Baren Digest               Wednesday, 3 July 2002       Volume 20 : Number 1884


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From: "Maria Arango" <maria@mariarango.com>
Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2002 07:50:42 -0700
Subject: [Baren 18586] RE: Fifth American Print Biennial 

Thanks John!

The print in question was Maze
http://www.1000woodcuts.com/fullsize/maze.html
Also thanks for the Journal of the Print World reference, I went to their
website and subscribed. I was totally ignorant of their existence.
Maria
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Maria Arango
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
http://www.1000woodcuts.com
maria@mariarango.com
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

- -----Original Message-----
>From: owner-baren@ml.asahi-net.or.jp
>[mailto:owner-baren@ml.asahi-net.or.jp]On Behalf Of John Cleverdon
>Sent: Monday, July 01, 2002 10:49 PM
>To: Baren Woodcut Forum
>Subject: [Baren 18584] Fifth American Print Biennial
>
>Congratulations to Maria Arango for getting in the 5th Annual American Print
>Biennial, organized by the Marsh Art Gallery, University of Richmond
>Museums.  The juror was Richard S. Field, Curator Emeritus of Prints and
>Drawings, Yale University Art Gallery.  Maria was one of 44 artists selected
>from entries submitted by 224 artists.
>
>The show ended this past Saturday (June 29th).  It was written up in the
>spring issue of the Journal of the Print World, which I finally got around
>to reading tonight.
>
>If there were any other Baren members in the show I apologize for not
>mentioning your names.
>
>John Cleverdon
>Point Clear, AL


------------------------------

From: Julio.Rodriguez@walgreens.com
Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2002 11:15:17 -0500
Subject: [Baren 18587] Re: Oregon Show - Print Pricing 
07/02/2002 11:17:16 AM 

There is a writeup on the last issue of the Barensuji newsletter with stuff
about Barbara Mason's Oregon show. There is also a link to the Oregon Japan
Summer Fest. Good luck with the exhibit.

http://barenforum.org/newsletter/issue08/issue08.html


Welcome to Carol Wagner and all the other new members. Be sure to
visit the Baren website !!!

Thanks Mike Lyon  for putting up the Music prints online and to
Barbara Patera for coordinating the exchange, an incredible group
of prints !

Anyone interested in contributing an article or photos for the
July/August newsletter, the time is now ! All entries welcome as
well as news about upcoming events in your part of the world.

thanks.....Julio Rodriguez (Skokie, Illinois)


------------------------------

From: "Jean Womack" <jeaneger@jeaneger.com>
Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2002 09:20:06 -0700
Subject: [Baren 18588] Re:   Baren Digest V19 #1882 

Regarding composition: I learned composition at Swarthmore college way back
in the '60's, in a class called "Design in Drawing and Painting."  It was a
different kind of composition than that which is taught now, which focuses
on balance of geometric objects and blocks of type.  Back then, it was based
on figurative paintings of the Rennaissance.  A triangular composition was
focused on three heads, usually mother, angel, and baby, or mother, father,
baby.  A rectangular
composition was four or more heads defining a rectangular arrangement.  And
so on.  The eye was always drawn to the head.  Recently I learned that the
eye is always drawn to the lightest spot in the painting.  I guess it just
depends on which school you went to.

Back then competition for grades in math class was rough.  Now competition
for art teaching jobs is really rough.  Thanks for including my print in the
show, Barbara.

Jean Eger Womack



------------------------------

From: "Bill and/or Lynda Ritchie" <ritchie@seanet.com>
Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2002 09:45:22 -0700
Subject: [Baren 18589] Mundie's more Munch  

I second J. Mundie's recommendation of F. Eichenberg's book, and comment
that Dr. Eichenberg borrowed my slides of the Bathing Man dozen images. I
made the slides when I was a scholar resident at the Munch Museum in 1969.
The series caught my eye because it exemplified printmaking's connection to
the new media arts. At that time it was video art, and I included the
Bathing Man in a talk I gave at the World Print Conference in SF in '81. If
Munch had a second life, he'd have spent time in a video special effects
studio, and today he'd have both a digital printmaking system alongside his
painting easel AND his press. The variable editions are by his hand, mostly;
he was a terrible printer--incompetent, really when it came to lithos. He
mastered his physical and mental illnesses up to a point and then, like John
Nash, had to get help. He emerged healthier, his mental and physical life
saved (but also his art was tamed and domesticated, IMHO). Bathing Man is
not his most expressive woodcut, but is an excellent illustration of the
expressive power printmaking and other media art gives to artists, like
American Jazz and concrete poetry gives to our sister arts, music and
literature. If Eichenberg had lived, by now his entire book would be
on-line, I think. Now we need a DVD of the 12 variations of Bathing Mann.
Shall we wait for the Munch Museum to do it? It will be a long time. Indeed,
it took a very long time for the City of Oslo to decide what Munch had
"left" the city was worth anything at all! Sigh.

PS: I destroyed my slides of Badende Mann this year, along with thousands of
others during a Slide Purge. Someone needs to get a grant, partly to go to
Oslo, stay in their scholar's apartment if it's still there, and do it over.
That's an opportunity for a graduate student or new printmaking teacher at
an institution someplace.

- - Bill

Mailing address: 500 Aloha #105
                 Seattle WA 98109
Professor's page: http://www.seanet.com/~ritchie
Virtual Art Gallery: http://www.myartpatron.com
First Portal to Ritchie's Game: www.artsport.com
Telephone: (206) 285-0658



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From: "marilynn smih" <marilynnsmih@hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, 02 Jul 2002 09:50:31 -0700
Subject: [Baren 18590] Re: Baren Digest V19 #1883 

Moku Hanga, well after boot camp I have some idea how to do this.  we used 
waterbased inks and a baren.  From what you are saying hanga can be done 
with oil based inks??  Would this mean than that the method is only using 
multi blocks, kento registration and carving in wood???  Some how i thought 
it also meant water based inks and a baren.  Well If Dave Bull wanted to 
promote this process, it reached me, i would never have tried it if it were 
not for Baren.
Marilynn




------------------------------

From: "Linda" <LMHTWB@prodigy.net>
Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2002 10:38:54 -0700
Subject: [Baren 18591] Exchange 15 and Hanga  

Someone the other day mentioned something about there might not be enough
people for an all hanga exchange.  I for one would like to try it out, but
I've never tried, never seen it done, and may get hopelessly lost in the
printing part.  I also can't afford the time and money to go to BootCamp or
even to the KC get together, so I'm pretty much stuck.  Either I learn it on
my own or I don't.  I don't think I'm alone in this.

But this hanga exchange is a real good opportunity for the hanga experts to
help someone like me learn the process.  I was thinking of something along
these lines.  Set a date after the sign-up period and say that all the new
hanga people should have their blocks ready to go by that date.  Then slowly
step us through the printing process one weekend.  (I assume that I could
learn to print one color in one weekend -- the other colors would be left up
to me on my own.)  Whoever the expert is would need to be online that
weekend, so, for example, I could mix up the paste, run into problems, and
quickly email the expert for instant solution.  Kind of like having a
someone to hold your hand, if only in cyberspace.

I would think this would be a good way for more people to try out hanga
printing.  Unless of course, you hanga people don't want others playing in
your sandbox.  [;-)] (Sorry, I couldn't help myself!)

Linda


------------------------------

From: "Lee and Barbara Mason" <bemason@concentric.net>
Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2002 10:59:32 -0700
Subject: [Baren 18592] Thanks, Baren  

Marilyn,
You are so right about this list teaching people about moku hanga. I
certainly had never done woodblocks before I found it. I wonder how many
lives Dave's list has changed??? I don't think oil based inks can be used
for Japanese woodblock, the whole premise is waterbased pigments and paper
especially made to accept these pigments. But I sure use the registration
method when I use oil and I have sure printed oil with a baren, so I guess
as artists we take the best of what we learn and make it work for us!
Best to all,
Barbara


> Moku Hanga, well after boot camp I have some idea how to do this.  we used
> waterbased inks and a baren.  From what you are saying hanga can be done
> with oil based inks??  Would this mean than that the method is only using
> multi blocks, kento registration and carving in wood???  Some how i

thought

> it also meant water based inks and a baren.  Well If Dave Bull wanted to
> promote this process, it reached me, i would never have tried it if it

were

> not for Baren.
> Marilynn




------------------------------

From: Wanda <robertson@canby.com>
Date: Tue, 02 Jul 2002 11:15:38 -0700
Subject: [Baren 18593] Re: Exchange 15 and Hanga 

Linda wrote:
<snip> 

> weekend, so, for example, I could mix up the paste, run into problems, and
> quickly email the expert for instant solution.  Kind of like having a
> someone to hold your hand, if only in cyberspace.
> 
> I would think this would be a good way for more people to try out hanga
> printing.  Unless of course, you hanga people don't want others playing in
> your sandbox.  [;-)] (Sorry, I couldn't help myself!)


Linda, I think that anyone on Baren would be glad to help you with your hanga
experiment. Also, be sure to check out the stuff on http://barenforum.org There
are whole books printed in the library section! I found the Hiroshi Yoshida book
to be the most help to me in explaining the actual printing process. Very
illuminating! I've even printed the whole book out to carry around with me.
I'm constantly finding more little tips in it.

I think most people get too carried away with the carving & then have nightmares
getting the registration to come out right. I know that is what I did on my first
hanga blocks. I have never been able to get that thing to print like I wanted -
even now that I have more experience. I'm not an expert yet - but I'm working on it!

I love hanga - it is so full of possibilities and so portable and so easy to
clean up after. Very efficient way to produce prints.

Wanda

------------------------------

From: "Lee and Barbara Mason" <bemason@concentric.net>
Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2002 11:22:07 -0700
Subject: [Baren 18594] Moku Hanga 

> I would think this would be a good way for more people to try out hanga
> printing.  Unless of course, you hanga people don't want others playing in
> your sandbox.  [;-)] (Sorry, I couldn't help myself!)
> Linda


This is the whole idea, for all to learn it a bit. The first thing to do is
go to the encylopedia and read all the one point lessons, then read
everything about doing this in the rest of the encyclopedia. Start with a
black and white piece. This is the best way and how everyone starts. It is
hard to learn without seeing it done, but you can do it! Everyone here will
help you!
so go for it! Lots of room in our sandbox! go to woodblock.com and look at
all the blocks Dave has carved. Go to the webcam and watch Dave print.....
Barbara


------------------------------

From: Chris Bremmer <cbremmer@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2002 11:30:23 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [Baren 18595] Color woodblock question 

Hello,

I've got a simple question that I've never really
known the answer to.

It's kind of hard to explain so I've made a
graphic here
http://www.clcmn.edu/colorwoodcut.jpg to try to
make it easier to understand.

Basically, do you cut out the inside of the "B"
in the blue block and worry about registration
issues when printing the black block... or do you
print just a blue circle and overprint the black.

Now did I really confuse everyone?  [:)] 

Thanks,
Chris



------------------------------

From: Mike Lyon <mikelyon@mlyon.com>
Date: Tue, 02 Jul 2002 14:13:47 -0500
Subject: [Baren 18596] Re: Exchange 15 and Hanga 


Hi, Linda...

My first attempts at hanga were made as 'practice' pieces before a two week 
workshop Hiroki Morinue led.  I'd made lots of prints, but not many 
woodcuts, and NO hanga before.  I was pretty nervous before the workshop 
because I thought everyone else would already have printed and I didn't 
want to hold the group back.  So I started practicing.  I got pretty 
interesting results -- not good Japanese printmaking technique -- but I 
still enjoy looking at those prints !!  To make it easy on yourself, just 
carve some wood -- I used birch plywood for my first blocks -- found out 
later that it is pretty hard to carve, but didn't know any better at the 
time and didn't mind at all -- I soaked some cheap chinese "rice paper" (I 
think !!horrors!! that it actually said "rice paper" on the package) in my 
bathtub for about 1 second and it disintegrated when I tried to pick it up 
again.  Then I soaked some mulberry paper and some kitakata I had on hand 
the same way and those held together in spite of my total 
mis-handling.  Then I blotted the paper as if I were making an 
etching.  Then I soaked the blocks (I'd read something about kento 
registration, and amazingly got that part 'right' the first time) applied 
watercolor with a watercolor brush, struggled with the paper and the kento, 
rubbed the paper (which immediately soaked full of color -- fuzzy color 
running for about 1/2 an inch outside the block) with a cheap plastic 
'baren' from the art supply store and amazingly, there was my 
image...  Even though the color had feathered far outside the printing 
areas, I dutifully inked and printed the other three blocks on the same 
sheet and the print wasn't half bad!  For a few days, I experimented with 
drier and drier paper and drier and drier pigment, but it turned out that 
even though I was pretty happy with the results, I was printing with 
everything pretty much soaking wet!

By the end of the two week workshop I had learned a LOT, but still printed 
too wet and my results were never what I intended.  Still, I LOVED the 
process!  And I think I am still improving technically if not artistically 
with every print.

So just JUMP IN, I say!  Bring your other print making experience to the 
table and try it.  Carve a few small blocks now and print a dozen sheets 
over and over.  Experiment with both transparent water color and with 
gouache.  Try everything you can think of and see how it works!  It's 
always SO SURPRISING to pull prints, especially hanga...  And if the color 
isn't deep enough, print the same block and same color and same paper again 
and see what you think!

Read either of the Yoshida (one by the father, Hiroshi, and the other by 
the son, Toshi) books on Japanese Wood Block Printing -- the Hiroshi 
Yoshida is available on-line at 
http://www.woodblock.com/encyclopedia/entries/011_07/repeat_frame.html <-- 
this is actually the middle of the book where he discusses printing grain...)

Good luck!  The most control over results in the technique is in the 
printing, not the carving.  A good printer can obtain exciting results from 
ANY blocks!  Just practice a bit and try, try, TRY to keep everything MUCH 
drier than you think you should (and you'll probably still be too wet!).

When you start printing and have a question, just post it to BarenForum -- 
there are PLENTY of experienced and accomplished hanga printers regularly 
on-line and I bet you'll get surprisingly quick suggestions!  Tell you 
what...  I'm <by far> not the best example (not even a 'good' example) of 
printing technique, but if you like the idea then send me your snail-mail 
address off-list (mikelyon@mlyon.com), and the next time I'm carving and 
printing I'll make you a video tape and try to explain what I do as I go 
along...

Can't wait to see your prints in #15!

Mike


At 10:38 AM 7/2/2002 -0700, Linda wrote:

>Someone the other day mentioned something about there might not be enough
>people for an all hanga exchange.  I for one would like to try it out, but
>I've never tried, never seen it done, and may get hopelessly lost in the
>printing part.  I also can't afford the time and money to go to BootCamp or
>even to the KC get together, so I'm pretty much stuck.  Either I learn it on
>my own or I don't.  I don't think I'm alone in this.


Mike Lyon


------------------------------

From: Mike Lyon <mikelyon@mlyon.com>
Date: Tue, 02 Jul 2002 14:25:52 -0500
Subject: [Baren 18597] Re: Color woodblock question 

Nice examples, Chris!  I think I'd overprint the solid blue with the black 
carved 'B' in this case.  If you wanted a light blue 'B' instead of a black 
one, I'd overprint a solid light blue circle with the deep blue with the 
'B' carved out.  If you wanted a red 'B' in a blue disk, then I'd print 
them the 'hard' way.  But there are NO hard and fast rules here, and other 
ways give interesting results, too...  For example, a black 'B' in a blue 
disk could be printed as a larger solid black disk with your example 'A' in 
opaque blue/white on top. If there was some wood-grain in example 'A', 
you'd get some interesting textures, too.

Mike

At 11:30 AM 7/2/2002 -0700, Chris wrote:

>It's kind of hard to explain so I've made a
>graphic here
>http://www.clcmn.edu/colorwoodcut.jpg to try to
>make it easier to understand.
>
>Basically, do you cut out the inside of the "B"
>in the blue block and worry about registration
>issues when printing the black block... or do you
>print just a blue circle and overprint the black.


Mike Lyon
mailto:mikelyon@mlyon.com
http://www.mlyon.com 

------------------------------

From: "Jeanne N. Chase" <studiojnc@prodigy.net>
Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2002 15:30:46 -0400
Subject: [Baren 18598] Re: Exchange 15 and Hanga 

Linda

There is a book out called Japanese Woodblock Printing by Rebecca Salter. It
gives step by step lessons and is very clear.
I use oil based ink and after reading this book (it is new to me), I am
going to give it a try.
Of course David Bull gives excellent virtual lessons on the Baren  and his
web page.
I am a bit intimidated by the hanga method but I think it will be worth the
effort.

Jeanne N.


------------------------------

From: "Linda" <LMHTWB@prodigy.net>
Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2002 14:17:49 -0700
Subject: [Baren 18599] Hanga Question #1 

>From Wanda:


> Linda, I think that anyone on Baren would be glad to help you with your

hanga

> experiment. ....


I figured they would, but I want company in learning this.  I hate being
alone in asking 'stupid' questions.  (With a group of people, you can sit
back and hope someone else asks the question for you.  Hahaha!)  But I seem
to be alone, so, here goes.

'Stupid' Question #1:

One of the problems I have when printing relief blocks is getting ink in the
cut away background, which then shows up on the paper because the paper sags
or gets smushed (VERY technical print term!) into the cut-away area.  I know
cutting these areas deeper would help, but there's limit to that.

Now, I looked at the photos of David Bull carving a block and his doesn't
look all that deep.  And then when he prints the key block, the pigment is
all over the block.  Yet the print is 'clean'.  Why?  I suspect it has to do
with the pigments drying and only being rewetted by the paper and pressure
of the baren, but....  well, I don't have a clue.

Okay, one question down, 5 billion to go!!!  (Just kidding -- can't be more
than 2 million left!)

Linda


------------------------------

From: b.patera@att.net
Date: Tue, 02 Jul 2002 21:06:55 +0000
Subject: [Baren 18600] Re: #13 - MUSIC EXCHANGE IS ON-LINE 

Hi Mike,

Just came from the Baren site. Thanks a million for 
posting the prints. In fact, double thanks .... as I 
actually, don't have a clue as to how you posted those 
pictures.

Speaking of the bear. He/she has been back. Not as 
frightening with the door closed.... not that a glass 
slider would stop it from entering... but it would give 
us time to get upstairs. Anyway,it shows up about every 
other day  and has taken to lounging on the deck. Will 
probably end up calling the State Wildlife people but am 
putting it off. They often end up shooting the bigger 
animals( bears, cougars). Tried to scare it off the 
other day... ran around shouting and banging things... 
felt pretty foolish when it lay down and looked at me 
like I was nuts. 


Barbara P.




> The wonderful prints from [BAREN] Exchange #13 are now viewable on-line at 
> http://www.barenforum.org/exchange/exchange_13/exchange_frame.html
> 
> Thank you so very much Barbara Patera for your masterful, gentle, 
> un-BEAR-ably relaxed coordination !!  What joy!
> 
> -- Mike
> 
> 
> 


------------------------------

From: Julio.Rodriguez@walgreens.com
Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2002 16:19:01 -0500
Subject: [Baren 18601] Re: Hanga Question #1 
07/02/2002 04:20:59 PM 

Okay, Linda, you asked for it....here is a couple of One-pointers
from the site that answer your question. These will get you
started, but you are going to get more help from others too...

http://barenforum.org/encyclopedia/entries/onepoint/018_03/
018_03_frame.html

and...
http://barenforum.org/encyclopedia/entries/onepoint/018_26/
018_26_frame.html

It is important when using the baren to keep it flat across the
block, any accidental dipping or angling will cause the baren to
press down into the "messy" areas carved away. Here is where the
baren tool is worth it's weight in gold... a 4 - 5" baren will
allow you to excerpt pressure evenly w/o dipping....something you
could not do with a spoon or a smaller tool.

enjoy...Julio ps. there are no more "stupid" questions to be
asked.....I have asked them all already.


------------------------------

From: "Linda" <LMHTWB@prodigy.net>
Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2002 14:39:00 -0700
Subject: [Baren 18602] Re: Exchange 15 and Hanga  

>From Mike:


> I soaked some cheap chinese "rice paper" (I
> think !!horrors!! that it actually said "rice paper" on the package) in my
> bathtub for about 1 second and it disintegrated when I tried to pick it up
> again.


Oh I like horror stories!!!  Hahaha.


> Can't wait to see your prints in #15!


I can't wait to see them too!   Actually, after seeing hanga prints in
person (in exchange 13), I'm convinced that it should work for a lot of
ideas I have, if only I can learn how to do it.  But I'm young, dumb, and
willing to give it a try!

Linda



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End of Baren Digest V20 #1884
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