Today's postings

  1. [Baren 43200] Thanks ("Jeanne Norman Chase")
  2. [Baren 43201] EX48 Mythology - Friday quiz ( slinders # comcast.net)
  3. [Baren 43202] Re: Mildew (Sharri LaPierre)
  4. [Baren 43203] RE: Kathleen Baker Pittman, San Antonio Summit (Le Green)
  5. [Baren 43204] Baren Member blogs: Update Notification (Blog Manager)
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Message 1
From: "Jeanne Norman Chase"
Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2011 18:56:41 GMT
Subject: [Baren 43200] Thanks
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I guess I am not alone when it comes to mould on paper.
Thanks for all your sage advice and I will be trying to solve the problem .
Now I know why I sometimes go back to my painting. It does have some advantages.
But afraid I am bitten by the printing bug.

Jeanne
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Message 2
From: slinders # comcast.net
Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2011 21:37:05 GMT
Subject: [Baren 43201] EX48 Mythology - Friday quiz
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1. What monster turns you to stone?
a. Medusa
b. Saturn
c. Uranus

2. What type of god is Neptune?
a. Greek
b. Egypt
c. Roman

3. What do Tricksters do?
a. Play jokes
b. Trick their enemies
c. Goof off!

4. When will your exchange prints arrive in Illinois?
a. They are already there!
b. In less than two weeks!
c. I'm hurrying but they'll be a little late!

correct answers:
1. a
2. c
3. b
4. a or b *

*If your answer is 'c' please WRITE to your coordinator NOW!
--and please hurry to get your prints finished! Your prints
should be on their way next week!

The stack of prints that are already here is piling up! Hooray
for those who answered A!!! You folks are terrific!

Sharen
http://www.barenforum.org/exchange/exchange_48/exchange_48.html

p.s. EX49 is now open for sign-ups!
NO THEME! Size is 5" x 7" (12.5 cm x 17.5 cm)
Join in the fun of exchanging prints!
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Message 3
From: Sharri LaPierre
Date: Sat, 16 Apr 2011 01:47:28 GMT
Subject: [Baren 43202] Re: Mildew
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I suppose there will be some on the Forum who will turn inside out at
this suggestion, but I have done this and it works, and there were no
ill effects. Caution: this only works on oil based inks (as far as I
know) - I would not try it on Japanese prints. Mix a weak solution
of water and clorox liquid bleach. Submerge the print. Watch it
until all the mildew/mold spots are gone. Remove and rinse thoroughly
in clear water finishing with a dip in distilled water. Blot and
dry. I have done this numerous times with no problems, some were done
30 years ago and are still looking good.

I suggest you get some desiccant to absorb the extra humidity and keep
it in your print drawers, changing it every couple of months. I'm
surprised that we don't have more of a problem with those nasty little
spores here in the NW, but I guess since it doesn't really get that
hot - or when it does, it doesn't stay that way very long - must be
our salvation.

Good luck! Let us know what you do and what works best.

Cheers ~
Sharri
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Message 4
From: Le Green
Date: Sat, 16 Apr 2011 01:55:21 GMT
Subject: [Baren 43203] RE: Kathleen Baker Pittman, San Antonio Summit
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Kathleen Baker Pittman saying hello.

I have been reading the Baren Forum for some time. The lively interaction between printmakers is very entertaining.
I am helping with organizing the Summit in San Antonio and will be demonstrating watercolor monoprint in my studio.
I am looking forward to meeting many of you in person.

Kathleen Baker Pittman

Digest Appendix

Postings made on [Baren] members' blogs
over the past 24 hours ...

Subject: My First Baren Wrap
Posted by: Annie B

OK. You can't be a self-respecting moku hanga printmaker and not know how to wrap a baren in the pretty bamboo skins (leaves) that make a Japanese baren a baren. But here I am, coming up on my 6 year anniversary of working with moku hanga and I have never wrapped my own baren. I used it oh so carefully for the first couple of years and the skin didn't split until year 2 1/2. Then I got Matt Brown to wrap it for me at a workshop (thank you Matt). And then I took to using a ball-bearing baren for large prints, so I eked out another couple of years on the bamboo skin Matt had installed. But it's time to face the music...

Last month I ordered a new skin (takenogawa) from McClain's and set about re-covering my very fine Murasaki baren. Oops. I split the skin before I could even get half the baren wrapped. And I only had one skin! So there's lesson #1. If you've never done it before, buy more than one skin.

I found out that my friend Rick Finn was trying to learn to wrap a baren at the same time I was, so I checked out his new blog to see how it was going for him. He was smart enough to buy three skins to begin with, but even then he wasn't able to successfully wrap his baren. I felt better about myself (sorry Rick) after reading his account. Rick, by the way, makes beautiful grayscale reduction print portraits of petty criminals from old mug shots -- check them out. Anyhow, Rick finally got his baren covered and, this morning, so did I. It was nice to have online company getting through this first hurdle. So lesson #2 is, get as much help and moral support as you can.

Here are some great resources for help in re-covering your baren:
+ David Bull's online step-by-step
+ David Bull's e-book "Your First Print"
+ Ryusei Okamoto's step-by-step photo tutorial

All three are excellent. Dave Bull's e-book is especially great because it has a video of the entire process (plus there are chapters on every aspect of the craft). And the very awesome thing about Ryusei Okamoto's photos is that at the end he has a very clear demonstration of how to tie the finishing knot. Only after seeing his photos could I could figure that out.

However. What I'm about to show you is a very poor imitation of a proper baren re-covering project. I know that you might tease me, but I show you these photos in the spirit of showing my whole process, warts and all.

BarenWrapGood
The lovely baren wrap by Matt Brown.


[Long item has been trimmed at this point. The full blog entry can be viewed here]

This item is taken from the blog woodblock dreams.
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Subject: Amalthea exchange 48
Posted by: Viza Arlington


Artist: Viza Arlington
Title: Amalthea
Amalthea is the goat nymph who raised/nursed Zeus at Mt. Ida in Crete and hid him from his father Cronus the Titan who had a bad habit of eating his children.
woodcut oil based ink on archival Rives BFK paper bleed print (image is printed to edges of paper),
image size: 8X10 inches
Paper size: 8X10
edition: 100

This item is taken from the blog VIZArt.
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Subject: Block prep and the miracle of technology (barring crashes!)
Posted by: Sue


Receiving a new block from the blockmakers is a tactile experience. I love unwrapping the package to feel the cool, smooth wood and admire the close grain.

This is a resurfaced block, which had been engraved on some 30 years ago. I sent it along with some others to Chris Daunt, (who doubtless had to give himself a steadying moment when he stopped laughing at the toe-curlingly bad engraving) and he shaved away the existing engraving and smoothed the block to a glassy shine on the engraving face.



You can almost make out the old design but the block is smooth and silky to the touch. A new engraving block is a thing of beauty. Contrary to the label on the wrapper, this is not lemonwood, but pearwood. I bought it from TN Lawrence in London in 1980 and it arrived neatly wrapped in a piece of newspaper. Now I hope to engrave on it a second time and I hope the result is more competent.

First I darkened that smooth shiny surface, by rubbing a little dilute writing ink over it, with a cloth. I darken the block so that I can see the engraved lines better, as they will stand out white against the dark. I don't darken it too much though, or I won't see the lines of my design.


[Long item has been trimmed at this point. The full blog entry can be viewed here]

This item is taken from the blog Studio Window.
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