Written on February 28, 1992 [Permalink]

February 26

Printed the sumi on the 70. Much more relaxed and better than the first batch a few days ago. One reason was the new tokibo I made yesterday evening to use for sumi. I've been using the same tokibo for sumi for the past five or six years, and didn't really realize that it was just too worn out to carry enough pigment. I sort of get used to having an 'old friend' around, and don't consider whether or not it is still useful. This is a bad habit, and one that I've got to break myself of. I tend to use everything past the point of practical utility. The other day, I had a real problem with the block drying out as I worked, but today with the fat tokibo, I thinned the sumi down more than I thought possible, and swabbed enough liquid over the block to keep it moist from impression to impression.

I got interrupted halfway through for the grocery delivery, but didn't let that bother me (for a change). I soaked a towel, and left it lying on the block surface while I went out. When I got back, the block was still just fine for printing, and I didn't have to 'start up' all over again. I suppose these are all things that I would have picked up from a master printer without ever having to 'invent' them for myself, if I had been learning the 'normal' way ...

Had a visitor in the afternoon (advice on how to set up an English school in his mansion near here in Kabe), which wiped out a few hours working time, but got busy on the printing in the evening.

February 26 (cont)

What was I saying yesterday about 'no problems any more with colours ...'? I should have kept my mouth shut. I put the hakama colour on the 70 last night before going to bed, and perhaps should have waited until the morning... The printing itself was no problem - smooth impressions, good control, etc., but at one point I happened to notice a blot of hakama colour off to one side. It wouldn't wipe off, and I assumed that I'd just been momentarily careless with the baren. When I was slipping it into the stack, however I saw that the one before also had a blot in the same place. And the one before, and the one before that ... Fourteen copies down the drain, from a blot that should have been noticed on the first copy. (My excuse is that the blot looks like the kimono pattern when scanned quickly, and thus escaped detection, but that's no real excuse ...). It's been years since I screwed up this badly.

[ can we find one for a photo? ]

Before going to bed I moistened 14 more sheets, with the idea of printing them in the morning, and 'catching up' with the rest of the deck.

February 27

Called Shimano-san to see if there is any chance of getting some blocks soon. I had ordered the next set just after the exhibition ended about four weeks ago, and he had quoted about a two week delivery time. Still no blocks ready, and now he's caught up in the funeral business for somebody's wife who died just now. Perhaps next week...

Printed the sumi on the 14 copies in the morning (skipped my pool time - what a sacrifice!), and got 'caught up'. The colour printing during the day was a bit more awkward though, as the water balance in those copies is different from the others, even after being stacked together, and it was difficult to make the adjustments. I may not have enough nice copies ...

Ashida-san was here to do the final preparation for tomorrow's shipping, putting the prints in the folders, etc.

February 28

Another 'factory' day. Me printing in one room, and the two women wrapping away in the next. It should be like this every day! The rest of the printing went off with no problems, and I ended up with enough copies, just over 100 for customers, 10 or so for the freebie people, and the rest in the 'not quite good enough' drawer. (I never bothered to print the rest of the colours on the spoiled 14 copies)

As it was shipping day, I finally had to break down and make the final few 'how about one more year?' phone calls to people who had not yet let us know their plans, and got two confirmations and one 'good-bye'. This brings the year-end changeover to a close: 6 people out and 9 in (one of those will be taking two per month). 'Plus four'. So just how many customers do we have now? I can't say. Of course, I have a complete record book, but what do I answer? 28 customers taking the current set, with two of them taking two copies each, but one of those two 'on hold' to be shipped twice a year (to Indonesia). In addition there are three people taking the current set plus a back set (two prints per month). Then there are those taking only back numbers, one person taking two at a time to 'catch up', and six people just taking one per month. So how many is that? 38 different people - 44 prints each month (plus eight freebies).

We've got the shipping book very well organized, and the wrapping works like clockwork. Ashida-san gets everything needed all laid out ready to hand: the prints in their folders, plastic envelopes (saved from the backboards), blue cases, pre-folded cardboard cartons, the monthly 'letter' (plus back number copies), the correct English labels for those who need them, Post Office remittance slips, pre-written address labels, a 'hajimemashite' letter for the newcomers, and of course tape and brown paper for wrapping. It took them about five hours to get everything done, and the Post Office picked up shortly after.

We also slipped a copy of the Mainichi Weekly into each package. I had asked if I could buy 50 copies for my customers, and they sent them N/C. (I'll have to send a 'thank you' print).

A package arrived from Michiyo during the day with the translations of the next newsletter, and when all was quiet in the evening, I started putting it in the word processor. For a change, she wrote quite neatly, and I was able to get it all typed in in one sitting. I'd like to get this to the printer right away, and get back to the March - June - September - December schedule (on the 10~15th of each month). She has also written her own little contribution, and I'll delete my intended final page, and use hers ...