Baren Digest            Thursday, 12 September 2002    Volume 20 : Number 1955


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From: Myron Turner <mturner#Ms.UManitoba.CA>
Date: Wed, 11 Sep 2002 09:23:27 -0500
Subject: [Baren 19134] Re:  The joy of it all... for as long as... 

In the 70's we set up a letterpress shop for printing small hand-made 
books.  Our last book was printed on dampened paper.  I made a humidor--a 
plywood box lined on all sides but the bottom with foam rubber, held in 
place with copper strapping (no rust), which could be opened to free the 
foam sheets.  I would soak the foam and place it back in the box.  It kept 
the sheets damp for long periods of time.

I believe Japanese printmakers use a form of humidor as well.

Myron Turner

At 09:58 AM 11/09/2002 +0100, you wrote:

>I made a box of laminated wood and covered it from the inside with plastic
>(vinyl or PVC, I don't know...). The whole structure is based on four
>'legs' of which the pair on one of the longest sides of the box have
>handles.
>Guess what?
>I fill the box with water so as to keep my paper damp (wet?) and I use the
>weight of it all as a press...
>
>My best wishes (...and prayers, I guess...)
>Dimitris



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

From: "Lee and Barbara Mason" <lbmason71#attbi.com>
Date: Wed, 11 Sep 2002 07:57:06 -0700
Subject: [Baren 19135] Re:  The joy of it all... for as long as... 

Myron,
Did you dampen the paper before you put it in the box? This sounds easier to
use than paper wrapped in plastic bags. How wet did you get the foam? Did
you wring it out?
Barbara


> In the 70's we set up a letterpress shop for printing small hand-made
> books.  Our last book was printed on dampened paper.  I made a humidor--a
> plywood box lined on all sides but the bottom with foam rubber, held in
> place with copper strapping (no rust), which could be opened to free the
> foam sheets.  I would soak the foam and place it back in the box.  It kept
> the sheets damp for long periods of time.
>




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From: "PHARE-CAMP,PATTI (HP-USA,ex1)" <patricia_phare-camp#hp.com>
Date: Wed, 11 Sep 2002 11:01:22 -0400
Subject: [Baren 19136] RE: Baren Digest V20 #1954 

"or whether a local cat scared him to death! Dean"

Cat scare a Jay?  My cats (one a fierce mouser) run from the Jays who squawk
at my door daily for their peanuts.  I've even watched a few really brave
Jays chase a sleeping cat off a deck chair just for spite! Jays are some
pretty tough thugs, a cat isn't likely to scare one!  Those fellows are so
brave they will sit on my deck chair or table and talk my ear off as they
watch me carve...and demand more peanuts!  Patti P-C

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From: "Maria Arango" <maria#mariarango.com>
Date: Wed, 11 Sep 2002 08:10:35 -0700
Subject: [Baren 19137] RE: bare essentials 

Dimitris and other interested in being handy-people,

I have the books of Manly Banister, an extremely interesting and very
practical no-nonsense fellow who seemed to be as much an inventor/tinkerer
as a printmaker. By far his greatest contributions were a great and deep
understanding of what printmaking was all about and the ability to strip all
the unnecessary stuff away from the essentials needed to produce prints.
Anyhow, his books contain plans for building a litho press (for one stone),
an etching press and a relief press. All are built from fairly common
materials found in the real world. I'm just talking here, and have no idea
if you even have the budget for the materials.

A search in bibliofind or amazon for (Banister, Manly) will yield his books,
which are out of print but fairly inexpensive to obtain. Alternatively, send
me your address offline and I will do my best to copy the press-building
pages and forward them to you.
I highly recommend Banister books to everyone; his love for prints and knack
for altering the ever-looming traditional procedures with success is really
a lesson to printmakers. Despite his simple images, I consider him a
printmaker because he made prints, to me, the most essential (and perhaps,
the only) requirement to sport the title.

The books:
Practical Lithographic Printmaking, Dover
Practical Guide to Etching and Other Intaglio Printmaking Techniques, Dover
Prints from Linoblocks and Woodcuts, Sterling

Happy reading,
Maria

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


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From: jimandkatemundie#juno.com
Date: Wed, 11 Sep 2002 11:05:49 -0500
Subject: [Baren 19138] SwapShop and more Munakata exhibition news 



Regarding SwapShop:  yes, by all means send in prints.  Many are just
sitting there languishing for want of a few more new prints to complete a
swap.  I can't swap what I don't have. I don't want to sound whiny, but I
frequently have people tell me they are sending prints that never come. 
SwapShop has no deadlines, requires fewer prints, smaller size... so,
cut! Print! SEND!  What are you waiting for?

*****

Mark your calendars! Here is some more news about upcoming venues for
Munakata Shiko: Japanese Master of the Modern Print, currently on view at
the Philadelphia Museum of Art through November 10, 2002:

        Los Angeles County Museum of Art (December 5, 2002 --March 2,
2003)  

Tour in Japan under the aegis of the Munakata Centennial Project:  

        Miyagi Museum of Art (April 5--June 15, 2003),
        Takaoka Art Museum and Fukumitsu Art Museum (June 21--July 27,
2003), 
        Aomori Prefectural Museum (August 2--September 15, 2003), 
        Nara Prefectural Museum (September 27--November 16, 2003), 
        The Bunkamura Museum of Art, Tokyo (November 29, 2003--February
2, 2004),  
        Ehime Prefecture Museum of Art (February 14--March 28, 2004)

Catalogue published by the Munakata Centennial Project, Philadelphia
Museum of Art, and the Los         
Angeles County Museum of Art
 
****


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From: Myron Turner <mturner#Ms.UManitoba.CA>
Date: Wed, 11 Sep 2002 10:59:16 -0500
Subject: [Baren 19139] Re:  The joy of it all... for as long as... 


Yes, I dampened the paper first. As for how wet--it's been over 20 years so 
I'm trying hard to remember--I recall soaking the foam in a sink and then I 
believe I squeezed the foam so that it wouldn't drip.

It's really a good system.  The top of the box was on a hinge.  Also, there 
should be good contact between the top layer of foam and the side layers, 
so that no air can get through.

The double lines = foam:

________top____________
|--------------------------------  |     foam layer at top overlaps foam at
| |                            | |    sides and presses on side layers to seal
| |                                    | |
| |                                    | |
- ----------------------------------

The weight of the hinged top causes the top layer to press on the side layers.

I hope this diagram survives the email.

Myron


At 07:57 AM 11/09/2002 -0700, you wrote:

>Myron,
>Did you dampen the paper before you put it in the box? This sounds easier to
>use than paper wrapped in plastic bags. How wet did you get the foam? Did
>you wring it out?
>Barbara
>
>

> > In the 70's we set up a letterpress shop for printing small hand-made
> > books.  Our last book was printed on dampened paper.  I made a humidor--a
> > plywood box lined on all sides but the bottom with foam rubber, held in
> > place with copper strapping (no rust), which could be opened to free the
> > foam sheets.  I would soak the foam and place it back in the box.  It kept
> > the sheets damp for long periods of time.
> >



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

From: Charles Morgan <cmorgan#uvic.ca>
Date: Wed, 11 Sep 2002 10:14:27 -0700
Subject: [Baren 19140] Re:  The joy of it all... for as long as... 

An old book binding press makes a good block printing press. Or a standard 
hydraulic press from a machine shop works well. If  neither is available, 
it is not difficult to make a simple "jack press" using an automotive axle 
jack. The hydraulic "bottle" jacks work very well for this purpose. Just 
build a rectangular frame from stout lumber (2x4 lumber works well), 
screwed and glued together, or make the frame from angle iron welded or 
bolted together. You will also need a bottom plate on which to put the 
carved block and the paper, and a top plate which will apply pressure to 
the paper and carved block. The top and bottom plates should be strong and 
smooth ... steel plate, thick plywood, or thick MDF all work well.

To print, make a sandwich with the carved block and paper between a top and 
bottom "plate". You can use felt cushions if you like. Then use the jack to 
apply pressure. To get a little more fancy, use strong springs to connect 
the top plate and the top of the jack ram, so that when the pressure is 
released, the jack will contract, making it easier to remove. Hope the two 
diagrams below help convey the idea.

Front view:

#################<top cross bars
|*|    | |    |*|<upright
|*|    | |    |*|
|*|   _| |_   |*|
|*|   |   |   |*|  jack
|*|   |___|   |*|
|*| ////////  |*|  top plate
|*|   ----    |*|  paper
|*|   \\\\    |*|  carved block
|*| ////////  |*|  bottom plate
#################<bottom cross bars



Side view:

       #|*|#
       ||*||
       ||*||
      _||*||_
      | |*| |       jack
      |_|*|_|
///////|*|//////// top plate
     ---|*|---      paper
     \\\|*|\\\      carved block
///////|*|//////// bottom plate
#     #|*|#      #


Cheers ....... Charles


At 09:58 AM 9/11/02 +0100, you wrote:

>Dear Dan,
>talking about inventiveness and flexibility...
>Since 'they' cannot afford to buy 'us' any kind of printmaking press and
>combined with the fact that the classroom where I teach was meant to be a
>book shop inside the student hostel I came along something that would
>resolve both my problems.
>I made a box of laminated wood and covered it from the inside with plastic
>(vinyl or PVC, I don't know...). The whole structure is based on four
>'legs' of which the pair on one of the longest sides of the box have
>handles.
>Guess what?
>I fill the box with water so as to keep my paper damp (wet?) and I use the
>weight of it all as a press...
>Any wonder why monkeys ever came down from the trees and are standing a
>step from blowing the planet to pieces,if they don't suffocate to death
>before that?
>
>My best wishes (...and prayers, I guess...)
>Dimitris
>

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

From: Sharri LaPierre <Barebonesart#attbi.com>
Date: Wed, 11 Sep 2002 10:33:53 -0700
Subject: [Baren 19141] Re: Baren Digest V20 #1954 

Dan, I'm doing some of the same stuff (yes, doing it myself) in building 
my studio on to the house. Most of the construction is beyond me, so the 
husband and contractors get those jobs, but I get my fair share of 
whatever is not to heavy. Wainscoating would be one - door trim is 
another, hooking up faucets - simple wiring. We are an amazing breed!

georga, I am like Tyrus, only in the state of disrepair. Most people 
would say Vancouver, WA, though.

Sharri LaPierre



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From: Aqua4tis#aol.com
Date: Wed, 11 Sep 2002 13:45:10 EDT
Subject: [Baren 19142] Re: Baren Digest V20 #1954 

lol thanks sharri    and even though im in california   i too am in the state 
of disrepair
with prolonged trips to the state of disorganization
:-)
georga

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

From: Akemi <aohirava#earthlink.net>
Date: Wed, 11 Sep 2002 16:54:10 -0400
Subject: [Baren 19143] Re: firemans prints  oops  

On 9/10/02 8:00 PM, "Aqua4tis#aol.com" <Aqua4tis#aol.com> wrote:


> hi again
>  i was thinking it would be nice to put something on each print about where
> the artist is located   many of you i know which state youre in but some i
> dont    can those of you on this list let me know?
> thank you 
> georga
> 
> kuster 
> linder
> clutter
> la pierre
> ohira
> trueba
> williams
> wilson


Hi.

I am in Charlottesville, VA.

Happy Printing,
Akemi Ohira


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From: "Maria Arango" <maria#mariarango.com>
Date: Wed, 11 Sep 2002 14:16:23 -0700
Subject: [Baren 19144] printmakers online 

Here is a potentially fascinating and undoubtedly entertaining topic of
conversation...
The query came from John Amoss, who wrote:


> (2) I was recently asked by the American Print Alliance to be on a panel
> discussion during their annual Print Dialog. The theme will be centered
> around online groups and how the internet is effecting
> printmaking, etc. An
> emphasis will be (but not limited to) how it is servicing the
> non-professional and non-institutional printmakers. Another theme is the
> difference between online and non-virtual groups.


Here was my (as usual) long answer, however I confess to have limited
experience with being active in non-virtual groups mostly due to my hermitic
tendencies and geographical location. But I know that many printmakers on
the list will have as diverse opinions as are our backgrounds. I really
would like to hear from members on this issue.

Well, as you all know, I'm kind of shy when forwarding my opinions ;-)
But! since you asked...

The good:
How else would conversations be taking place about printmaking and all
related activities (and some unrelated as well) among printmakers all over
the world? I for one am so involved in what I do, seemingly it doesn't
matter 'what' I do, that I don't have time for the standard ways of
socializing among artists. Many local artists are active in co-ops (that go
nowhere but take a lot of time in organizing) and groups (that go nowhere
but take a lot of time in organizing and meeting and deciding where to go
next) and with each other, engaging in such highly valued activities such as
drinking a lot of flavored coffee and "dissin" the establishment.
For working artists who actually work, online groups are really a salvation
and the only possible way to interact with other artists while still engaged
in the gazillion tasks that entail being an artist.
I, like Barbara, have made friends; real friends and artists who share
concerns and love for the art. I have personally met some wonderful people
and feel like if I went somewhere where a Baren member lives, I would have a
place to stay and a great time in conversation. I have people who have
volunteered to guard my trailer, to house my tired body, and I have welcomed
some in return. I talk more to printmakers online than to friends at home; I
guess it's because I have more in common with my fellow artists spread over
the world.
I really don't know if I would be where I am today without Baren; if I would
be so motivated; if I would have started web sites and projects and if I
would continue to work at the pace I work without the simple reward of
having someone to tell: "lookie lookie what I done now!"

The bad:
You have to put up with people of diverse and abrasive character who
suddenly appear in
your life. In more general terms, you have to deal with people that you
would never go near in real life. All of a sudden, these characters
are a part of your life, like it or not.
Once active and working, there seems to be no end to the "things that could
be done" with a group like this one. Things that would take away from the
things an artist has to do. The virtual organization can become a burden, as
a local co-op can, with the work resting solely on the few that run it. In
other words: it's much easier for the virtual masses to lurk and do nothing
but offer opinions. In real life, at least you have to attend meetings in
order to do that, an activity that some choose to call participation.
A horrible thought: at the touch of an unsubscribe-button, you can make this
wonderful world all go away. Some take the position that a virtual
organization doesn't "really" exist in "real" life. Some members seem to not
take care of a virtual organization as if it were real, come in, make
trouble, get out...more like a chat group, less like an organized group of
individuals trying to accomplish something worthwhile.
I think meeting in person changes that last perception a little and we are
making good strides to avoid the virtual pitfall.

Finally, I think there are HUGE advantages of a virtual organization, one
that we can (and do) interact with other members; at least we know what
other members are doing and who they are. In many organizations you get
mailers with names that mean little; you get a newsletter twice a year that
tells you what's going on; you pay money to hear about a meeting that took
place at an inconvenient time in a place 2000 miles away. There is really no
interaction among members, no conversation. I belong to quite a few and
really I get much more out of my membership in Baren than any other
printmaking org out there. It becomes much more comfortable to "lurk" in a
real organization than it does in a virtual one, because it's much easier to
quickly answer an email than it is to write a letter or attend a meeting in
Georgia (or wherever). That email is participation. I actually think real
printmaking organizations would reap benefit from having and encouraging
online interaction.
The other advantage of the virtual world (at least of Baren) is that we
intermingle academic folk with common folk such as myself, with folk like
Dimitris who doesn't get paid for months at a time and has to improvise
equipment, with folk that just tinker on off weekends, with folk whose work
is shown in
museums, with folk that make money inside and outside academia...I think a
strength of our group is that it breeds tolerance for all types of art being
produced by all types of folk. Since I don't like excluding enthusiasm at
the expense of skill/credentials, I think this is a wonderful thing. I think
we foster more printmaking activity than an academic organization who caters
only to printmakers who have been blessed and ordained properly.

And now, I will go ramble to my cats about the unappreciated beauty of
having a cat box that automatically cleans itself every day.

Maria

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


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End of Baren Digest V20 #1955
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