Baren Digest             Thursday, 15 February 2001     Volume 14 : Number 1319


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From: Legreenart@cs.com
Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2001 12:26:06 EST
Subject: [Baren 13392] Re: Toxic Watercolors 

In reference to thhe Barium message:
    I have declined to respond to the posts assuming that Waterbased inks or 
paints were inherently safer. But I wondered if bareners were aware that they 
can be more dangerous than oil. I though the new safety regulations had 
probably taken care of the problem, and try not to talk all the time.
    I worked in art materials sales fifteen years ago. We were notified that 
some of the piments previously used in watercolor would no longer be 
available. However, the same pigments would continue to be available in oils, 
because the oil mediums kept the pigments from being absorbed by hmans, but 
the  the universal solvent of water made it easy for the body to absorb the 
same pigments.

Yours, 
Le Green
Stonemetal Press
Email: legreenart@cs.com
Website:  www.stonemetalpress.homepage.com

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From: b.patera@att.net
Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2001 18:47:06 +0000
Subject: [Baren 13393] Re: Toxic Watercolors 

I too, have kept quiet about the inherent safety of inks 
and paints. My knowledge of toxins comes from my years 
as a potter. It would seem to me that cobalt, chrome, 
cadmiums, and barium would be just as toxic and 
absorbable in ink as in glaze. I have always used them 
with extra care and unless there is some data to the 
contrary will continue to do so. And that includes 
keeping  products that contains any of the above(plus 
others) out of the hands of children.

Barbara P.

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From: Salsbury <salsbury@forbin.com>
Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2001 13:23:25 -0800
Subject: [Baren 13394] Hello 

Hi All,

Just a quick note from one of the seldom heard from.  I am still working on
my snakes, and believe I am in contention for the coveted position of the
last snake to slither in.  If I print my cards right (pun intended) I can
mail them with the cards for 2002 saving lots of dollars in postage. :-)

I was doing a reduction block when they met with an accident.  My son.  He
managed to be working in my space and splattered stain on them.  Yes all of
them!  How this child has lived to be in his 30's is beyond me.  Someone is
definitely watching over him.

Beginning again, but this time I am working in a mono type so it will be a
while but hopefully worth it in the end.

Delighted to hear all the kind considerate comments with regard to how we
all are at different levels, but walking the same path.  I must admit as
the slithery fellows began dropping by I began to think of running the
other direction. 

I chuckled to myself as I read the comment about John Amos's Crab print, at
least I think it was Mr Amos's.  When I first found Baren and cruised
through the archives etc. the Crab print was one that I was immediately
drawn to.  It was the fact that it was so simply rendered, and that it was
showing something we fail to think about on a daily basis that drew me to
it.  Just reenforces the fact that we all see things differently.

Happy printing,
Sue 

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From: "kate courchaine" <katecourchaine@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2001 19:59:38 
Subject: [Baren 13395] Re: Toxic Watercolors 

There is a great tool out there for artists working with materials which 
they are uncertain about the toxicity.  This tool is known as a Material 
Safety Data Sheet or MSDS.  These are available from all suppliers upon 
request (I think by law).  I have a note book in my studio where I keep 
mine.  The format is unfortunately not standardized, but I heard something 
about OSHA working on possibly changing that.  They can be difficult to 
interpret.  One must remember that any substance can be toxic or lethal in 
large enough doses.

Happy Printing,
Kate

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From: "Charles and Gail Sheffield" <gsheffield@i-55.com>
Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2001 15:44:04 -0800
Subject: [Baren 13396] An offer you can't refuse . . . . 

Is anybody interested in a free sample of cypress to cut?  We panelled =
our living area in cypress and there are some ends left over.  I would =
be happy to send a piece to each of the first 10 people who contact me =
offline, at gsheffield@i-55.com .  I'm new at relief printing and have =
only done lino.  I would like to know what you real woodcut people think =
of it.  In fact, I don't even have any wood cutting tools yet.  This =
wood is very soft, making it easy to cut, but I suppose that means it =
won't stand up to printing well, either.  Actually, my linocut tools =
easily cut it, although I haven't done a design yet. These are thin =
(less than 1/2" thick) pieces, planed on one side, and 5" wide by =
lengths varying from 7-9".   This is not heartwood or old growth wood.  =
Naturally, I would expect you to report to Baren on whether it is worth =
a hoot or not.

Gail Sheffield
Covington, LA

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From: "Maria Arango" <maria@mariarango.com>
Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2001 14:23:52 -0800
Subject: [Baren 13397] hazardous stuff charset="iso-8859-1" 

Don't forget that powdered pigments are nasty if inhaled, and that even wood
dust from sanding can collect in your alveoli and form woodblocks right in
your lungs. The CO2 produced by normal respiration can then carve the
woodblock by chemical action, platelets will form with the pigment and the
cilia in the mitochondria of the lung cells will brush color on the block.
Now all you have to do is grind some paper, inhale it carefully, go for a
bike ride to get some pressing action going in the bronchii, and PRESTO!
cough up a print!

Most of what I learned about hazardous materials comes from these sources:

- - Six years of physics/chemistry/bio/physiology. Perhaps the lengthier way
to get acquainted with this topic, but there is plenty of room in anyone's
brain, so I'm told, to acquire an unlimited amount of basic knowledge. My
problem is, I don't have a lot of patience with unfounded absolutes, such
as: "there is no black in nature", and, "this stuff is bad for you."
Unfortunately the more you learn, the more you know that you know soooo
little, but a bit of basic science goes a long way.
Point is, there is quite a bit to know about the many ingredients of artist
materials.

- - (as mentioned) The Artist's Health and Safety Guide, Allworth Press and
The Complete Guide to Artist's Materials (or whatever the title of that
nifty book is). These are two essentials.

- - Definitely, OSHA leaflets from manufacturers, but this is such a tedious
process and I'm so impatient...

- - Many suppliers offer leaflets about manufacture and composition of inks
and things. Get them when you can. One warning, and please don't jump on me,
oh lurking manufacturers: many of these are "simplified" so that even us
thick-headed artists can understand. In the process of interpretation and
teaching, some truth is always lost, as any teacher knows. The resulting
generalizations go in favor of safety, but nevertheless, these are sometimes
tainted by the specific teachings of the manufacturer's.

- - Work in an automotive body-shop supply store to _really_ get exposed to
some real nasty stuff for about three years. Well, maybe not everyone has a
chance to do this but it was entertaining, I learned a lot about automotive
paints, additives and solvents, and I can color match a Wedgewood Metallic
'74 Chevy Camaro with my eyes closed.

- - And, my favorite, Classic Paints and Faux Finishes, a Reader's Digest
book. Don't laugh, this book has by far the best explanation of ingredients
in inks, paints, and many other artistic goops. I mean the ingredients right
down to carbon and titanium and madder and such things. It is a fascinating
book, well, fascinating to obsessed inquiring minds.

Health (cough, inhale, cough) to all,
Maria

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Maria Arango
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
http://www.1000woodcuts.com
maria@mariarango.com
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><>


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From: "Charles and Gail Sheffield" <gsheffield@i-55.com>
Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2001 17:20:24 -0800
Subject: [Baren 13398] Addendum on An Offer You Can't Refuse. . . .
I should have specified that I would send them to U.S. locations, as =
that foreign postage can get pretty pricey.

Gail Sheffield
Covington, LA, where it's HOT today, yuk.


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From: Cucamongie@aol.com
Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2001 20:16:47 EST
Subject: [Baren 13399] thanks, etc 

Hi folks, happy valentines day!  Dean from Graphic Chemical, thanks for the useful information, we're lucky to have you on our forum.
Dan Dew, your new prints are lovely, really capture a lot of emotion in them, bravo!
And, as April mentioned a while back, I am fortunate enough to be assisting her in a hanga workshop which will be held at the Japan Society next week, which is part of a bunch of workshops they're holding there in such other things as animation and manga, sounds like ours will be the most hands-on - thank you April for giving me this opportunity-
Oh yeah, I just received word that one of my BIG (25" x 34") doggy prints (a dachshund wearing a checkered sweater on a Byzantine pattern background) was accepted into the Art Show at the Dog show (hence my recent post about sending big things, thanks to everyone for that, I ended up buying an art carton from Propack, Sharen sent me this website, I received it today and it looks quite sturdy).
best wishes all,
Sarah

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From: "John and Michelle Morrell" <jmmorrell@gci.net>
Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2001 22:20:09 -0900
Subject: [Baren 13400] Copyrights and aromatic cleaners charset="iso-8859-1" 

For the past week I have resisted the following comments but alas,  courtesy
really isn't my nature, so I will play devil's advocate.

Regarding copyrights, I would be interested in knowing how the barenesses
would deal with the situation I was in a couple years ago.  I was working in
an artists' consignment shop when a youngish fellow came in and told me  I'd
be interested in seeing his tattoo.  (I've forgotten quite where it was--on
the arm or chest--it seemed rather large).  Anyway, turns out he'd bought a
wood engraving of mine a year or so earlier and had gone down to San Diego
and had a tattoo artist engrave him with it.  It was a nice job all in all,
and I told him I was flattered, as I couldn't think of any other reasonable
response.  Considering he had to live with the thing the rest of his life,
it seemed only silliness  to suggest he ask first next time or that he cut
it out.

And Dean (of Graphic Chem), you mentioned that you couldn't understand why
anyone would use aromatic cleaners.  I do because (1) they are available (2)
they are cheap, and (3) cooking oil really doesn't cut it.  We're talking
grease on grease here.  As for toxicity, I print in the garage, and my few
cans of flammables don't begin to compare to the two large gasoline
combustion motors housed there.  And, relative to land mines and toxic waste
dumps and airborne explosives and good old volcanos, the gasoline combustion
motors are a spit in the ocean.   I use a respirator mask when necessary,
and it is necessary when airbrushing any pigments or mixing ceramic glaze
powders.  I consider mineral spirits relatively benign, unlike Simple Green,
which  leaves me coughing, although I use it anyway.   :>)

<^><^><^><^><^><^>
    Michelle Morrell
   jmmorrell@gci.net
<^><^><^><^><^><^>





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End of Baren Digest v14 #1319
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