Thursday, February 24, 2011

Illustration Friday: layer


Screen printing is all about putting a layer of ink on paper. Layer upon layer upon layer. This is a screen print I made using waterbased inks which at the time I made this was a relatively new thing. We always used oil based inks at Wasserman SilkScreen Company and we had to use stinky solvents to clean up the screens and squeegee. This print has 9 layers of ink, one is a transparent white that turns 9 colours into 18 and the darker ink that has a textured look was used as a shadow colour and it has transparency in it. I created the texture effect by drawing with a special crayon on frosted mylar that has a bit of tooth to it, making the crayon stick to create some nice textures. Handprinted all by my lonesome, I use a little kickstand on the side of the screen and just print away :) Registration is key! :) My very late submission for Illustration Friday's "layer" theme is a screenprint on rag paper (stonehenge) called "Shooting Star".

13 comments:

asperezas said...

Wow that's a complex technique!
Everything is staring at the sky :)
Love the deepness of purples and blues :)

MrBibleHead said...

Hey Val! Very cool! The only time I ever screen printed anything I got arrested... but that’s another story for another time :o) I never tried the complex layers... Wow! You really are a Valgal of all trades ;o) This is wonderful! I love the shadow effect and the crayon texture method....coolness! The light in the widows ROCKS! Great stuff Val , thanks for sharing!

Ann Marie DiVecchia said...

Hi Val - I also posted an older piece and thought about the medium as the layers. Sometimes you gotta just use what you have! I have done other kinds of printing but not silk screen. This is cool--really like the funky buildings and I enjoyed reading about your process!

Rubin Pingk said...

I'd love to learn this technique for t shirts and stuff.

I like that shooting star. It looks like a falling ghost.

The twisted steeple is cool too.

That sounds like a band name. "Twisted Steeple".

:)

michele said...

Oh, what a beautiful print, perfectly suited for "Layer." So lovely! :o)

String said...

Nice one and what a process!

kj said...

val, i can't even imagine. i've been back now three times looking at color so incredibly VIBRANT and all i feel is HOPE & EXCITEMENT! here again you create the world at its best. you have such a talent for doing that


kj

Doodlestreet said...

The first thing i thought of when i saw this was…how the hec can you silk screen and get that cool airbrush effect in the stars??? that would have to be the smallest set of dot patterns to get that effect and you must have been really on it so the screens don't goop up! that's a TON of work! Hats off to tenacity and I'm sure the couple hundred cups of coffee you had! hahaha! :D

On a side note, I'd love to hear about Jacks time in the pokey, and do tell where you hid your printed do ray me… :D

Vicki Smith said...

Very striking image, Valerie. It's funny because I posted gelatin prints for this week's IF!

Unknown said...

we've been wanting 2 try some screenprinting Val .
is there enough time 2 try everything


have a great day girlfriend .
love mo & the girls

Debbie Clandening said...

Lovely . I love the shooting star.
Deb

Kay Aker said...

Lush intensity! You're the Meister Thanks for explaining your process!

Ian T. said...

Captivating, and also extremely relevant - Comet Elenin, anyone? :)