25 June 2009

Bikes, robots, geese, trombones, paper airplanes.

Test prints are a common practice among screen printers and poster artists. A printer will usually keep a few sheets of stock around to make sure the screen is clearing properly or to check registration. They're essentially the protracted layering of several different colors from various prints on a single sheet of paper. The result is a unique print, often rife with aesthetically pleasing happy accidents. Test prints are one of my favorite parts of screen printing. Below are some that I recently put up for sale in the gigposters.com classifieds. Just for fun, I will be including an original drawing to ship out with each of them.
One more thing--check out one of my favorite posters of all time by Nick and Nadine at Sonnenzimmer. I can't say enough good things about this print. They truly are blurring the line between fine art and illustration in this thing we call the rock poster.
Nick and Nadine are the founding members of The Chicago Printers Guild.
Also, Nadine speaks German!

24 June 2009

One or more of your subjects may have closed their eyes.

Today was Saint Jean Baptiste day in Quebec, which is more or less like the provincial version of the Fourth of July or Canada Day. I printed a poster this afternoon for the Flaming Tsunamis and took advantage of the holiday and skated at some downtown spots. I also went swimming in a fountain, but that's neither here nor there.
I love the paper I've been printing on. It's a bristol stock, and it seems to take the ink very smoothly. The prints look especially organic on this paper, and I really like that. I feel like I'm finally getting the hang of arranging two-screen posters, too. Although I wonder what this poster would look like had I done a third screen for the two suits..
I draw a lot of figures with closed eyes, so I always get a kick out of my digital camera notifying me that "one or more of your subjects may have closed their eyes." If I can fool the machine, I suppose I'm on the right track.
I'll be heading back to Illinois to show some posters at {fill in the blank} Gallery and participate in my first Flatstock event, Flatstock 21 at Pitchfork Music Festival. I have a really big poster for that on the way. I'll be printing it at Chicago's Screwball Press.
I've also got some new art prints on the way, as well as a poster for the band Cursive.

There will be a lot of drawing, printing, and driving in the next few weeks. Or months.

04 June 2009

Sprinter

Today was one of those days where I had to practically drag myself away from my table. I'm thoroughly engrossed in a new art print at the moment. I also began doing sketches for a poster I will be printing for Chicago's own Mucca Pazza, among other things.
Mucca Pazza are an interesting (and really good) band. I've been listening to their music and watching live performances on youtube in order to figure out of what sort of drawing I should do for this poster. I think I finally settled on an idea, and my rough sketches have let my Bill Watterson influence show a bit. For those who are unfamiliar (shame on you), Bill Watterson is the creator of the comicstrip, Calvin and Hobbes. I'd like to retain a shred of this semblance in the finished product, not only for aesthetic purposes, but as a modest nod to the man himself.
Lastly, and on a much sadder note, my heart goes out to friends and family of Chicago musician Stephanie Morris, who unfortunately passed away this week. She had been active with the Pawner's Society and Dianogah. May she rest peacefully.