Category: art school

Printing isn’t Printmaking

Posted on Posted in art school, da net, meaning, the fora, The Other, The Pre, The Why1 Comment

photographers are printers, not printmakers.

Making Prints isn’t Printmaking

This is a post in 2 sections. The first part expands my other posts on the foibles of the fora folks. The second section is more positive in approach. I hope it provides seeds you can use within your work. It may provide information you missed, because you are too young, or maybe your teacher just bumped along with their own development.

Why They Say Printmaker:

For over a decade I’ve cringed as the forum dwellers struggle to explain themselves to themselves – How to define their position; claim a position on the map by naming it.

They seem to love the word “printmaker.” Printmaker, to them, explains what differentiates their work from the digital chimpers and instagramers – the cell phonies.

“You have to see it.” “It must look great in person.” “Wish I had a screen big enough to enjoy all the detail.” Read the travel badges of the vacation film folk.

They take pride of title – like riders with ebay medals – which one to get one without understanding what it means beyond having bragging points in an internet cafe, or bar.

Pretenders begin with the camera; printmakers begin with blank paper, then add a problem; from that comes fire or ash.

Other Posts:

What Bunnell Meant:

Photography as Printmaking — March 19 – May 26, 1968

“The approach to photography as printmaking seeks to make the medium visible, whereas the so-called * straight’ approach seeks to make it Invisible, “ – Peter Bunnell, Director of the exhibition and Curatorial Associate in Department of Photography, MoMA.

and

how the artist has been moved by his own inner compulsion to select a technique … integrate Its expressive potential with his Initial vision, and extend It through his final presentation

What actually distinguishes Photo Printer and Printmaker is:

— what printmaking teachers call printmaking:

Richard Graf was my lithography teacher at SFAI. Stone lithography – grease and water stuff. The edition was what separated the casual from the actual printmaker. Printers made monoprints, while printmakers made editions — either the same work, or work principled by the same key image.

printmaker’s mind is like a mystery writers… know the ending.

printmaking is a work on paper, usually ink, but in the case of photography it is metal or dye: does it reflect or block is an awareness question.

In 1959 lithography, as hand based art, had declined to such a low that funding for continued teaching was needed from grant organizations.

Printmaking changed even more in the 70s than photography did. Bunnell only noticed photographer space; printmakers took that in with ease, moving beyond its limitations to advance itself even further.

Art has never been universal; never a language for the masses. Salesmen talk about photography as though it was such a universal communicator, but it isn’t. It can’t be. The foundation of culture – death fear fire – aren’t even communicable across time based culture.

problem: all styles filter through the same skills solutions. Growth occurs with conceptual as well as formal applications of process, by understanding it more completely, not just longer.

Printmakers are changing again; these changes will leave additional remains for the Carnie folks to gather round and claim as their ground. These are rock sitters at the debris field. Fine printing is always discovering new problems, not renewed solutions.

Tools Are

Paper, ink, and mark makers.

factors in their selection are driven, bounded by the goal of the artist. Craft isn’t the limitation since it isn’t either foundation nor goal of esthetic problems.

Craft is an aspect of commerce. Fine papers are sold in packs, 25 sheets is common in printmaking paper. If your paper need is low, you will probably buy in single sheets. Such low volume is the mark of a trial user, not an accomplished craftsman. If you’re not doing enough work to warrant inventory, then you will be forced to confirm the quality of materials with every shipment. Generally, this is considered scrap time —

paper as wet system, like cotton cloth it will shrink and stretch; but only so much, so many times. if your process requires 5 wet dry cycles, test your paper for 6 wet dry cycles, measuring the durability and the shrink, or stretch amount. If you don’t know your paper, you aren’t a printmaker. Fine paper is packed in 25 sheet ‘bags’ – if you don’t work much, then you probably buy in single sheet lots. This is risky, but cheap.

Getting Stuff:

manufacturer > distributor > dealer > you

which means: your ability to solve problems is based upon how high you can reach. Most paper companies have contact information. They are the source of ‘fixes,’ and corrections. If you aren’t happy with a paper: tell your dealer, and the manufacturer. Telling your forum friends doesn’t get you replacement paper.

it makes a difference who you hang out with… solve a problem by asking more probing question.. dig deeper to uncover more

A printmaker businessman would ask their distributor for explanation, not the guy on the virtual barstool next to them. And they would get the correct answer quickly — I did. It took less than 36 hours to find out that Arches had a supply problem. By way of apology, they shipped me an new package of paper, telling me to send one sheet back using the call tag they supplied. In that replacement pack was included sheets of other paper they made — all in 22×30 size

Paper Sources:

knowing the paper, isn’t thinking in paper…

arches platine

Arches has said (Feb, 2017): “Our ARCHES® paper mill  is aware of a recent paper absorbency issue which appears to be related to some of the sheets of a single run of ARCHES® Platine.Paper making is a complex process and every effort is made to be consistent.””… if you have any other contacts who had some problems with our Arches Platine®, feel free to give them our name.” maryvonne.humiliere at munksjo.com  

Where to Buy Platine:

  •  Bostick & Sullivan
  •  Dolphin Papers
  •  YourArtSupplies.com
  • Graphic Chemical
  • Takach Paper
  • Talas

Papers For Hand-coated Photography

(platinum, cyanotype, gum…)

For silver papers OR as high gloss print:

  • Adox Art Baryta … for azo type self coating … also see adox colloida.. this paper accentuates brush strokes of emulsion (chloride) coating. [11/17]

Making The Print

Posted on Posted in art school, babl, coursenotes, da net

Making The Print

Finding your way, in the absence of a guide, means asking along that way from some who may be as lost as you.

the learner learns from those around them. the first steps toward the print are hesitant – building that vocabulary will be the most important part of your first few years. The bigger the range of options you have, the wider your creative possibility

sadly, in the online world Ansel Adam’s “The Print” serves as dictionary and thesaurus. The landscape print, as realized by Adams, and maybe Minor White is the entirety of the image bank. So, when encountering work by other imagists, objections to the limited, or excessive tones used forms the measure, the twain of acceptance and comprehension of the image.

The limitations of the weekenders are their lack of interest, not their lack of knowledge. They limit themselves, reducing their range of creative movement

Timid Search

most amateurs and workshop wanderers are timid, and constrained in their visual range. by taking on distinctive, different approaches to the print, they will encounter more permission in making their own work

by permission I mean allowance – greater range of acceptance, or at least understanding by looking; Increase your visual dexterity.

bw prints

Two Alternate Vantages

Henry Wessel (b:1942 – ), and Ralph Gibson(b:1939 – ) Henry moved from the East to West; Ralph moved from the West to the East.

Ralph Gibson learned photography in the Navy, then spent 2 years at SFAI before assisting, first , Dorthea Lange (1961-62), then Robert Frank (1967-68). Dorthea Lange provided Gibson with a mantra encouragement to find his “departure point.”

Henry Wessel taught at SFAI, having gotten his MFA from VSW in 72. He’d been in California (71) where the light had become his banner. About his arrival from a cold Rochester January (’71) he says:

I was like a starving man at a banquet. It was the first time I’d been and I was struck by the light, the variety of the landscapes, and the urban centers. It’s the place I keep coming back to, the closest thing I have to a concept.

giving yourself permission to work outside the lines

Both photographers have mastery, but each makes different prints; prints that diverge from the Medium Grey Full Scale standard which many workshops advance as the ultimate print. Full Scale negative onto a Full Scale print- this is an easy way of discriminating good from bad work. Of course, that approach isn’t what either of these masters holds themself to. Neither is a sloppy printer. Their works are distinctive, repeatable and each remarkable for attending to different visual intents. Both printers hold out masterly approaches.

Together they assist finding a path between counterpoints. not opposite poles, but matched endpoints such as Gibson’s strong toned prints, and Wessel’s broad middles. One offers Bang, the other Wiff.

Getting Here -out of Art School

Posted on Posted in A Symbol Life, about, art school, morning wood, on photographers1 Comment

There was a time, the early 70s, when a small list, your teachers and fellow students could get you to a large world of artists. Not the entire world, but certainly a grand sampling. Ask 3 people to introduce you to another few people, who introduce you, who help even more, until – BAM, a contact list. Just 3 months work… it could be done again, only the names would be different.

that group:

Bob Flick;Joel Meyerowitz; Van Deren Coke; Joe Deal;  Ron Walker;  Lee Witkin;  Al Sweetman;  Don Drowty; Ellen Brooks;  Dennis Hearne;  Elaine Mayes; Bart Parker;  Larry Sultan;  Ed West;  Arthur Siegel;Leonard Freed;  Margery Mann;  Harry Callahan; Gary Metz; Peter Gowland;  Ansel Adams;  Ed Ruscha; Grace Mayer;  Mike Mandel;  Harold Allen;  Laura Gilpin;  Hank Smith;  Anne Tucker;  Phil Perkis;  Michael Simon;  Bill Owens; Manuel Bravo;  Nathan Lyons;  Bill Arnold;  Jim Hajicek;  Les Krims;  Joyce Neimanas; Judy Dater;  Al Coleman;  Ira Nowinski; Jack Welpott; Linda Parry;  Burke Uzzle;  Jim Dow;  Dave Freund; Todd Walker;  Catherine Jansen;  Eva Rubinstein;  Eddie Sievers; Minor White; Michael Becotte;  Fred McDarrah;  Richard Link;  Betty Hahn; Nick Hlobeczy; Bob Cumming;Ken Josephson;  Naomi Savage;  John Divola; Tom Barrow; Carl Chiarenza; Bea Nettles;  Roger Mertin;  John Benson; Cal Kowal;  Aaron Siskind;  R. von Sternberg;  Paige Pinnell;  Arthur Tress;  Jacob Deschin;  Linda Connor; Don Blumbeing;  Jim Alinder;  Harold Jones;  M.J. Walker;  Bill Parker; Al Woolpert;  Duke Baltz; Gus Kayafas;Duane Michals;  Darryl Curran; Arnold Newman; Geoff Winningham; Paul Vanderbilt; Anne Noggle; Timo Pajunen;Edmund Teske; Imogen Cunningham; Andy Anderson;  Bill Larson;  Pete Bunnell; Robert Doherty;  Joe Jachna; Oscar Bailey; Jerry Uelsmann; Art Sinsabaugh;  Charles Roitz;  Doug Stewart; Chuck Swedlund;  Bill Edwards;  Bobby Heinecken;  Micha Bar-Am;  Beaumont Newhall;  Wynn Bullock; Jerry McMillan;  John Schulze; Neal Slavin; Lee Rice; Joan Lyons; Bill Jenkins; Fred Sommer;  Barbara Crane; Emmet Gowin; Barbara Morgan; Mark Power;  Cornell Capa;  Lionel Suntop; Bunny Yeager; Doug Prince;  Eileen Cowin;  Eve Sonneman; Reg Heron;  Scott Hyde;Conrad Pressma;  John Szarkowski;  Bill Eggleston;  Mike Bishop;  Bob Fichter; Liliane DeCock; Tom Porett;  Arnold Crane; Arnold Gassan;  Elliott Erwitt;  Len Gittleman;

Many are gone. Most aren’t even remembered, yet at one time they were the time.

Post, expanded —

(8/27/17) … In an online world, experts like to block, to maintain their own value, self-appraisal. I have this blog, others choose to hold forth in sponsored forums. One person asked a question of me about the above, which I thought I’d prefaced correctly with the (now bolded section). Anyway, his question:

“What is the source of your list?” (Merg Ross)

He may not be expert blocking. I don’t know. Rather than answer back on that forum, I’ll expand here just a bit.

I began photography seriously by learning dye transfer. After just a few weeks of training, I was making airbrushed separation negatives; reading every scrap of information I could. These first efforts were in technique, the same thing every learning does – get the elementary done; collect all the elements you can handle. In doing that, I noticed that the Kodak materials were not complete, even somewhat scattered, or even outright wrong. What should be done? I contacted Kodak. Made a call to the main switchboard. After a few transfers, I got hold of a woman who had written some of the dataguides. Jeanette was the first person I spoke to who knew the famous. And she was generous with introductions. Like many structural keepers, she shared easily after qualification. She told me about Henry Holmes Smith at Indiana. I visited him, but didn’t feel that school was my path…not at that stage. I was a working commercial photographer able to set my own schedule; able to make any pictures I wanted on my time.

Then (a few years on) came my draft notice. I went. I returned. My DEROS was to Oakland Terminal in the middle of the night I was ‘exited.’ With cash in hand I went into San Francisco.

The next morning, I walked to a camera store to get supplies, which they didn’t have; however, the counter clerk told me about Adolph Gasser out on Geary Boulevard. It was there that I met Gene Saunders, the salesman who sold me my enlarger. He also told me about a new gallery that was exclusively photography.

Focus Gallery on Union Street was a haven for the world of photographers. Helen Head Johnson was the keeper. I showed her some of my dye transfers. She began introducing me to people, and suggested I check out SFAI since I had the GI bill and no real job. She told me to be certain to talk to Margery Mann.

I did. I enrolled. I got an MFA. The program was small, some of my fellow students were Larry Sultan, Mike Mandel, Harry Bowers, Adal Maldonado …

Oh, one other thing: a friend from the Army days worked for the phone company at Pine/Bush with something called ESS. He had access to every phone in the US. Everyone who had a phone, he had their address. Sweet. So, for awhile, I published something called the Contact Sheet – an address book for fine artists who wanted to connect.