KICKING & SCREAMING ....

Years ago, I had frequent discussions with my father that usually ended with me threatening to drag him, kicking and screaming into the 19th century. He'd always say, "you mean the 20th century." My usual response was that I had, indeed meant the 19th!

Well, there are those around Graphic these days that believe that I'm need to follow my own advice. They're wrong, of course, but I decided to offer at least one product that I'd sworn I wouldn't. At the right you see a Badger Air Brush and Compressor which is a top of the line product. We talked with the folks at Badger for a couple of months to insure that this was what our customers needed.

So what possible reason would a printmaker have to purchase an air brush? The first thing that comes to mind would be to apply the Lascaux A.R.E. products - specifically the Aquatint Spray Resist. The very first time I used an air brush was in the studio at Lascaux, learning to do just that. You might be tempted to ask, "How difficult is it?". Funny you should ask, because one of the least artistic people I know (that would be yours truly) picked it up like a duck to water.

This airbrush is a joy to work with. All of the guesswork is gone, plug it in and away you go. Even I had a hard time screwing it up...o.k. one minor flaw figuring out how to make the trigger work, but one of my kids showed me how to do it.

While I'm waxing poetic about products, the 2009-10 Graphic Chemical & Ink Company catalog should be ready to hit the streets fairly soon - probably in August. We expect to have many new items, a slightly changed format. more pictures, more color, and all for the same low price - free.

Since we've hired outside help to help us with the catalog, we anxious to get feedback from customers about what they like and, heaven forbid, don't like. Next step will be to update the website in similar fashion. Like I said, they're dragging me kicking and screaming into the 21st century.

2009-10 CATALOG

We are in the final stages of production for the next edition of Graphic Chemical & Ink Co's Printmakers Materials catalog.

I am usually surprised at the list of new items that have found their way into the catalog. It shouldn't be a surprise because we spend a lot of time actively searching for new items. Just in the past year we have attended numerous trade shows looking for things to tempt you...things that aren't found in too many printmaking supply catalogs.

As the logo above attests, we have added several complete lines of Lascaux products, including the Studio Colors and the Resonance Gouache. Both lines have a great range of colors. These are remarkably high quality acrylic colors worthy of any studio.

In a conscious effort on our part, we continue to add significant numbers of Oriental papers from several sources. Our goal is to provide as many types of papers as possible. Actually, more to the point, our goal is to sell more types of papers than anyone. Our paper specialists have really gotten into these thin papers, and are obsessed with packaging them so that there will be no damage in transit. We have a handful of limited supply high end papers. They aren't inexpensive, but they're really great sheets.

Another area that we like to think we excel in is brayers. We've added a new source of brayers that run from 50 mm to 300 mm. These EAC Brayers come in a standard and a deluxe style, and brayers 200 mm and smaller come with a standard single handle, while 250 and 300 mm are a double handled tool.

In addition to the brayers, we have numerous other materials from the same source. Unique products include a combination bench hook and hand guard. We've showed this at a couple of trade shows recently, and people really like them. There is also a 3 in 1 tool set. It is a carving set with 5 blades , a baren for printing your carved block, and it also serves as a stamper. You get round disks that are adhesive backed. These will fit on the baren surface of this tool. The material itself is similar to the Speedy-Cut blocks.