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Lesson Plans


Re: hand printing

[ Thread ][ Subject ][ Author ][ Date ]
Betty Bowen (bbowen.ok.us)
Tue, 6 Apr 1999 08:29:42 -0500

I've tried about everything for hand printing over the years. I do woodcuts
and they tend to be rather large. For awhile I was hooked on a wooden butter
paddle (a benefit of going to school in Wisconsin). I've eyed the metal
paddles at the meat market for scooping up ground meat. I've used metal and
wooden spoons and a variety of Japanese barens.

My hands down favorite - the thing I reach for automatically -- is two
wooden drawer pulls glued back to back. One side is round (like a disc more
than a ball) and one is square. I've used mine enough (10 years) that it is
shiny and very very smooth. The square side allows me to really "scrape"
with an edge or make marks with the rounded corner, and the round side acts
like a spoon, but with more leverage. I tend to use the round side to hold
and the square side to print. With a spoon, to really get enough pressure, I
had to push with a finger in the bowl of the spoon and over the years this
can cause a lot of damage.
I have had much less hand fatigue using the drawer pull, because my hand is
in a more natural position and requires less force.

Porcelain doorknobs are really nice part of the time, but I like the little
bit of "drag" the wood gives, and the chisel edge of the square knob. If I
could glue the porcelain shell (without the metal stem) to the back of the
square drawer pull, that might make the best tool of all.

What glues porcelain to wood?

Betty

  • Reply: Ann Weaver: "Subject: Re: hand printing"