Is the art fair scene for you? The essentials:
preparedness and attitude. Your very own gallery. What to take,
a nice checklist...
The Woodcut: Introduction and History
(Verbatim from Ross & Romano's The Complete Relief Print,
1974, The Free Press N.Y.)
Luis Casco-Arias has clear directions
on how to build your own hydraulic relief press. I've tried printing
with a book press (screw press) and it takes quite a bit of effort.
The hydraulic jack press solves the pressure problem and it is easy
to build.
An easy guide to cleaning up oil-based
inks. Non-toxic materials for clean-up.
A definition of original prints
What constitutes a fine art "print"
A small excerpt from Art Law
- Second Edition. Accepted practices on editioning prints
EXPERIMENTAL AND OTHER MOST FUN RELIEF
PRINTS:
Monster
Cut !: The Making of a 4'x8' Woodcut Print
Monumental
Collaborative Puzzle Prints (MCPP):
These are projects that I will undertake
every blue moon or so. The goal is to bring printmakers/artists
together through a collaborative project. The object is to create
something together that would be impossible to create by any one
individual.
PROJECT
1: What is Baren? A Puzzle by Its Members
This first project was completed
in 2003 and included 44 printmakers from all over the world.
Here you will find links to a variety
of websites that explain all aspects of health and safety practices
in art. Although it was written for ceramic artists, the links will
take you to all the information you need.
Matting
and Framing
An awesome overview from Daniel Smith,
I will be adding to this with my own experiences, as I mat and frame
all my own work. Topics include: Choosing and cutting
mats , Hingeing your work, Archival notes, Framing materials, Framing
your work for permanence and reversibility.
Metallic
Inks
Nature of metallic inks. Special
problems for printmakers . Additives to tame them. Uses for metallic
inks...
Papers
for Printmaking
About Paper. Sources and Resources.
How to get to know paper. Comments on Papers...
Papers:
Working With Hand-made Papers
This section in progress. I have been
working with hand-made paper for about three years now. Workign
with this beautiful material requires special attention in order
to succeed.
Printing
Relief Prints With an Etching Press by Ruth Leaf
Ruth Leaf, an accomplished artist
and printmaker, explains in detail how to adapt your etching press
to successfully print woodcuts.
Reduction
Woodcuts (aka Suicide Woodcuts) Process
Notes:
Design and "thinking", Registering,
First state, Second and other mid-states, Final state
Registration
Methods
Flexible "kento's", Registration
board, Obtaining margins from small blocks, Registering with a press
Scroll
Saw Uses in Woodcut Prints
Introduction to scroll sawing, Clean
backgrounds, Puzzle prints, Reduction uses
Sharpening
Woodcut Tools
What sharpening "does" to a tool,
How to Sharpen properly, Links to the "scary sharp" system
Honing
Woodcut Tools
Honing to a razor's edge with
wooden dowels, Use of compounds
Where to Get Wood, How to Prepare
Wood for Woodcuts and Wood Engravings, Suitable Species and Their
Use
Materials
Process:
Design and transfer to woodblock, Transferring design to block,
Cutting the block, Proofing and Printing, Registering, After Printing
Printable
Overview of the Woodcut Process
Woodcut Process A To Z
(A Color Woodcut)
Slide
show of how I made Call of the Desert
Frame
view of how I made Call of the Desert
Step by step making of a large color print using a key block and
masks.
Wood
Engravings by Andy English
This link will take you to the web
site of Andy English, an accomplished wood engraver in the UK. Here
are the topics he masterfully explains:
Image design, Block, Tools and how to use them, Pape, Proofing,
Editioning, While you are there, check out his masterful engravings.
Contributions are encouraged and welcomed:
If you would like to send me your own notes, just
e-mail me your topic and I will
either add it to one of the existing notes or make up a new topic.
Read some of the notes first to get an idea of what I'm looking for.
You will receive full credit for the note, both on the outline below
and in the topic notes page.
Disclaimer statements (more like warnings!):
- I read a lot and experiment even more. I remember
everything all my teachers and masters ever said, I just don't choose
their wise ways all the time.
- I have been an artist, primarily doing woodcuts
and prints since 1989, this could be good or bad depending on your
perspective.
- Breaking the rules sometimes results in wasting
materials and time (I don't mind this, you might).
- These is not a "how to" guide. It is simply
a collection of notes of interest that I jot down as I do and learn.
Studio notes are informal by design and, hopefully, informative.
- I might refer you to the library
or to another site for more information; this is because I do not
want to repeat what others have already explained, in many cases,
much better than I can.
