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Message 1
From: "Jeanne Norman Chase"
Date: Tue, 17 May 2011 20:04:11 GMT
Subject: [Baren 43357] help
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To all of those who are smarter than me, and there are many

I have my INSPIRED BY JAPAN wood block all cut and ready to print, oh happy day.

NOW, I have spent two days TRYING to get a nice black but alas the d,,, thing just will not do a thing but give me a grainy black with lots of faults. I do not know what I am doing wrong. I am using Rives med. paper. Daniel Smith relief black ink and my trusty wooden spoon.
I am at my wits end by now and time is drawing nigh, aaarrgghh.

Any hints, rather than scrap the whole thing????

Jeanne the frustrated one.

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Message 2
From: Viza Arlington
Date: Tue, 17 May 2011 20:44:45 GMT
Subject: [Baren 43358] Re: help
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Are you using oil or water based inks? what kind of wood is it? are
there large flat areas of black? is your brayer roller hard or soft?
damp or dry paper? if we could know these things it might be easier to
help troubleshoot.
viza

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Message 3
From: Diana Moll
Date: Wed, 18 May 2011 00:34:01 GMT
Subject: [Baren 43359] of earthquakes and woodblocks
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A really good article by Jordan Sand from the London Review of Books talks about Japanese cultural response to "disaster" , the role of woodblocks particularly in the 1855 earthquake and tsunami which destroyed most of Edo and other interesting related topics. Here's the link: http://www.lrb.co.uk/v33/n09/jordan-sand/diary
you have to register to read, but it is free.

all best
diana

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Message 4
From: Graham Scholes
Date: Wed, 18 May 2011 03:07:53 GMT
Subject: [Baren 43360] Re: help
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If you are using waterbase, try sumi ink ....

Graham

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Message 5
From: Mark Phillips
Date: Wed, 18 May 2011 03:49:28 GMT
Subject: [Baren 43361] Re: help
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Graham,
If you are using oil based try inking up the block and letting the ink
set on the block and buffing it in. It'll fill in some of the
irregularities and may solve the spotty problem. You may want to soften
the Rives by dampening it overnight. The only time I've had success
printing Rives with woodblock was on a Platen press or running it
through an etching press and in both cases I had to dampen the paper.
Not sure if your spoon will be able to overcome the texture of the dry
paper otherwise.

Regards,
Mark Phillips
egallery http://www.graphicmarx.com

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