Collage and unintentional narrative

Some further collage in the current series. Same rules, only elements form the recently acquired books and a few random bits of aged ephemera fro my desktop. Some more successful than others in terms of: composition, balance, juxtaposition of elements and unintentional but possibly perceived narratives. What is frustrating is the fact that there is so much china clay in the paper that the images are taken from that it blunts scalpel blades really quickly!

Inspiration for this work comes largely from the work of David Wallace whose collages provided me with a starting point for my research into collage and mixed media a couple of years ago. Check out his work at salaczar.com. There's some great collages and graphic art/paintings there.

Quality of images below may not be wonderful as I recorded them on my mobile phone as my scanner is currently u.s.

'Conditions'

'Issue'

'Places'

'published'

'signature'

'Chapter'

Print:from digital to laser cut relief blocks

Currently experimenting with laser cut relief blocks from one of the '208 Horace Batchelor' series of prints to further consider the visual aesthetic created by the printing process itself. The blocks shown here are a scaled down test piece which I intend to print over the next couple of days. (Images show the laser cut and the constructed print block). I will then evaluate the outcomes in terms of print quality and visual aesthetic to decide whether to pursue this further with full-size prints. Additionally, I need to come to some conclusion as to whether I print the halftone in these designs from laser-cut raster images or bring digital or screen-printed over prints into play. That decision is on hold until I evaluate the block printing of the relief colours. The blocks are cut from mount card with the printing faces then glued with PVA to a background support block.

Red block

Blue block

Yellow block

Image that blocks will finally print

More Collage from aged ephemera

Whilst I am currently preparing artwork to cut relief printing blocks on the laser cutter to experiment with processes for my Radio Luxembourg 208 prints I am carrying on with collage. From some books acquired before the christmas break I have continued to explore aged ephemera, consideration for juxtaposition and space and random, unplanned narrative that might be perceived from any inclusion of typographic elements. Once again, there are rules; only images, text and graphic elements from a small set of books/ephemera allowed in an attempt to keep things simple and let juxtapositions do the work!

House Fly

Imaginary

Looks on

208 and the Horace batchelor years

Following on from the theme of the previous post and drawing comparisons to the demise of other, older technologies to the digital train, I have been using the fluctuating reception of the old medium wave radio and the early baby boomer years of Radio Luxembourg as a potential subject matter to illustrate and develop aesthetic visual outcomes that investigate styles, and particularly print qualities of the mid previous century period.

The growth of the portable, transistor radio, listening late at night to the radio signal of dubious quality but with the purpose of accessing music playlists not controlled by the British Broadcasting Corporation and progression through to digital signal could be said to have some similar developmental associations to the rolling progress of digital print. Analogue producing specific visual or sound elements/components which perhaps describe a process, rather than digital which, arguably, with ever improving resolutions has the effect of rendering output as clean, level and colourless in quality.

Posted here are some of the sample work that I am currently working on... none are complete, but 'works in progress'. The theme is late 50's Radio Luxembourg and the Horace Batchelor 'K-E-Y-N-S-H-A-M'  YEARS. If this means nothing to you... it's worth some quick visual/.audio research.

In more recent pieces I have been investigating ways of digital mark making to replicate the build-up of ink density around the edges of large point size, wooden letterpress type. This is vaguely evident in the screen images and is starting to work well in prints.

208 Posters

Using the theme introduced in the previous blog I am now beginning to explore poster designs influence by a number of starting points: design styling of the previous mid century; a recognition of the demise of visual qualities and aesthetics generated by printing styles, qualities and processes; the comparison with the pre- digital medium wave radio network used by 'Fab 208', Radio Luxembourg.

My aim is to make some visual statements that suggest the way in which digital developments are effectively 'sterilising' many visual outcomes. By 'manufacturing' the visual design style and suggesting print quality by 'controlling' the digital process I hope to be able to develop a visual aesthetic that suggests to the viewer a previous era.

Horace batchelor and FAB 208

Continuing with looking at low-fi printing of mid last century and making associations with other communication at the time I was drawn to Radio Luxembourg and the fading signal of 208 medium wave as a comparison of lost identities.

Posted here are some initial visuals exploring both spot colours and full colour on faded stock on the theme. This is leading to a more full research of the mid last century research and the considerations for 'critiquing retro'. Whilst this can be associated with 'revivalism' it is not my intention. I aim to reflect on the period and with the irony of digital as a production tool, explore the visual aesthetics produced by mechanical processes of the time - out of register spot colout/fullcolour process, coarse screen halftone etc - to create a series of studies that identify and define many of the visual elements that are now being lost within the perfection of digital processing.

These playing card sized images are some starting points for consideration whilst I am now building some posters on the theme.

Assemblage from a walk

A recent walk at Llantwitt Major in South Wales reminded me of the 'beach walk' assemblage of Peter Blake. So, on this short walk I collected various elements washed up on the shore to create an impromptu assemblage on the tarmac on the carpark, taking a photo' of it on my phone... hence the limited image quality. As with my collage the aim was one of balance and aesthetic juxtaposition. The addition of man-made objects gives some comparison of shape and form.