Special in the [Baren] Mall ... free prints!

A new page has just gone up in the [Baren] Mall ... a special offer of a free print with every order over $100.
The 'Special Offer' page is linked from the Mall Map: http://www.barenforum.org/mall/map.html
Our current special offer to [Baren Mall] customers is a handmade Japanese woodblock print. A while back, one of our members living in Japan saw an interesting item posted on Yahoo Auctions there. It was for a stack of 50 woodblock printed Xmas cards dating from the 1960s. They had come from a professional printer's workshop, and were presumably 'left-overs' from an order placed with him by a company having cards made up for their clients. (click to enlarge photos)
One of the Prints They are real woodblock prints ... carved and printed by hand. As you can see from the photos, there is an inner face with the Xmas greetings (in Japanese) from the company, but you could trim this off if you wish ...
The stack we purchased
An opened card What is our 'special offer' on these? Simple ... we will send one of these to you at no charge after you place any order of over $100. As they say ... 'offer good while supplies last'. We have set aside 25 of these cards for this purpose, so the supply should last for a little while ... If your order doesn't reach the $100 level, you can still get one of these prints; they are $5 each (post paid) http://barenforum.org/mall/special.html

Hi all, This past summer I was able to attend two Japanese woodblock workshops. One at a local community college taught by April Vollmer (and where I served as her unofficial TA) and I one at the Penland School of Crafts, a two-week workshop with Keiji Shinohara. In April's class I complete one print (San Francisco de Asis)and in Keiji's class I completed 3 prints--as well as practiced bokashi. If I've done this correctly (this is my first blog posting), I'll have 4 images along with this entry. Take care, frank
San Francisco de Asis Serengeti Plain Summer Gingko Nuestra Senora de los Dolores

Hi everyone. Here are a couple of brand new woodcuts. These images are from an abandoned nuclear plant construction site in South Carolina. The reactor was about 3/4 built, then they just abandoned the project. That was more than 20 years ago and the site has remained untouched (except for lots of fresh shotgun shells and beer cans). It's a very eerie, surreal place.




I climbed to the top of this tall observation tower that overlooks the whole site. I was unable to get onto the little deck at the very top because a hawk had built a huge nest over the entry hole. 2 hawks were circling the tower the whole time I was on it. I guess they were making sure I wasn't there to evict them.





Technical: 4 colors each, 1/4 inch birch plywood, Graphic Chemical litho inks on Arches Cover through the ol' Dick Blick Econo-etch.
Also, I just totally redesigned my prinmaking web site: www.danielallegrucci.com so check it out. Thanks, Dan Allegrucci

To keep track of the colors I used, I listed them on the back of the block. I've also posted my "kento" method, it worked for me. Also, in case anyone is interested, I started with 25 prints and finished with 20 good ones, so only 5 wasted.

Here's my newest print! 29 colors, lino block, on hosho student paper using graphic chemical water based inks. Kento registration.

I carved this over the summer as an anniversary present for my husband. It's a creative redrawing of the Norman Keep at Castle Cardiff. Bill tweaked it from a friend's photo to make it look more like his business logo. Perfect for my purposes! The castle is Bill's, the bucalic scene is mine.
The trick has been to keep him from seeing it before the 9th. I'm fairly confident he won't look in here. ;->
Woodcut on Baltic birch, 9"x12". I utilized the direction of the grain for the cloud action, but it fought me all the rest of the block. I'm wondering if Belinda DelPesco's technique of staining the block then using polyurithane wouldn't have helped with all the chipping. I may try that for the next one.

This is a watercolored etching. I used cool primaries to color it. I'm always mixing up my warm and cool blues, so I'm hoping this will help me keep them separate. Next is a dragon all in warm colors.