Interfernace

Ideas abounding, what to do next? Get stuck in I suppose. Thursday workshop came and went and what did I do? I started experimenting with my ideas. I wanted hand cut woodblocks with cool glitchy, sans serif typefaces so I went and made exactly that. 

I’ve made printing blocks before, but all had been made using different type of Lino, this was the first time I had ever carved wood, and I have to say, it was much simpler than I though. I’d imaged using hammers and chisels and hours of labour … that didn’t happen at all (not the hammer and chisel anyway). The wood block I used was made from ply which is an extremely soft wood, add in some super sharp gouges and you know we’re cooking on gas. 

I’d had this idea of experimenting with glitchy font, so that it looks like my typeface has been subjected to a digital mishap, like on a old TV screen with the off centered lines cutting through the picture. I wasn’t completely sure how I was going to achieve this but I just let myself work. Carving takes a lot of time. I haven’t done hand printing in a while and I always forget just how much I love it. Yes it takes a hella long time to get to the end result, but once you do there something so unique and expressive about what you’ve created that can be replicated through digital means; and this is what I want for my collection. I want designs that symbolise the transformation from analogue into digital, and all the mistakes that comes along with that.

These first few week are all about experimenting, and thats what I plan to do. My first idea was that I wanted to woodblock foil and then print over the top, and oh boy did I do that! I asked Steve if I could use the printing glue on a linocut hoping that he would tell me that it’s doable and that it looks great, instead he tells me that he’s never seen anyone do this! Can you believe that?! I couldn’t, but that wasn’t going to stop me from trying it out; and I’m so thrilled that I did because the result was just !!! I have no words! 

This result is pretty much exactly what I was after. The glitchy appreance of the top line of font compared to the perfectly straight lines of the bottom. Foil overlayed with ink! – I wanted to experiment with the foil, it’s only ever used as a addition, something added into of an existing designs to bring life, why not use it under a design? And see what the results are!

It’s safe to say that now I have my colour and font boards completed – which will inspire me to no end! – I’m going to experimenting like crazy woman.

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