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Message 1
From: Marilynn Smith
Date: Sun, 07 Jun 2009 14:05:34 GMT
Subject: [Baren 39045] Re: New Baren Digest (HTML) V47 #4845 (Jun 7, 2009)
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Hi,

My husband built me two L shaped registration boards made out of
particle board. He rounded the edges for me so they slide easily
through the press. It fits most blocks and mine also is about 4
inches wide for extra margins if desired. For blocks that are thin I
just build one out of foam core, some times it takes a little extra
layer, so i some times add a second one on top of the first of mat
board. The prof I took printmaking from had made a crude one in class
for me when I did my first reduction print, so we had sort of a model
to start from. I also use tape, two layers of masking tape work just
fine. Just be sure your plate is snug. When I carve an odd shaped
plate I just glue it to a piece of mat board or foam core that is
square and than use the registration L. It definitely makes life
easier.

Marilynn

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Message 2
From: Charles Morgan
Date: Sun, 07 Jun 2009 23:00:38 GMT
Subject: [Baren 39046] SWNS09 print exchange
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I thought some of the Baren members might be interested in a print exchange hosted by another group. Please note that the following print exchange is in no way connected to Baren, although several Baren members have participated in the past.

Cheers ..... Charles

Southern Winter Northern Summer Solstice 2009 Print Exchange

SWNS09

You are invited to join an international group of printmakers who hold a print exchange at the time of the two yearly solstices. Here are the details for our next exchange. We remind you to please be mindful of the deadlines.

Sign-up deadline: June 21, 2009 ... sign up by sending private email to:

CharlesGMorgan@ yahoo.com

Deadline for receipt of prints: August 1, 2009

Prints to be sent to: Charles Morgan
77 Moss Street
Victoria, B.C. V8V 4M2
CANADA

Theme: open

Technique: any editionable technique

Paper size: 7.5 x 11 inches, which is 19 x 28 cm

Edition size: depends on sign-ups ... usually about 30 ... details will be sent at the close of the sign-up period

Participation fee: $15 US or Canadian, to be sent with prints or by Paypal to the email address above

Please
note: The time between sign-up and the required delivery date of the
prints is only 6 weeks. You should allow at least a week, and
preferably two, for international mail delivery. So you should begin
work on your prints immediately after signing up.

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Message 3
From: Joe Martin
Date: Sun, 07 Jun 2009 23:58:22 GMT
Subject: [Baren 39047] registration
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This is not the real hanga way, but I make a registration board for
each print using a piece of foam core and registration pins. One of
the thicknesses foam core comes in makes a perfect height registration
board for the shina plywood McClains sells, when you've taped two
registration pins right past the place where the top of your paper
will be. I cut a hole in the foam core the size of the block. The
foam core holds up very well and the damp block fits in snugly time
after time. I tape 2 little pieces of microfilm film, that I've
punched with a hole punch, on the top of my paper. To print, I press
the film registration tabs holes over the pins and smooth the paper
over the block (which is held by the hole in the foam core). Perfect
registration every time. Well, almost. Human errors can still occur...

I haven't noticed the registration boards McClains is selling, I will
have to look them up. Nice work presenting them with a useful,
hopefully, money making idea, Barbara!

I have question about ink. I took several workshops on Japanese
woodcut printing from a Japanese artist, who teaches at printmaking
Oregon State University, when I was learning the process. This isn't
his usual type of printmaking, but he was teaching beginners here in
Portland for several summers. He suggested using goauche, rice paste
and water as ink. I've been using that or sometimes water color
paint, rice paste and water. This works OK, but it takes me numerous
times to layer on enough color. I know that isn't totally
unexpected. And I'm not using much rice paste, am not making my
colors too much lighter that way. Maybe I have two questions -- would
pigment dispersions (which I haven't tried) work better? And do I
actually need to use the rice paste? I am not sure what function the
rice paste is providing.

Thanks for any advice anyone has. Suzi SM

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Message 4
From: Graham Scholes
Date: Mon, 08 Jun 2009 00:17:40 GMT
Subject: [Baren 39048] Re:colourant and rice paste
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Hi Suzy
You need to consider what make of gouache you are using. If it the
cheap stuff then there is probably a lot of fill in the product that
is going make getting rich colours very difficult. It‘s the nature of
this medium that you have to print the same colour several times...
(at least twice) to get strength of colour when using artist colours,
be it high quality watercolours or gouache. Even the best of the
products have binders and this reduce the intensity of colour compared
to colourants... (Dispersions) ... which are typically just pure
pigment and very intense strength. Even with colourants printing
twice is a fact of life.

If you don’t use rice paste you will get Goma-zuri.... that white
speckle effect in the lay of pigments
You can see this in the bottom print of this site.... www.woodblockart.ca/MyCanada.html

Graham

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Message 5
From: Barbara Mason
Date: Mon, 08 Jun 2009 00:31:08 GMT
Subject: [Baren 39049] Re: colourant and rice paste
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Suzi,
I was in that class and as I recall he mixed the paste into the goauche.
It is not the best way. The pigment dispersions will give you much more color as they are only pigment with no binder in them.
The rice paste gives you a smooth application of color. Too little and you get white spots, too much and you get white spots and streaks. Water color works better but it is pretty expensive. I found the Akua monotype colors worked pretty well, they are pretty much pigment in dispersion with some type of gum as a binder. You can dilute them quite a bit and still get good color.
The dispersions that are just color and water are the strongest.
You don't need much paste or much water...I sure found I used less and less the better I got at doing moku hanga. And the best thing is I don't have a huge mess all over the place around me anymore. I used to look like a pig pen printing...but have gotten past that. finally I am not dripping stuff all over the place. It just takes time. Hope you are well and I look forwards to seeing you one day soon
My best
Barbara

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Subject: [Forest in Summer - 3] : Carving continues ...
Posted by: Dave Bull

This item is taken from the blog Woodblock RoundTable.
'Reply' to Baren about this item.

Subject: In Print - And A Book Launch
Posted by: Andy English

This item is taken from the blog Wood Engraver.
'Reply' to Baren about this item.

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