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Message 1
From: "Maria Arango"
Date: Tue, 24 Apr 2007 07:33:46 -0700
Subject: [Baren 33222] RE: ink skinning
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Since I pre-mix many of my inks a while ago I turned to small plastic
tupperware containers for my mixes.
I just fill with water on top of the ink and never have a problem, even in
4% humidity yearly average.

When I use color straight out of the cans I keep the original wax-paper
cover for the life of the can of ink. I know many people remove it and/or
change it every time but I felt that just wasted more ink. I lift the
wax-paper, scoop ink from under it and replace, mashing it down so air
doesn't get caught under it. If I tear the paper I replace with my own
cutout made from glassine.

Maria


Maria Arango
www.1000woodcuts.com
www.artfestivalguide.info

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Message 2
From: "Marissa "
Date: Tue, 24 Apr 2007 11:06:54 -0400
Subject: [Baren 33223] Re: ink skinning
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I use tubes when I can, and cans when the color I want only comes in a can.
I use a tube ringer to get all the ink out of the tubes. I actually find
that more ink seems to be wasted with the cans than the tubes since they
often COME with the ink gunked up on top. I do have pieces of wax paper to
prevent skinning but often there is already so much ink wasted just when I
first open the can. Also, the lids tend to get stuck on and that can be very
frustrating.

Maria, I am curious about your method of filling up mixed ink containers
with water. When you are ready to use the ink again do you simply pour out
the water and start using it again?

--
~marissa lee

www.mleefineart.com

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Message 3
From: "Maria Arango"
Date: Tue, 24 Apr 2007 08:20:05 -0700
Subject: [Baren 33224] Re: ink skinning
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Yep! :-)

There is no trick or mess or skinning or problems with water. You can't do
it in cans because the can rusts, which is why I use tupperware. I use good
brands with air-tight lids for keeping large quantities of mixed inks. I use
the cheap disposable ones for quick mixes or ink that I will use within the
week. Basically I just mix inks and put in the tupperware containers. Then I
fill to the top with water, so even the ink that stuck to the side of the
container when I filled it stays fresh.

When I am ready to use the ink again, I open the container, pour off the
water and use the ink. You can do this multiple times. In very few cases I
have had the top ink layer react to the water, and only when using metallic
inks. A film formed on top of the ink under the water surface, but I just
removed it and good to go!

Tubes never worked for me because I mix nearly all my inks, although I keep
a supply of empty tubes for mixes. I just prefer the plastic containers.

Maria


Maria Arango
www.1000woodcuts.com
www.artfestivalguide.info

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Message 4
From: "Bonnie Primbsch"
Date: Tue, 24 Apr 2007 08:25:48 -0700
Subject: [Baren 33225] caulking tubes vs antiskin spray in cans....
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Angee, I only have shared-ink experience with anti skin spray. Although I'm
religious about using the stuff, it's not clear to me that students who
share the ink really get it. I'm deskinning ink pretty often as a result.
Maybe someone here with more control over their ink can report better
results.

The only caulking gun ink I have is a fairly stiff black, and yeah, it takes
awhile to come out. It's a shame they don't provide caps for the cans! Or am
I missing something *you* could tell *me* about? : ) I don't have a
classicly runny color, like yellow, so can't report on that, beyond asking
the obvious question about whether you're taking advantage of that "stop the
flow" thingy at the back of the caulking gun.

But I like the idea of ink seeing as little oxygyn as possible, and am
sticking with it. If I got process colors, too, I think I'd have ink for
years without having to buy more. Wonder if it'd stay fresh...

Bonnie

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Message 5
From: "Marissa "
Date: Tue, 24 Apr 2007 11:37:55 -0400
Subject: [Baren 33226] Re: caulking tubes vs antiskin spray in cans....
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Bonnie, the ink should last for years though there may be some oil
seperation. You can fix that by taking it out and remixing it. The problem
with using old ink that hasn't been used in years is that the caps or lids
get stuck on. I had somebody give me a bunch of old ink and I actually had
to cut into some of the tubes to get the ink out because the cap just
wouldn't come off. But the ink inside was fine. If you keep using it that
shouldn't be a problem. They only get stuck that bad when abandoned for an
extended period of time.

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Message 6
From: Preston Lawing
Date: Tue, 24 Apr 2007 10:42:47 -0500
Subject: [Baren 33227] Re: New Baren Digest (HTML) V39 #3875 (Apr 23, 2007)
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Angee,
I use the big caulk tubes, but I remix specific colors..warmer or
cooler blacks, etc, and then refill the empty lead tubes you can also
get from Graphic. (like reflling a toothpaste tube)

This also prevents waste by students, as the pressure in a caulk gun
continues to push out ink, until you release the pressure. My
students (and most students) had trouble with the concept of "Skim,
Don't Gouge", so the smaller tubes can be controlled easier.

I DO use anti-skin spray on cans, and it still works well, although
it causes many questioning looks by visitors to the studio, as does
"Easy Wipe".

Preston Lawing
prestonlawing.com

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Message 7
From: Charles Morgan
Date: Tue, 24 Apr 2007 09:34:58 -0700
Subject: [Baren 33228] skinning ink
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< >I was having problems with ink skinning over between uses, so I
>switched to the big tubes. But now I am having problems getting the
>ink out of the tube. Depending on the color, it won't stop flowing out
>the end, or it is too stiff for me to squeeze out. A friend suggested
>I return to traditional cans of ink and use anti-skin spray. Any
>comments, or suggestions?

No one has mentioned my favorite yet, so I will post it ...again ...
as I did several years ago. All I can say is that it works for me.

I had similar problems with the tubes. The problem of skinning in
cans seems to be universal, but the cans are generally much more
economical than the tubes. And I, too, like to mix my own colors. Soooooo ...

I go to camping supply stores and buy refillable plastic tubes that
they sell for backpackers to carry peanut butter, margarine,
mayonnaise, etc. These are plastic tubes that are filled from the
large open end and have a screw cap on the other end. After filling,
you fold the end over and slip on a plastic clip that holds it in
place. I open a fresh tin of ink and use a putty knife to fill the
tube ... this is a tad messy, so wear gloves, etc.

It is far easier to get a dab of ink from a tube than from a can. The
mouth of the plastic tubes is quite large, making it easy to squeeze
the ink out. After taking out a blob of ink, just be sure to squeeze
out any air and put the cap back on. Some of the advantages of these tubes are:

1) You can easily see the color of the ink in the tube, unlike the metal tubes.

2) The plastic tubes allow you to massage the ink inside to keep the oil mixed.

3) The plastic tubes have substantially larger mouth openings than
the metal tubes, so it is easier to get the ink out.

4) Using the tubes is less messy than scooping ink out of the can
(once the tubes are filled, of course).

5) The plastic tubes are available almost anywhere.

6) The plastic tubes are cheap.

I also mix a lot of my own colors. I use clear etching ink base (from
a number of suppliers), and tint using pigment dispersions from
Guerra. Like Maria, I store small quantities of these mixed inks in
plastic cosmetics jars bought at the local plastics shop. I put the
clear etching base in a plastic tube. To mix a color I want, I mix
the pigment dispersions in a plastic jar to the appropriate hue. Then
I add etching base from the tube and mix well. If necessary, I add
burnt plate oil of an appropriate thickness or artists grade linseed
oil to get the consistency I want. When finished, I fill the jar with
water and screw on the lid ... presto, no skinning, except the
occasional minor reaction as mentioned by Maria.

Cheers ..... Charles

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Message 8
From: Sharri LaPierre
Date: Tue, 24 Apr 2007 09:56:28 -0700
Subject: [Baren 33229] Re: New Baren Digest (HTML) V39 #3875 (Apr 23
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Angee,
Yes, I use the anti-skin spray and the little waxed paper circles, and
yet I still lose ink every now and then - particularly colors I don't
use often. ( And, I spray the ink left on my palette if I plan to use
it soon.) Have you tried the Charbonnel etching ink which comes in
small tubes? It works well for relief printing, too, and I have never
lost a drop. It is a bit more expensive, but if you never lose any of
it, maybe it isn't as costly as it seems! If you go back to the cans I
know some folks who put a thin layer of water on top of the ink to
preserve it.
Cheers,
Sharri

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Message 9
From: Lynn Starun
Date: Tue, 24 Apr 2007 10:20:21 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [Baren 33230] Re: New Baren Digest (HTML) V39 #3876 (Apr 24, 2007)
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Hi Group,
I'm appealing to your collective wisdom to solve a
problem my brain has trouble with. I'm doing a
woodblock with 7 colorblocks. Most of the colors and
pretty much in good registration but one of them was
off. I thought it through and moved the registration
mark but unfortunately I moved it in the wrong
direction! Do any of you have techniques for solving
registration problems?
Lynn

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Message 10
From: Charles Morgan
Date: Tue, 24 Apr 2007 12:14:26 -0700
Subject: [Baren 33231] Re: New Baren Digest (HTML) V39 #3876 (Apr 24, 2007)
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WOW ... BIG question ... The answer depends, of course, on what
system of registration you started with. Here is ONE suggestion: If I
am out a little bit, I find it very useful to use a sheet of acetate
or mylar to help see how to correct things.

For example ... suppose you are doing the standard Hanga stuff with
carved kento ... you find that one of your blocks is out of register.
Roll up your key block, or a block with the major components on it,
with some Speedball water based block printing ink. Then print it on
a piece of acetate, placing the acetate on the kentos, just as if it
were paper. Use a hair drier to dry the ink on the acetate ... just
wash the ink off the good block. Now, place your acetate in the
kentos on the block that is out of register. Since the acetate is
clear, you can see just how to shift the acetate so the images line
up properly. Just shift the acetate around till all looks good. Then
you can mark the corner and edge of the acetate on the block, and
that will tell you where the kentos SHOULD have been. There is a lot
of stuff written on how to correct the kentos ... recarve if
possible, or plug and recarve if necessary.

The same type of approach will work for pin registration, corner
registration, etc. Basically use your registration system to print a
good block on a piece of acetate. Then use the acetate to tell you
how you should position the questionable block.

This is essentially just a version of flip registration used for silkscreen.

Cheers ..... Charles

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Message 11
From: "Bea Gold"
Date: Tue, 24 Apr 2007 13:13:00 -0700
Subject: [Baren 33232] Re: New Baren Digest (HTML) V39 #3876 (Apr 24, 2007)
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Yes, enjoy the spontaneous looseness. Bea Gold

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Message 12
From: Jan Hasenpevar
Date: Tue, 24 Apr 2007 22:34:05 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: [Baren 33233] Can you put me of the list
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I don't want to receive mails anymore.
Thank you

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Message 13
From: jlkornett # aol.com
Date: Tue, 24 Apr 2007 19:17:08 -0400
Subject: [Baren 33234] Re: New Baren Digest (HTML) V39 #3876 (Apr 24, 2007)
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Angee,
I keep a pieve of plastic wrap on the surface of my ink and never have
a problem with skin- I make it large enough that it overlaps the side a
bit when I put the lid back on-
JUdith

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