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Message 3
From: "colleen # tin.it"
Date: Thu, 22 Feb 2007 14:16:31 +0100 (GMT+01:00)
Subject: [Baren 32853] printmaking exhibition of baren works in Italy
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Dear Baren Members,

I am now preparing a printmaking exhibition which
will open next May in conjunction with the opening of "Dedalo", a new
contemporary art center set in the Abruzzi mountains.
The art center
is a three storey country house converted into a studio with
printmaking facilities, and with accommodation for visiting artists
(more information will come soon on a website which will be online
within a month or two)

The exhibition I am preparing will instruct the
public of varous printmaking techniques and I will show works from my
print collection including works from previous exchanges.
The prints on
display will be from the following exchanges:

Music exchange (baren)
war and peace exchange (baren)
metal plate exchange (printaustralia)
Sacred Tree (printaustralia)
Mint exchange (baren)
Baren calendar works
Dreams exchange (printaustralia?)
WIAP Exchange (Printaustralia)
Deck
of cards exchange
Baren # 20
Baren # 10
Baren # 12
Baren # 13
Baren # 6

Because of space (and alas! costs) I can't frame them all, but there
will be a selection of prints from a variety of artists from as many
countries as I can possibly handle. If you have your own frame which
you would like to send to have your print displayed in, it is very much
appreciated. This will be sent back to you once the exhibit is over (in
september 2007)
Those prints which will not be framed will be displayed
in folders for people to browse through.
If you have a print which you
would like to display but is not in one of the exchanges I mentioned,
you can always have it displayed, provided that you provide return
shipping costs.

For the time being, as I have already mentioned, I
don't know which prints to show yet so if you have a preference, please
let me know as soon as possible so that I can already set aside your
preferences. PLease note that I will not display more than one print
per artist unless space allows for more prints

Colleen Corradi
Italy

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Message 1
From: Elizabeth Busey
Date: Thu, 22 Feb 2007 07:41:40 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [Baren 32854] Workshops & Water-based Inks
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My first post for Baren members...

Two questions:
1) I am looking for a summer workshop for woodblock
printing. I have taken two university printmaking
relief classes, so I'm looking for something that
would appeal to an intermediate level -- or have a new
twist.

2) I am having difficulty with my Akua Intaglio inks.
I am printing on Hosho paper, and using either a
baren or a spoon. No matter how much pressure I
apply, I find the results really pale. I have
experimented with dampening the paper, but found that
the Hosho started to fall apart. Any suggestions?

Many thanks,
Elizabeth Busey

Elizabeth Busey
ebusey#yahoo.com

Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.

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Message 2
From: Barbara Mason
Date: Thu, 22 Feb 2007 07:54:16 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [Baren 32855] Re: Workshops & Water-based Inks
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Elisabeth,
Richard Steiner will again be coming to Portland Oregon to teach this summer, two classes Aug 13 and Aug 20 both a week long. If you are interested in them contact McClains Printmaking at www.imcclains.com to sign up and get info. We had a wonderful time last year.

The Akua inks have gone through so much change in the last 5 years that is is hard to give advise. Are you using the monotype ink with the thickener? What are you putting in the ink? If you are using it straight out of the jar and getting no color, I suggest new ink. I know that is hard to hear but the newer intaglio inks they have seem very good and you can roll them on quite well. I have had brilliant color with them. We are learning to use them as they are experimenting with making them better. One day soon things will stabalize.
best to you,
Barbara

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Message 3
From: "Mike Lyon"
Date: Thu, 22 Feb 2007 11:05:17 -0600
Subject: [Baren 32856] RE: Workshops & Water-based Inks
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Dear Elizabeth,

Barbara Mason, I see, has recommended Richard Steiner (ex-pat Minnesotan
printing in Kyoto forever) -- April Vollmer and I spent a very pleasant
afternoon with him in his studio and he's extremely energetic and a very
pleasant (did I mention energetic?) person -- a HOOT!

April Vollmer is teaching a 5-day workshop at Anderson Ranch in Snowmass
Colorado this summer -- she's also extremely pleasant, upbeat but low-key
and very well organized.
http://www.andersonranch.org/workshops/temp.cfm?include=Printmaking&EventID=
1357&DisplayContent=false

McClains Printmaking maintains a good list of workshops and instructors --
see their calendar for many more options here:
http://imcclains.com/calendarlinks/events.html

Personally, I don't like Akua for water-borne printing -- you're using their
intaglio inks which are optimize for intaglio, not relief printing anyway,
so the wrong 'stuff' regardless whether you're printing western-style or
Japanese style... If you want to print Japanese style, applying water-borne
color to your blocks using brushes, I suggest you experiment with readily
available watercolors (in tubes) -- if you like it, then it's ever so much
less expensive (and better results) if you purchase pigment suspensions
(Createx Pure Pigments are widely available and works very well) but Guerra
Paint and Pigment is the 'best' I've found -- see
http://www.guerrapaint.com/

If you're printing 'Western' technique to apply ink with a roller but want
soap and water clean-up, then take a look at Graphic Chemical and Ink --
they have good products here:
http://www.graphicchemical.com/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=214&cat=Water+Solu
ble

-- Mike

Mike Lyon
Kansas City, MO
http://mlyon.com

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Message 4
From: David Harrison
Date: Thu, 22 Feb 2007 19:54:58 +0000
Subject: [Baren 32857] a day or two's training
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Hi all,

Having just blown another evening trying to get solid black on a print,
I've come to realise just how useful some tuition would be -- especially
at the 'inking and printing' stage of affairs.

Can any UK-based printmakers point me the way of a school or one-on-one
instructor where I could learn more about taking an impression from a
finished block? Equally, if anyone's willing to work out something
ad-hoc that would be great too!

all the best,

David H

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Message 5
From: Julio.Rodriguez # walgreens.com
Date: Thu, 22 Feb 2007 17:38:29 -0600
Subject: [Baren 32858] Re: Workshops & Water-based Inks
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Elizabeth...

I second Barbara's & Mike' suggestions for classes....Steiner, Vollmer &
Lyon would be all great choices choices for intermediate to advance
classes....

Re your printing problem....real japanese hosho should not be falling
apart under regular printing...are you sure you have real japanese papers
(as compare to Sumi ink drawing paper) and could you possibly be
introducing so much water into the process that everything comes out pale
???? If you are diluting your pigments soooo much...or if you have lots
of water in the process... this is not good... a little water goes a long
way in woodblock....also make sure you mix in paste on the block to give
you consistent coverage...


David....

It is really hard to get deep black in woodblock...I think you are doing
water-based right ? Unichi Hiratsuka was a great master at B&W large
prints and he had to overprint as many as a dozen times to get his
characteristic deep black (see links below)....are you using black
watercolor pigments or real sumi ink ???? Sumi ink is the way to
go....the Baren mall sells a bottle of concentrated paste which many swear
by... http://barenforum.org/mall/products/pigments.php

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://spectacle.berkeley.edu/~fiorillo/pics/sosaku/hiratsuka_shosoin360.jpg&imgrefurl=http://spectacle.berkeley.edu/~fiorillo/texts/sosakutexts/sosaku_pages/hiratsuka3.html&h=360&w=281&sz=44&hl=en&start=8&tbnid=v_q5PERAJqRnIM:&tbnh=121&tbnw=94&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dhiratsuka%26gbv%3D2%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://images.artelino.com/images/images/unichi_hiratsuka4.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.artelino.com/articles/unichi_hiratsuka.asp&h=201&w=162&sz=12&hl=en&start=3&tbnid=equCYTvhooZirM:&tbnh=104&tbnw=84&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dhiratsuka%2Bunichi%26gbv%3D2%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den

Julio

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Message 6
From: Jan Telfer
Date: Fri, 23 Feb 2007 10:15:08 +0800
Subject: [Baren 32859] Re: Year of the Golden Boar
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Dear Louise,

Yes Louise. I am one of those!!!! Believe it or not!! All those
babies born in the Year of the Pig in 1947 have the privilege.

For the first time in six decades, it will also coincide with the year
in which the element of gold passes through the Chinese zodiac - and
babies born in the Year of the Golden Pig are twice as blessed.

Under the Chinese zodiac, one of 12 animals is assigned to each year.
People can be a rat, ox, tiger, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey,
rooster, rabbit, dog or pig. In addition, five elements -gold, water,
wood, fire and earth - rotate through the zodiac. Every 60 years, the
most coveted element, gold, coincides with the most auspicious Year of
the Pig.

This birth sign signifies an easy going, lucky person. I may be easy
going, but never thought of myself as lucky especially in the monetary
sense in winning lotteries or raffles or been given "stuff", so I
haven't ever thought of my Pig birth sign anything but leaving me over
weight, so there might be something in this after all! Maybe this is
to be my special year. I just need to finish my Masters Degree this
year so keep your finger crossed everyone.... your fibes may be all I
need. Thank you.

From a hopefully lucky Pig,
Jan

Perth,
Western Australia

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Message 7
From: David Harrison
Date: Fri, 23 Feb 2007 03:04:45 +0000
Subject: [Baren 32860] Re: Workshops & Water-based Inks
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Hi Julio,

First of all, thanks for the links to those glorious Hiratsuka images. I
could get lost in them!

I'm using water-washable but oil-based ink. It's made by Lawrence in the
UK. I think it's similar to the Graphic Chemical or Caligo washable oil
inks. It feels much the same as regular linseed oil ink -- "rich and
tacky" in a good way :-)

How hard is it to learn to use sumi? I must admit that the original
intent was to stick firmly in the 'western' camp for now -- hence the
brayer and oil-based inks etc -- but if you think it's worth a try...

all the best,

David

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Message 8
From: "Maria Arango"
Date: Thu, 22 Feb 2007 20:12:42 -0800
Subject: [Baren 32861] Re: Workshops & Water-based Inks
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David,

If you are using oil based ink you should be getting blacks so black they
should be scary!

Here are some things to double check that might help getting a black-black:

-Check ink and make sure it is soft enough to print by hand. Perhaps it is
too dry, too sticky, too hard, or too cold. You can correct nearly all of
that with a transparent base additive, except the cold...brrrr...fix that
with a space heater.

-Make sure you are inking evenly on those large black areas. Roll out ink
from every direction and don't be shy about loading the roller more than
once. God forgive me, I over ink everything but my blacks are blacker than
the blackest night. Look at your block really close and sideways to actually
see the ink layer on there nice and even. Any extra shiny spots or flat
spots should be avoided; the entire layer of ink should look smooth like a
horse's rump (a black horse, of course).

-Build up your block sloooowly; roll out even layer of ink, print on waste
paper, roll again, print again. Should take at least three roll/print rounds
to get even build up on the large areas of the block before you print on
your good paper. Careful with your lines or they will become too inked. It's
really okay to ink the flat areas more than the lines. Roll from every
direction again.

-Pressure may not be hard enough if you are inking by hand. Put some muscle
into it.

-Paper may be too hard or too dry. If you are getting some good blacks on
newsprint but not on printing paper, then your printing paper may need
dampening. Soak or spray every other sheet, stack in plastic under weights
and leave for at least 3 hours, better over night. Paper should be soft and
cool when you bring to your cheek, not damp or soggy.

-Did I mention the muscle part? Large black areas by hand require some
serious pressure. Try a ball-bearing baren if you can afford one or have the
horse in step 2 pounce on your block real hard; just kidding of course.
Seriously, printing oil based ink by hand just requires that you put your
body weight behind your arm and shoulder and print with gusto!

Hope some of these helps,
Maria


Maria Arango
www.1000woodcuts.com
www.artfestivalguide.info

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Message 9
From: Blog Manager
Date: 23 Feb 2007 04:55:24 -0000
Subject: [Baren 32862] 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. (30 sites checked, five minutes before midnight Eastern time)

*****************

Site Name: Woodblock Dreams

Author: Annie B
Item: Chemistry Experiment
http://woodblockdreams.blogspot.com/2007/02/chemistry-experiment.html

*****************

Site Name: m.Lee Fine Art

Author: m.Lee
Item: Buisiness
http://mleeprints.blogspot.com/2007/02/buisiness.html

*****************

Site Name: Belinda Del Pesco Fine Art Blog

Author: Belinda Del Pesco
Item: Watercolor & Colored Pencil: Attentive
http://belindadelpesco.blogspot.com/2007/02/watercolor-colored-pencil-attentive.html

*****************

Site Name: VIZArt

Author: Viza Arlington
Item: Fleeting IV (Original Monotype)
http://vizart.blogspot.com/2007/02/fleeting-iv-original-monotype.html

*****************

Site Name: Olansa Cuttings

Author: David
Item: One step forward, five back


Author: David
Item: What we did on our winter vacation


Author: David
Item: Just like a New Year’s resolution, only late


*****************

[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://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://onthisblock.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://www.jauntyrakes.blogspot.com

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Message 10
From: Wendy Bell
Date: Fri, 23 Feb 2007 10:54:03 +0100 (CET)
Subject: [Baren 32863] Wendy catching up
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Hi Everyone!

I'm getting caught up on the threads here, and have
seen some really interesting contributions.

Hi Alec! thanks of your posting. I really enjoyed
seeing your work on your site! Very nice! Very alive!

Davida - also hello! and what an interesting
techniques and surface. It looks like the surfaces are
very rich, and I wish that I could reach into my
screen to touch them.

Ellen! I saw a few nice peices of yours, the
valentine's piggies made me sigh, and the "monsters" -
in various versions. Nice to be reminded of pastel on
prints. I have done that a little in the past, and
enjoyed it, and was thinking of it again recently.

Mike's Computer Controlled Paintbrush Gismo is
inspiring! congrats on that! I'm currently trying to
figure out how I can make a solar-powered unusually
colored LED signal light - and after a lot of fairly
frustrating research time yesterday - I am inspired by
your finished invention!

Thanks to David Bull for sharing the video - wow - so
much high quality work, and so much to learn! Congrats
on this milestone, and good luck on your next
project. Thank you also for sharing so much of your
process.

Thanks to all on the sore hand issue - I battle that
sometimes - when carving for long periods of time for
days stright - and find that taking breaks is what
helps me.

Thanks also for the info on the white-line printmaking
technique and "school" out of P-Town. That thread is
about a month old by now, but I took a long look.

Belinda - I rarely have feelings of homesickness, but
seeing your print and watercolors of San Juan
Capistrano made me think.... aaahh, California....

and what have I been up to???? I'm very busy with
stuff that's not too visible yet! which feels
frustrating to me, actually... I have been carving 2
blocks, and have been sketching and drawing, and
working on ideas for a public art piece (on a
bicycle/footpath on theme of renewable resources -
that's the traffic light thing), I started working
with 2 groups of kids at a local school to do 2 murals
over the next 8 weeks, preparing for 2 shows (framing
and administrative stuff), beginning to work on a show
that I will curate in San Salvador of young berlin
artists, planning my Baren Exchange print, doing 2
mural proposals AND I'm looking for a new
apartment/studio.

My schedule does NOT always look like this, and
although it's all good, I'm struggling a bit at the
moment, trying to keep organized and not feeling that
I am simply running from one deadline to the next!

On the topic of "What is art?" See my homepage and
judge for yourself! This weekend I was at the Tate
Modern in London, where I experienced Carsten
Hoeller's Unilever Series installation. Here are a
couple links if you're interested:
www.tate.org.uk/modern/exhibitions/carstenholler
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/culturevulture/archives/2006/10/09/the_verdict_on.html

good luck to everyone with all of your projects!

Wendy
www.wendybell.de

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