chaneling warhol part 2

Marty Ittner, in action at Pyramid AtlanticKnocked out some good solid prints last night at Pyramid Atlantic, under the expert and paaaaatient guidance of screen print Queen Marty Ittner. These are for my friend/trade buddy Jim Vecchione's portfolios (he's the talent behind the images of my work on this site).

Boy, did I learn a lot through this process: a) screen printing's not as easy as it looks (SO many variables contribute to all kinds of surprises), b) I tend to come up with complex ideas that are best simplified a bit, this project being no exception, c) being picky is a good thing (thanks, Marty, for insisting on super-sharp logos), d) I need to quadruple my time estimates when I'm doing something for the first time.

I love the element of surprise in screen printing, which I hadn't anticipated at all. The interaction between digital image x screen prep x substrate (in this case, three different kinds of book cloth) x ink x how you pull any given print = who knew the image we thought would be our problem-child ended up being the one I like best?

Jim's portfolio covers, drying

Thanks, Marty, for helping produce something that I think Jim (and his clients) will love. Can't wait to bind them and put them to use!

channeling warhol

I've been working with screenprinter Marty Ittner at Pyramid Atlantic to help me create portfolio covers for my friend Jim Vecchione, who shoots all of my work. My idea is to use Jim's images in a Warhol-esque way as art screenprinted onto bookcloth, which I'll use to make his portfolios. I think it's going to be really cool, even if the testing, trial and error is taking way longer than I anticipated.

Last night's tests revealed vast differences in how a grayscale image responded on various types and colors of bookcloth. A few surprises, no real winner yet, but more direction for next week's testing. It looks like simpler is better, eliminating some variables (e.g., black and white threshold images, no grayscale). Apparently Warhol did that, sticking with solid blocks of ink and color. So far, Marty and I are using black ink only, letting the bookcloth be the color.

Poor Jim - he's been so patient while I learn and experiment. Thanks for your patience - I think it'll be worth it!