants.

john center

• [Back to message index]

Message 11
From: Reneeaugrin # aol.com
Date: Mon, 16 Jan 2006 17:00:57 EST
Subject: [Baren 29896] Re: Reductive printing
Send Message: To this poster

I would be happy to put the reductive print on line if my computer would let
me. It seems to have some kind of stubborn streak about that.

Has anyone tried apple wood? Is there a better time of year than another to
harvest a fruit wood and how long to wait for drying before you can carve?
I imagine that would depend on the climate you are in, if it is the Pacific
NW it could take years!

Renee U.
In very soggy Damascus Oregon

• [Back to message index]

End of [Baren] Digest