Baren Digest Tuesday, 7 October 2003 Volume 25 : Number 2399 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Mike Lyon Date: Mon, 06 Oct 2003 10:07:24 -0500 Subject: [Baren 22999] Re: Shunga / Erotic exchange At 04:52 PM 10/2/2003 -0300, Murilo wrote: Please, Mike, or everybody : where can i see Shunga ? Here's a good place to get started: http://www.degener.com/shga_men.htm Mike Lyon mailto:mikelyon#mlyon.com http://www.mlyon.com ------------------------------ From: "Jeanne N. Chase" Date: Mon, 6 Oct 2003 12:31:35 -0400 Subject: [Baren 23000] Bette Hi Bette Could you please send me your address so I can mail the Cards to you? They are finished and I was going to send them on to Colleen in Italy but I already sent 55 to her about 2 months ago and they were lost in the mail so Colleen said to send them to you. Now after doing 120 cards, I see cards in my sleep. Best Jeanne N. ------------------------------ From: "GONZALO FERREYRA" Date: Mon, 06 Oct 2003 09:50:52 -0700 Subject: [Baren 23001] Barens for beginners I'm in the market for a baren that will give me a sense of the "feel" of a traditional baren (as opposed to Speedball), can handle fine lines, and that I can keep around for a while. Any recommendations for a beginner? Thanks, Gonzalo ------------------------------ From: "Matthew Laine" Date: Mon, 6 Oct 2003 14:32:38 -0400 Subject: [Baren 23002] membership My name is Matt Laine. A few days ago I subscribed to the Baren Digest. Does that make me a member of Baren? If so, how do I introduce myself -- by e-mailing to this address? ...or??? ------------------------------ From: Mike Lyon Date: Mon, 06 Oct 2003 14:04:12 -0500 Subject: [Baren 23003] Re: membership Hi, Matt... Yes, that makes you a member and yes, you have successfully posted to the forum... so... Welcome to BarenForum! Now would be a good time to (further) introduce yourself, tell a bit about your interests, skills, printmaking / artistic background, etc. - -- Mike ------------------------------ From: Mike Lyon Date: Mon, 06 Oct 2003 14:49:39 -0500 Subject: [Baren 23004] Re: Barens for beginners >At 09:50 AM 10/6/2003 -0700, Gonzalo wrote: >I'm in the market for a baren that will give me a sense of the "feel" of a >traditional baren (as opposed to Speedball), can handle fine lines, and >that I can keep around for a while. Any recommendations for a beginner? Dear Gonzalo, Try the "Sosaku - Sumi" baren from the Baren Mall for $35.85 at http://www.barenforum.org/mall/products/barens.php or the "Murasaki Soft" baren at the same link for $122.64 Similar barens are also available from http://www.imcclains.com/catalog/baren/index.html for (usually) somewhat higher prices, I believe. BUT... The 'handle fine lines' requirement may not really be what you mean, I'm afraid... The 'coarse', 'medium', 'fine', 'soft', etc designations really refer to the amount of mechanical advantage you get when using the baren... The coarser barens have fewer 'bumps' under the cover, and so for any given weight you place on the tool you get more lbs. per square inch of pressure between the tool and the block. The coarser barens will also transmit more lateral pressure to isolated fine lines in a block and therefore tend to print those lines less clearly and also produce more wear and tear on the block's fine details. The finer/softer barens are much 'flatter' and have many more 'bumps' under the cover, so for the same weight placed on the tool, you will touch a much greater area with way fewer lbs. per square inch of pressure. Therefore, coarser barens are generally better for printing large areas of dense color and finer barens are generally better for printing blocks with widely separated areas of color and/or very fine lines... If you will begin with only a single baren, then a 'medium' baren might be a better choice than a 'fine', 'soft', or 'coarse' baren... Hope this helps, - -- Mike Mike Lyon mailto:mikelyon#mlyon.com http://www.mlyon.com ------------------------------ From: Robert Swain Charles Date: Mon, 06 Oct 2003 16:06:34 -0400 Subject: [Baren 23005] Introduction/Question About Exchange Numbering Hail all- Don't wish to interrupt the subject at hand for too long but I would like to introduce myself. My name is Robert and I was born in Maryland and found my way to New York through Mississippi and Washington, DC. I graduated from the Corcoran where I was a lab tech for the Printmaking Department and I spent a fairly short time with Pyramid Atlantic afterwards serving in the same capacity. I discovered the Barenforum a while back but I felt that I could not contribute because I had been moving without unpacking since I landed in NYC over 3 years ago. My space is finally stabilized in Spanish Harlem and I look forward to unpacking my print grip and meeting, learning and working with you all. I'm very exited about taking part in print exchanges here. A print portfolio of students and faculty was an annual effort at The Corcoran. Even though I was busy enough with my studies back then I am now very happy to have taken the time and put in the effort to be part of those portfolios. I have some questions about Baren exchanges, but the first that came to mind was this (I'll try to explain the question 3 ways); If folks are to make a print for a print exchange, shouldn't the number of prints made from the same matrix only be the number of prints that are to be exchanged? Does this matter? For example, a person decides to join an exchange and trades prints with the participants, has it ever happened that a print arrived as 1 of 45 in spite of the fact that there were only 30 participants? In another way; on member web sites, I have noticed prints that were made for Baren exchanges, are they also for sale at those sites? Thank you for allowing my interruption, your attention is appreciated. ------------------------------ From: Ray Hudson Date: Mon, 06 Oct 2003 16:46:29 -0400 Subject: [Baren 23006] Number in an exchange edition Good question, Robert. I am not aware of any "rule" about the number of prints in an exchange edition. As long as there are enough and they are the right size, arrive on time, etc., the coordinator & recipients are satisfied. As a former coordinator I initially tried making packets of prints with all the same edition number, but that proved impossible as some packets began, for example, with 1/31 and others with 4/38, etc., & I soon resorted to a random arrangement. One of the great things about the exchanges is the wide variety of styles, techniques and experiences that come to light. Ray Hudson ------------------------------ From: Mike Lyon Date: Mon, 06 Oct 2003 15:48:54 -0500 Subject: [Baren 23007] Re: Introduction/Question About Exchange Numbering At 04:06 PM 10/6/2003 -0400, you wrote: If folks are to make a print for a print exchange, shouldn't the number of prints made from the same matrix only be the number of prints that are to be exchanged? Does this matter? For example, a person decides to join an exchange and trades prints with the participants, has it ever happened that a print arrived as 1 of 45 in spite of the fact that there were only 30 participants? In another way; on member web sites, I have noticed prints that were made for Baren exchanges, are they also for sale at those sites? Dear Robert, First, welcome to Baren-Forum!! I'm glad you wrote and look forward to your participation in our exchanges -- we are currently in the first week of sign-up for Exchange #19 at http://www.barenforum.org/exchange/exchange_sign-up.html (shunga / erotic 10" x 7.5") We place as few restrictions as possible on exchange participants in order to encourage broad participation. Although specifications are called out on the sign-up page for each exchange, our "hard and fast rules" are that 31 woodblock prints be delivered to the coordinator on or before the due date with return label and postage included and that the prints not exceed given dimensions. Even the term "woodblock print" is used loosely as prints pulled from carved linoleum and similar materials are routinely submitted. I don't believe a print has ever been 'rejected' from any Baren exchange for any reason... We tend to err on the side of leniency in order to encourage broad-as-possible participation, I think. We have no jury and make no effort to set any standard for quality, but at the same time we expect each participant to submit his very best work. If you would like to pull an edition of 100 (or an open edition) and use 31 of them for a baren exchange that is perfectly acceptable and you may display and sell the balance of your prints any way you like. And "YES", it is not uncommon for exchange prints to be marked "43/100" or similar. You'll have to contact the individual artists in order to determine whether prints displayed on member web sites are for sale. - -- Mike Mike Lyon mailto:mikelyon#mlyon.com http://www.mlyon.com ------------------------------ From: "Maria Arango" Date: Mon, 6 Oct 2003 14:05:43 -0700 Subject: [Baren 23008] Re: Introduction/Question About Exchange Numbering charset="us-ascii" Mike Lyon wrote: We have no jury and make no effort to set any standard for quality, but at the same time we expect each participant to submit his very best work. If you would like to pull an edition of 100 (or an open edition) and use 31 of them for a baren exchange that is perfectly acceptable and you may display and sell the balance of your prints any way you like. I guess I'm on the "selling" side of the spectrum, but I will point out an amazing thing happens with those exchange prints, at least to me. I tend to do (arguably) my "best" work when I know that thirty fellow printmakers are going to put their nose three inches from my print and pick out every smudge (figuratively speaking). As to the standard for "best" work, I'm defining the concept from several angles; my exchange prints have so far been accepted more in academic competitions, and also sell better at both festivals and galleries. Go figure... Anyhow, just dive right in and welcome to the wonderful world of Baren! Maria ------------------------------ From: "Jeanne N. Chase" Date: Mon, 6 Oct 2003 17:27:39 -0400 Subject: [Baren 23009] Re: Calenda 2004 prints received....postage Julio, Prints dry and ready to send. Will get them in the mail this week. Jeanne N. Calendar and postcard prints are looking good!!!!! ------------------------------ From: "Liz Horton" Date: Mon, 6 Oct 2003 17:48:21 -0400 Subject: [Baren 23010] Storage/display of New Year's prints Hi, everyone- The beautiful New Year's prints I've received from all of you have been languishing in file folders because I can't figure out what's the best way to store/display/keep them. What are all of you doing with yours? Does anyone make their own albums? I'd love to hear about what designs or structures work best. (And thanks to Le Green and Mary Kuster for their recent, wonderful additions to the menagerie. Mary-what did you use to make the sheep's coat iridesce like that?) Liz Horton ------------------------------ From: "Mary Kuster" Date: Mon, 6 Oct 2003 19:02:39 -0400 Subject: [Baren 23011] Re: Storage/display of New Year's prints Liz, The title of the print is"The Comfort of Cotton." The sheep's cotton t-shirt has been dusted with Pearl-Ex Interference Blue. Mary ------------------------------ From: "Claudia G. Coonen" Date: Mon, 06 Oct 2003 23:11:18 -1000 Subject: [Baren 23012] aloha to the group Hi, I joined the forum while the transferring dialog was going on. I was instantly intrigued by the wealth of knowledge. I live on Maui and run the Hui Noeau Art Center print studio.Though I made prints many years ago and then now and again . When this position opened up I fell in to place, and have been producing again. I have for years now been producing fabric, much of it Katazome. That's Japanese Stencil dying using rice paste resist.I was in Japan in the spring and saw many inspiring prints (and of course many other things). We recently have a teacher who lived in Japan for & years operating a press and does large wood block, Paul Mullowney. So I am learning many Japanese techniques and chine' colle. Looking forward to dialog with you all, exchanges, and hopefully meeting. aloha, claudia alohas, I'm new to the group, and guess where I'm from? I've been reading the posts and have already learned so much,thanks! though the level of work makes me feel like I've just been put back a few grades in primary school! We are doing a calendar at our print studio/art center to raise funds, we are doing only 6 prints w/ 2 mo per page . I was curious how much you charge for your calendar? claudia ------------------------------ End of Baren Digest V25 #2399 *****************************