Continued from [Forest in Summer - 8] | Starting point of the thread is [Forest in Summer - 1]

It's taken nearly a full week, but block #5 is finally done:

This will be a grey tone, and will have an effect on the tree (of course), and also on many of the grasses. Whether or not that overlapping will turn out to be a mistake or not, remains to be seen ...

Here's the latest update on the working hour totals:

1st block (image) : 17.5 hours
2nd block (image) : 17 hours
3rd block (image) : 15 hours
4th block (image) : 22 hours
5th block (image) : 32.5 hours

So, with 5 out of 10 block faces done, we've used 104 hours, spread out over 19 different days. Maximum for any given day has been 8.5 hours; minimum 1.5 hours.

Now, what's next?

The next block in 'sequence' should be the one that I showed earlier ...

... but after that marathon, I really don't feel like starting another 'monster' just yet. So I'll put aside my policy of 'get them out of the way early', and take it easy for a few days with the blocks that will print most of the area in the far distance.

Because that zone is quite small in scale, I've managed to fit four 'blocks' onto two faces of a single plank. Here are images of the two sides:

So although there are still two faces that I haven't yet shown, I think you should now be able to create a fairly accurate mental image of what the final print might look like ...

The thread continues in [Forest in Summer - 10] ...

Posted by Dave Bull at 10:32 AM | Comments (2)

(Item from the Spring issue of my newsletter.)

This season [today!] marks a particular milestone for my printmaking work. In early 1989 I was just at the very beginning of my long Hyakunin Isshu print series. I had finished the first couple of prints, but hadn't given too much thought as to exactly how to go about getting them out into the world.

One day that spring, without really knowing if it would come to anything, I prepared a small pamphlet describing my project and sent it out to some media outlets.

Somewhat unbelievably to me, some of them called and came for interviews, and over the next couple of weeks, I was featured in a few TV reports and newspaper stories. One of these was in a newspaper in our own area, and this was seen by the Cho family, owners of our neighbourhood bakery.

And on the 20th of June that year (yes, of course I have good bookkeeping records!) they became my first collectors, with their purchase of the first two prints in the series.

I rather doubt that they will be remembering this date, but it's not something I'll ever forget!

And do you know, 20 years on, they are still with me ...

Cho-san, thank you again!

Just for fun ...

... let's add things up! Here are the totals of prints sold over that time period, for each of my series (as of today, and not including complimentary sets (family, publicity, etc.)).

I've made a lot more than this of course, as my drawers here are still full of prints, and this ignores things like the new year cards (200+ copies going out every year), but anyway, that's what has been sold.

[Updated]

Dave, so how much does that all come to (I mean for your income)?

That's tough to answer, as money values change, etc. etc. But a basic answer is easy, because my prices have never changed over the time period, so a simple multiplication will give a result. Here are the numbers, with the $ amounts simply being the yen totals converted with today's exchange rate (95.82 yen per US dollar).

Look at that! Nearly 2 million dollars! Although such a 'translation' is pretty much meaningless; if you re-calculate it with an exchange rate from just last week, it's already over that milestone ...

But yeah; it does feel kind of nice! If you had predicted these numbers for me back on June 20th 1989, I would have - of course - thought you were a lunatic ...

Posted by Dave Bull at 10:11 AM | Comments (1)

Continued from [Forest in Summer - 7] | Starting point of the thread is [Forest in Summer - 1]

There have been a few interruptions over the past couple of days (interview Wednesday, gardening on Thursday ...), but the next block (the second tone on the tree) is now done:

Here's a closeup of part of the tangle of grasses. You can see the 'random' cuttings that will form texture on the tree trunk later ...

Here's the latest update on the working hour totals:

1st block (image) : 17.5 hours
2nd block (image) : 17 hours
3rd block (image) : 15 hours
4th block (image) : 22 hours

Interesting that the third and fourth blocks really only differ in the dotted texturing here and there, but that's still a whole extra day's work ...

Now ...

... before I can get going on the carving of the next block, I have to do that quick test printing job that I mentioned in the comments the other day. I need to run a proof with the four blocks that are finished so far, to see if there are any 'white spots' in the image. If there are, I will have to make sure that the next block covers those up.

Registration on this print is going to be finicky, to say the least; I basically have to get it perfect every time, and once the edition printing starts, there will be around 20 or so impressions. I need to get the paper absolutely 'locked' into the corner perfectly accurately for each impression, and there is no way that I can do that 'by eye'. It is far more accurate to place the sheets into the registration marks by 'feel' ...

So after cutting the paper to the correct dimensions, but before moistening it, I brush some clear nail polish on each sheet in two locations - matching the registration marks - to 'harden' it.

It dries completely clearly, but if you hold the sheet up to the light, you can see the hardened corner:

... and you can certainly feel it! It stays hard even after being moistened, and each sheet then goes into the corner registration mark with a firm 'click'. This greatly simplifies registration pressure ... (This isn't an original idea of mine - it's from the 'good old days'. The printers back then had no nail polish of course, so they 'borrowed' some urushi from a neighbourhood lacquer-ware maker ...)

I'll be doing this test printing tomorrow morning, and once the results are in, carving will begin on the next block. Something to mention about that one ...

My usual practice is to do the most time-consuming blocks first. I'm trying to be a 'good boy' by doing that - I can be a pretty good procrastinator sometimes, and this policy helps me avoid 'time trouble' (coordinating story preparation, book-binding, shipping preparation, etc. depends on having a fairly good estimate of when something will be ready ...)

I might suppose that by looking at the four blocks finished so far, you are probably thinking that I have followed my usual procedure this time too.

If only.

Here are the next two ... the third level of tone on the tree (which also deepens some of the grass areas). Yet another run through the grass cutouts, and a million acres of texturing!

And then the deepest 'darklight' areas (how come we have no easy word that is the opposite of 'highlight'?). This is the killer. Most of the texturing on the previous blocks is 'cutting out' - this is the other way around; the dots are being 'left behind', and this is far more time-consuming ...

I said something a few posts back about 'let's see how far we can push this one ...'

No kidding!

Our running total of time spent so far is 71.5 hours ... which is an average of just about 18 hours per block. Any bets on what that average is going to be by the time these two are done?

The thread continues in [Forest in Summer - 9] ...

Posted by Dave Bull at 10:16 AM | Comments (0)

Continued from [Forest in Summer - 6] | Starting point of the thread is [Forest in Summer - 1]

Here we are, with the first block for the base tone on the tree now finished. The white criss-cross area on the left is of course 'black'.

That's quite a tangle down there in the grasses (click it for enlargement)!

(I should mention that I made a mistake in the previous post, when I showed an image of the block I was about to start carving; that image was actually the second level of tree tone ... the block I'll be starting later this evening ...)

I said I might be keeping track of the working hours all through this print, and so far I have ...

1st block (image) : 17.5 hours
2nd block (image) : 17 hours
3rd block (image) : 15 hours

The thread continues in [Forest in Summer - 8] ...

Posted by Dave Bull at 10:48 AM | Comments (2)

Continued from [Forest in Summer - 5] | Starting point of the thread is [Forest in Summer - 1]

So, the second block for the grasses is now done:

At this scale, there isn't much apparent difference from the first one for the greenery, but when you get close, you can see plenty - perhaps this block is about 15% or so trimmed back from the base block. Once we get started printing, we'll have some closeups to inspect them ...

Moving right along ... Although two levels isn't enough to produce all the effects I want on the greenery, from here on the shading blocks will be combined with those for other parts of the image. So let's have another 'base tone' block - this is the one for the tree that will fill most of the surface area of this print:

As for the circles, we've seen these before, in one of the previous prints. They are not part of the design. To keep the tracings as dry as possible - to minimize distortion - I cut these out from areas of solid black ... (And what looks like wide areas of solid black when seen at this scale, actually have plenty of small shapes carved into them ...)

I only had chance to get started in one corner this afternoon, but here's what it will look like - pretty much an exact 'reversal' of the first grass block:

The thread continues in [Forest in Summer - 7] ...

Posted by Dave Bull at 10:37 AM | Comments (2)

Continued from [Forest in Summer - 4] | Starting point of the thread is [Forest in Summer - 1]

Carving is continuing apace, and this next 'grasses' block is coming along nicely.

When I was carving last night, I thought it might be a bit interesting if I brought the webcam down from the place where it normally sits, and get it closer to the block. Seems to work OK, although it does have a bit of trouble focussing now and then due to the angle of the bench.

But you should be able to get some nice views of the work ... (Click these to see them at normal 'webcam' broadcast size ...)

If you want to tune in, here's the entry page for the Woodblock Webcam ..

The thread continues in [Forest in Summer - 6] ...

Posted by Dave Bull at 12:06 PM | Comments (0)

Continued from [Forest in Summer - 3] | Starting point of the thread is [Forest in Summer - 1]

As I mentioned yesterday, there was no chance for a full day's work, but the first block is now finished. (I kept track of the time, and it took 17.5 hours altogether ...) The wood was a bit softer than I'd like for a block with so many thin lines, but the fact that they are all grouped together will minimize problems when printing ...

So ... what's next? Should I 'skip around' to another area of the design, or continue with the blocks that will print this greenery ...

Let's stick with the green; here's the next one, ready to start ...

Looks a bit familiar, doesn't it!

The thread continues in [Forest in Summer - 5] ...

Posted by Dave Bull at 10:20 AM | Comments (3)

Continued from [Forest in Summer - 2] | Starting point of the thread is [Forest in Summer - 1]

Another good solid day of work, and this first block is coming along very well. Not quite able to get it finished this evening, but it's within striking distance now ...

Here's a close-up of the main carved section (all images clickable):

Tomorrow isn't going to be as productive; there is a guest (from Florida) coming in the morning, which should be an interesting change of pace, and I've also got to put my 'shipping' hat on and get some back numbers wrapped and taken to the post office. Might be able to get a few hours of work done in the evening ... we'll see.

The thread continues in [Forest in Summer - 4] ...

Posted by Dave Bull at 10:50 AM | Comments (2)

Continued from [Forest in Summer - 1]

Even after getting the design nailed down on this one, moving to the carving step has taken time, well over a week. I've been wresting again with that same question - how realistic, how abstract.

The previous print - the water reflection - used no 'camera assistance'. There is absolutely nothing real in that image whatsoever; everything you see was created by me from nothing. (Yet interestingly enough, I've still had comments about how 'real' it looks!)

But given the idea that I mentioned in the previous entry discussing this current print - to really 'zoom in' close up on something - I don't quite see how I can avoid moving back toward the realism. I don't really see how 'close up detail' and 'abstract' can be very compatible with each other.

So I looked over the prints that are done so far (and the ideas I have for the couple yet to come), and figured - alright, this might be the 'last chance' for it in this series, maybe we should see just how far we can push the realism side of this.

There is another factor that came into play - due to the way that I got things done during the first year of work on this series (when I produced two autumn prints), there are no autumns left. This current summer print will be followed by a winter, and the series will then finish with a spring.

Hmmm ... that means I've got some 'time' available for this one.

Hmmm ...

OK, we'll talk more about this later, for now, here is an image of the first block to go under the knife (clickable).

I had a good clear day of work yesterday, and the carved patch represents three hours in the morning, three hours in the afternoon, and another two hours in the evening. (Maybe I should keep track of the working time right through the project ... it might be interesting ...)

The thread continues in [Forest in Summer - 3] ...

Posted by Dave Bull at 12:09 AM | Comments (4)

Update: A thread on MetaTalk has come to life ... no, this one has been resurrected! Or maybe it's this one! Sheesh! Anyway, over there somewhere would probably be the best place to post about getting together for the train, or 'can I come?' stuff, in the interest of getting other people involved ...

Here is some info on the 'where' 'when' and 'how' for the Ome Meetup ...

Date: looks like Saturday the 18th is the day

Time: that's kind of open; I'll be here all day (of course). Just how long people would like to spend out here sort of depends on the weather - if it's a real nice day, then 'making a day of it' would make sense, but if it's dreary and rainy, then there isn't much else to do around here except mess with the printmaking for a while.

Anyway, here are some train times, to help get started with planning. As I mentioned on the other threads, there are special 'Holiday' trains that come out here directly from Shinjuku.

• Shinjuku: 8:19 ~ Ome 9:20
• Shinjuku: 8:47 ~ Ome 9:45

If those are too early for everybody (they are really aimed at people coming here for hiking), then here are some later alternatives. These are normal Chuo line trains, but these are also 'direct' - Tokyo/Shinjuku/Tachikawa/Ome.

• Tokyo: 8:53 - Shinjuku 9:08 - Ome 10:07
• Tokyo: 9:28 - Shinjuku 9:43 - Ome 11:00
• Tokyo: 9:57 - Shinjuku 10:11 - Ome 11:15
• Tokyo: 10:52 - Shinjuku 11:06 - Ome 12:05

As for getting to my place from Ome Station, if the Tokyo people have arranged to be on the same train, and it's a nice day, then I can meet you at the station, and it's a very nice 20-minute walk back to my place. If it's rainy, taxi would be the way to go (860 yen). (I have no car to pick you up, sorry.)

Here's a map that shows the general route(s) from the station.

As I mentioned in an earlier thread, this is the block set we would probably use for working ... Although I'll get some other 'classical' stuff ready too.

I'm not much of a cook (that's for sure), but I'll get a bunch of muffins, etc. ready for lunch. Maybe people could bring something to throw in, or - if you would prefer - there is a cool noodle shop (udon) exactly across the street from my place. There aren't a whole lot of other restaurants/shopping around here at all.

Then, for getting home, here are some sample train times:

• Ome: 15:58 ~ Shinjuku 16:57
• Ome: 16:52 ~ Shinjuku 17:50
• Ome: 17:26 ~ Shinjuku 18:22

Use the 'Discussion' section below to let me know what you're thinking about all this ... and to get started with organizing trains, etc.

I'd better also put my contact info here, so that everybody clearly has it:

• Address: Nagabuchi 8-4-5, Ome
• Tel: 0428-22-2212 (no cell phone, sorry)

See you soon!

Posted by Dave Bull at 12:18 AM | Comments (1)