This is the third report documenting production of the fourth issue of my artist book/comic Blotting Paper: The Recollected Graphical Impressions Of Doctor Comics. Titled Beer, Chocolate and Comics this chapter has a European focus.
Linocut, type, roller, calligraphy brush and ink dish following a postcard and comic print session. (Photo-© 2014 Dr. Michael Hill).
In addition to collage there were ink and paint printed images of an abstract nature that serve as backgrounds, settings or sometimes even graphic expressions of the characters’ thoughts.
Abstract landscape print image from Blotting Paper comic-© 2014 Michael Hill
Abstract landscape print image from Blotting Paper comic-© 2014 Michael Hill
The art work also features several words and images made with pen and ink including some quick-sketch location drawings from previous visits to Hamburg and Hanover and more recently to Berlin.
Dip pen with nibs by Gillot and Muller and ink from Lamy.
Ink and watercolour drawing on paper, Hamburg-© 2007 Michael Hill
Ink and watercolour drawing on paper, Hanover-© 2007 Michael Hill
For location drawing I usually carry a small leather bag of art tools…
Packing my art bag for a location drawing session. (Photo-© 2014 Michael Hill).
UPDATE 20 JANUARY 2015: In response to a query in the comments below I have now added examples of how I might use the abstract landscapes as backgrounds or graphic expressions:
Using abstract landscape as background-© 2014 Michael Hill
Using abstract landscape as thought balloon-© 2014 Michael Hill
More visual developments and an update on progress will be posted on this blog around the end of the month as I near completion of the comic. In the meantime, for a continuing visual diary record and time-line overview of this project that covers all four issues, you can read the BLOTTING PAPER production reports on the following posts:
Issue #1: 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 Issue #2: No.14 No.15 No.16 No.17 No.18 No.19 No.20 No.21 No.22 No.23 No.24 No.25 No.26 No.27 No.28 No.29 Issue #3: No.30 No.31 No.32 No.33 No.34 No.35 No.36 Issue #4: No.37 No.38 No.39 No.40 No.41 No.42 No.43 No.44
Doctor Comics 
Kay Rodriques says on January 19, 2015
The abstract backgrounds are interesting. What ended up on them? In other words, what did the final comics look like?
P.S. Where did you get that art bag and what brand is it? I need a small sturdy one like that that will also ward off water/dew on the grass in the outdoor locations I frequent for drawing onsite. Thanks!
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Doctor Comics says on January 19, 2015
I’m still actually working through this. Some I have simply used as backgrounds and others I have cut into shapes as thought balloons. I shall scan a couple examples tomorrow and post them here.
As to that bag. It is a nameless brand. I was lucky enough to find it at a second-hand store in the country. It was in bad condition so I had a boot-maker stitch it up and sew in a few replacement strips and fix up the fasteners and handle. It is quite sturdy and I have coated it with beeswax to make it waterproof.
Thanks for your interest.
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Kay Rodriques says on January 20, 2015
I love your work. Will keep a look out for the background posts. I do the same thing. The funeral paintings were all from cutouts of a background I created.
About the bag — you did great with that find.
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Doctor Comics says on January 20, 2015
Thank you. Good to hear that you are using a similar strategy. I have added two test images at the bottom of the post(above)-one using an abstract landscape as a background, the other using an abstract landscape as a thought balloon, just to give you an idea of what I’m doing.
And that bag, it was my day.
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Kay Rodriques says on January 20, 2015
Very nice. I like them.
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Kay Rodriques says on February 11, 2015
Hi! I have a question — you can email the answer if you prefer to: kayrodriques@yahoo.com
The question is about your postcards that were in sale in a gallery show. Were they originals or prints? How did you price them and did you sell them matted? I’m making some for sale at a “meet the artist event”. Some originals, some prints. All signed. But I don’t know what a good price is!! Help?
Tx so much.
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Doctor Comics says on February 12, 2015
Thank you for your interest and question Kay. The postcards were original prints, 6 x 4 inches in size on card and sold un-matted in cellophane bags. The bagging protected them from handling and enabled customers to see both sides of the card. I didn’t attach them to mattes as I wanted to underline their utilitarian aspect namely that they could be written on and mailed through the postal service. But collectors could arrange to have them matted and framed themselves if they so desired. Alternatively they could be presented as gifts in their shiny plastic bagging. If you take a look at Production Report No.29: https://doctorcomics.com/2013/11/01/blotting-paper-the-comic-production-report-no-29/ you can see a photo of some of the cards in their bags on display in the gallery. The cards were priced at $A5 which, in retrospect, was a bit undervalued considering they were originals and some mass printed art cards cost $A2.50 or more. I love this format of making prints on cards although I am gradually coming across to the idea of keeping the originals and making digital copied prints from these.
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