Tag Archives: Blotting Paper

BLOTTING PAPER The Comic: Production Report No.12

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Copies of my comic/art book Blotting Paper: The Recollected Graphical Impressions Of Doctor Comics are available exclusively from the launch venue Hondarake till 31 May 2012: Level 1, 465 Kent Street Sydney  phone: 02 9261 5225  online shop: http://fullofbooks.com.au

The book with original print on cover. (Original print-© 2011 Michael Hill)

The limited edition numbered and signed book comes with an original print on the front cover (see photo above), a numbered bookmark and printed bag (see photo of package below).

The Blotting Paper package-limited edition, signed and numbered book + original print + matching numbered bookmark + gift bag.

A double page spread from the book that shows printmaking with pieces of fish. (Drawing and prints-© 2011 Michael Hill)

The book was launched by my friend and colleague Gene Kannenberg, Jr. a noted comics historian, director of ComicsResearch.org. and author of “500 Essential Graphic Novels”.

Gene Kannenberg, Jr’s copy with his suggested matching drink, Ommegang Abbey Ale. (Photo by Gene Kannenberg, Jr.)

The Blotting Paper package.

The store also stocks a selection of printed postcards that I produced in the  sosaku hanga method, each one an original hand-made print, signed and stamped by the artist. Both the art book/comic and the cards involve printmaking as an image-making technique. I employed the Japanese technique of woodblock printmaking in my first animation film around 20 years ago and I have continued to use Japanese influenced printmaking techniques since. During this time I have largely been involved in the scholarly and research aspects of visual communication, writing and teaching more than making. This book and exhibition marks a more focused return to ‘making’ images.

The printed cards. (Original prints-© 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 Michael Hill)

For a visual diary record and time-line overview of this project, see all of the BLOTTING PAPER: The Comic production reports:   No.1   No.2   No.3   No.4   No.5   No.6   No.7   No.8   No.9   No.10   No.11   No.12   No.13   No.14   No.15   No.16   No.17   No.18   No.19   No.20   No.21   No.22

BLOTTING PAPER The Comic: Production Report No.11

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Blotting Paper: The Recollected Graphical Impressions Of Doctor Comics was launched at Hondarake Full of Books in Sydney on a wet Summer afternoon in February along with an exhibition of postcard prints and a display of printmaking tools used in the production.

My fish prints hanging overhead. (Photo by Sal Jones)

Zeera the Space Pirate creator Naomi Hatchman. (Photo by Louise Graber)

Australian comics legends Glenn Smith and Gerard Ashworth. (Photo by Louise Graber)

JMC Director of Animation Sean Callinan and Peregrine Besset creator Lewis P. Morley. (Photo by Louise Graber)

It Lives! CEO’s Nick and Liz. (Photo by Louise Graber)

Store owners Hisae and Tomoko. (Photo by Louise Graber)

Gene Kannenberg, Jr. (onscreen) entertained with his witty matching of comics and beverages. (Photo by Andrew Hawkins)

The book was launched by Gene Kannenberg, Jr. via Skype from the U.S.A. Noted comics historian, Kannenberg is director of ComicsResearch.org. former Chair of the International Comic Arts Festival and the Comic Art & Comics Area of the Popular Culture Association, and author of 500 Essential Graphic Novels. He made a humorous speech and participated in a game of pairing comics with beer including the work of creators Will Eisner, Lynda Barry, Hergé, Jack Kirby and Joost Swarte. Gene  got a big response when he suggested black coffee with Steve Ditko and Duff beer with Matt Groening, and then an even bigger response when he brought his cat, Mr. Pickles, onscreen.

The pop-up exhibition of postcards. (Photo by Harrison Hill)

Hair and prints in abundance. (Photo by Harrison Hill)

For a visual diary record and time-line overview of this project, see all of the BLOTTING PAPER: The Comic production reports:   No.1   No.2   No.3   No.4   No.5   No.6   No.7   No.8   No.9   No.10   No.11   No.12   No.13   No.14   No.15   No.16   No.17   No.18   No.19   No.20   No.21   No.22

BLOTTING PAPER The Comic: Production Report No.10

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The launch of my comic/artist book Blotting Paper: The Recollected Graphical Impressions Of Doctor Comics, Issue #1 The Ingurgitator in a signed and numbered limited edition of 50 is on 11 February 2012 at Hondarake Full of Books in Sydney (details in the poster below). The book will be launched by my friend and colleague Gene Kannenberg, Jr. via a Skype link from the U.S. Kannenberg, a noted comics historian, is the director of ComicsResearch.org. Formerly the Chair of both the International Comic Arts Festival and the Comic Art & Comics Area of the Popular Culture Association, he has written widely on comic art including “500 Essential Graphic Novels”.

Poster designed by Louise Graber from original print by Michael Hill.

The launch will be accompanied by an exhibition of 33 hand-made postcards produced in sosaku hanga style, the ‘creative print’ movement that emerged just over a century ago in Tokyo. Creative prints became the voice of a group of artists who went under the name Pan and met for sake parties by the Sumida River (Sumida Gawa), the centre of the Floating World of old Edo and site of the classic Ukiyo-e print movement. James Michener described this new approach: …in contrast to the classical system in which the artist merely designed the print, leaving the carving of the blocks to one technician and the printing to another, the newer print artists preached that the artist himself must do the designing, carving and printing. A new term was devised to describe such a print-sosaku hanga, meaning “creative print.” (Michener, 1968: The Modern Japanese Print p.11)

One of the cards in the associated exhibition–© 2010 Michael Hill

Another of the cards–© 2010 Michael Hill

For a visual diary record and time-line overview of this project, see all of the BLOTTING PAPER: The Comic production reports:   No.1   No.2   No.3   No.4   No.5   No.6   No.7   No.8   No.9   No.10   No.11   No.12   No.13   No.14   No.15   No.16   No.17   No.18   No.19   No.20   No.21   No.22

BLOTTING PAPER The Comic: Production Report No.9

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Climbing onto the launching pad with three weeks and counting to lift-off, I’m happy to say I have a launch date and venue for the publication of my comic/artist book/ehon Blotting Paper: The Recollected Graphical Impressions Of Doctor Comics, Issue #1 The Ingurgitator. The date is 11 February 2012 at Hondarake bookstore, Level 1, 465 Kent Street SYDNEY. Around 3pm. Posters and flyers are on the way.

(Pen and ink/felt-tipped pen drawing and collage-© 2011 Michael Hill)

Above and below are two versions of a collage of four pen and ink/felt-tipped pen drawings:Sydney Harbour Bridge, rear view of walking figure, figure carrying a bag, and hand putting key in a lock-that will be included in the first issue of the book. These occur on different pages in the comic but have also been brought together in this collage when I was attempting to form a visual sign or motif as a shorthand image for promotion of the comic. A possible poster perhaps…? Sydney is the setting. There is a shopping expedition. Walking on the street takes place. And there is the act of unlocking with a key or electronic card of a container and a door. There is also linear drawing and sketching in pen and ink and felt tipped pen and there is the use of collage. Follow the vertical line of the leg of the figure carrying the bag and the position of the door handle to see the compositional differences between the two collages.

(Pen and ink/felt-tipped pen drawing and collage, variation-© 2011 Michael Hill)

Art Book Launch:  BLOTTING PAPER  by  Doctor Comics   +   exhibition of creative prints (using sosaku hanga method) by Michael Hill  a.k.a. Doctor Comics,    3-5pm Saturday 11 February at HONDARAKE  Level 1, 465 Kent Street SYDNEY w-http://fullofbooks.com.au  RSVP:  p-02 9261 5225   e-hondarake@gmail.com

For a visual diary record and time-line overview of this project, see all of the BLOTTING PAPER: The Comic production reports:   No.1   No.2   No.3   No.4   No.5   No.6   No.7   No.8   No.9   No.10   No.11   No.12   No.13   No.14   No.15   No.16   No.17   No.18   No.19   No.20   No.21   No.22