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Message 1
From: Cucamongie # aol.com
Date: Sun, 15 Jun 2008 14:55:33 EDT
Subject: [Baren 35985] solvents
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Hi folks, just to add my 2 cents on various solvents, I personally have
found that I am sensitive to the citrus solvents, so I wear a respirator, gloves
and ventilate well when using it to transfer images. though it may be more
environmentally than some other solvents, it is non non-toxic.

best wishes
Sarah

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Message 2
From: Sydney Gelbwaks
Date: Sun, 15 Jun 2008 14:06:21 -0500
Subject: [Baren 35986] Re: New Baren Digest (HTML) V43 #4391 (Jun 14, 2008)
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I dont comment often, but I must tell you that I had to give up any
types of etching using acetone. I, too, had bleeding from the noise
eyes and mouth from the chemical and never really recovered. I walk
around with constant red eyes and a runny nose. Dont use acetone what
ever you do. Syd Gelbwaks

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Message 3
From: Peter Kocak
Date: Sun, 15 Jun 2008 14:31:06 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [Baren 35987] Re: solvents
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I use a TOLUEN ;-) works great for all surfaces except polyethylen..

Peter Kocák
www.pulib.sk/kocak
www.flickr.com/photos/pietrocelli
www.flickr.com/photos/marukiboshi
www.youtube.com/videos/pietrocelli123

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Message 4
From: "Jenn Schmitt"
Date: Sun, 15 Jun 2008 17:47:33 -0400
Subject: [Baren 35988] shellac on wood
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HI Guadalupe -

I've only just started shellacking blocks. I like to do it before I carve
because it makes the shina plywood a little crisper. I like the feel of it
better when I'm carving. Some seal the blocks again after carving because
then you can clean them with a little soysolv
and then soap and water. My older blocks I never sealed, just wiped down
with a rag in between uses and I haven't had a problem with them. It's
really what you prefer to do.

Jenn

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Message 5
From: Dave Bull
Date: Mon, 16 Jun 2008 08:43:33 +0900
Subject: [Baren 35989] Re: Difficulty with new photocopy transfers
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> My new(ish) Lexmark laser printer uses a toner that d-limonene
> does not touch.  However, acetone does the transfer just fine. So
> acetone works in some cases where d-limonene does not.


You know, I watch this discussion come back again and again, every few
months it seems, and wonder why everybody persists in making this
process so difficult and complicated.

The two-layer hanshita system is just _so_ effective and easy - not to
mention totally non-toxic - that I'm confused why everybody isn't doing
it this way.

1) Get some thin paper - the thinnest you can find. I use (expensive)
hand-dipped 'ganpi' for this job, but that's absolutely not essential.
Thin tracing/tissue/mending papers are available everywhere. Just make
sure you get one that isn't that plasticky kind that bubbles up when it
gets wet.

2) Use a light-tack spray glue to make a two-layer package - laminating
your thin paper on top of regular old copy paper. I use the 3M '55'
stuff, but there are many others available. Don't 'permanently' glue
them together - use the kind of glue that allows you to lift off and
reposition; that'll give you about the right strength to let the
package run through the laser printer, yet will still allow separation
later.

3) Print your image. Modern lasers will draw finer lines than most of
us can carve; no problem there. I usually include the registration
marks as well ...

4) Paste the two-layer package face down on your wood. If the design
only has wide areas, then a school mucilage will do fine. If there are
lots of fine lines, and you don't want the paper to be peeling off
while you are carving, use a slightly thinned white wood glue for a
stronger bond.

5) Peel off the copy paper backing sheet.

6) Depending on the type of thin paper you used, you can now make the
lines even more visible by:
- rubbing away paper fibers with a finger (this works for Japanese
papers like gampi)
- dabbing lightly with oil

The image should now be clearly visible on your block, and - assuming
you used a nice thin paper - there is no barrier at all to carving.

And if you don't want to go to the 'trouble' of making the two-layer
package yourself, we have ready made hanshita transfer paper in our
[Baren] Mall ...

Dave

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Message 6
From: Charles Morgan
Date: Sun, 15 Jun 2008 18:08:36 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [Baren 35990] Re: Difficulty with new photocopy transfers
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Acetone and d-limonene transfers are much faster than the hanshita method, and the image on the block is much more resistant to abrasion or accidental lifting. Perhaps if one's artistic activity were limited to woodblock print, one might put up with the hassle of hanshita. However, I sometimes do transfers to metal plate, using the toner as a resist for etching. Such cases call for very different methods.
Cheers ........ Charles

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Message 7
From: eli griggs
Date: Sun, 15 Jun 2008 18:24:40 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [Baren 35991] Re: Difficulty with new photocopy transfers
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I scan my drawings and use an inkjet to put the image
onto the smooth side of a sheet of Kitakata.

After pasting the image face down, like the
traditional method used in the Baren how-to pages, I
wait for it to dry completely before rolling away
layers of excess material. I find that If I take my
time almost all the paper can be removed, leaving only
a whisper of the original sheet containing the inkjet
printed image on the block.

My 2¢, Eli

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Message 8
From: Lana Lambert
Date: Sun, 15 Jun 2008 18:38:59 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [Baren 35992] Lacquer Thinner
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I had a litho professor that said the rule of thumb with lacquer thinner was that if you could smell it your brains cells were already dying. Lithotine was his solvent of choice and believed the ONLY way to ink an etching plate was with the meat of your hand. Sadly, I do agree with the hand method. Thank god I print moku hanga style! Anyways, with my letterpress, I use SoySolv II and chase that with straight Simple Green (I'd bank that they utilize oil of wintergreen in the mix) and I chase that with alcohol for the metal parts. When I run out of SoySolv I'm going to switch to just vegetable oil. I confess I do miss the smell of Lithotine every once and again.....

-Lana

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Message 9
From: Lana Lambert
Date: Sun, 15 Jun 2008 18:39:00 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [Baren 35993] Lacquer Thinner
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Repeat of Message 8

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Message 10
From: "Maria Arango"
Date: Sun, 15 Jun 2008 18:57:12 -0700
Subject: [Baren 35994] Re: Difficulty with new photocopy transfers
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I draw right on the block with sumi ink...go figure. Just really don't see
the need for transferring and I feel that drawing something makes it more
"me" than pasting on a photo, for my way of working.
To do multiple blocks, I cut the key block first, then use mylar to transfer
the key block print onto additional blocks, kentos included.

Maria


Maria Arango
http://1000woodcuts.com
http://artfestivalguide.info

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Message 11
From: Jan Telfer
Date: Mon, 16 Jun 2008 19:20:57 +0800
Subject: [Baren 35995] Re: Photocopy transfers
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Thank you to everyone about transferring photocopies..... I had tried
all those that have been suggested, but none worked.

The new photocopier at the Library really "hardens" the toner on to the
paper and leaves it hard and shiney and it resisted to all the
acetones, orange peelies, turps, elbow greece and spit I could conjure
up. Charles had suggested that it was worth trying heat to melt it on
and that's what succeeded. I only used my iron (not on steam) but I do
have a heat gun as well and will try that at a later date, but I
thought the heat gun may tend to move the paper fractionally and then
that would defeat the purpose of an accurate transferring technique.

I am teaching a hanga woodblock workshop over two days/two weeks to a
group of Printmakers in Pinjarra south of Perth this Friday and the
following Friday and may even have a follow up day later. It is a two
hour drive so will be either sleeping in my travel clothes or teaching
in my PJs!! I have our hanga exchange and other exchanges to take
with me.

So, another success from the mind of the Philosopher!

Thank you Charles,

Jan

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