Continuing the profiling of my art postcards…here are some recent examples of on various themes. These cards are hand-printed, created from a combination of drawing and printmaking in low print run editions. Once I finished a session it meant the end of that particular batch. I would not repeat the design or reprint it. Cards in an edition are all original prints…similar in design but classified as mono prints as there are no exact duplicates. They fall within the standard postcard size dimensions of 10cm x 15cm or a near approximate. More information about this project can be found on the four previous POSTCARD posts…see the links below at the bottom of this post.
This is the third post based on the fish prints I made using woodblock printmaking techniques…for the experimental animated film Toxic Fish. The fish in this sequence is the Kohada or Gizzard Shad. Its static shape on the woodblock contrasts with the flooding of coloured toxins around it.
Making overlay textural effect inking of a sequence of prints on the floor of the studio…for inclusion as frames in the animation. (Photo by Louise Graber).
This is the second post in my series of fish prints created using the woodblock printmaking method…for my experimental animated film titled Toxic Fish. Dramatically, after ocean fish are poisoned their bodies swell up, die and disintegrate. The static shape of the fish from the woodblock design starts firm before being flooded by toxins. It then falls apart to illustrate this. The method I employed was to gradually over-ink the block. This resulted in details being dampened into puddles…definition and sharpness were blurred and reduced into a dramatic sequence of atrophy.
Below is a photo of me carving one of the blocks using a Japanese chisel. I must add that this is not the recommended way to of doing it! It has been posed for a photograph and shows a compromised pose of the process for promotional purposes. The woodblock carving process is done on a fixed bench with one carving away from, not towards, one’s body.
This series of posts will profile a collection of creative prints that I have made, beginning with a series of fish. I used the woodblock printmaking method with variations in inking to make monoprints so that the prints produced could also be used in animation sequences. Six species of fish were featured, the first of which is the Japanese Tai or sea bream. I was very attracted to the idea of working in both animation and printmaking at the time but found it difficult to sustain both in the available time and ultimately had to choose between the two. I found the solution in combining both mediums. Animation’s enormous need for artwork could be more speedily met by using the printmaking medium. I was doubly happy but have since settled on making comics which falls in the space located somewhere in-between and requires a lot less artwork.
This post continues the profiling of the production of my handmade art postcards. These works were created from a combination of drawing and printmaking in small editions of 10 to 50. It must be stated that each of the cards is an original print, or monoprint…similar in design but with no exact duplicate. For example the three prints from the Landscape No. 2 edition below, whilst carrying the same title, number and technique, all bear some visual differences. My first postcard post was from the Abstract series…the postcards in this post are from the subsequent Landscape series. Some have abstract elements. With few exceptions these cards fall within the postcard size dimensions of 10cm x 15cm.
In the postcard art above I employed a restricted palette in comparison to the Landscape No.3 and No.4 cards which followed (see below in this post). These have a combination of textures that range from watery and weedy to grassy and sandy surfaces.
UPDATE MARCH 6, 2017: Below are are photos of my completed art postcards…bundled up for carting to the gallery and then spread out on a display table for sale.
Art postcards sorted and stacked for cartage to gallery. (Photo by Dr. Michael Hill)
Those cards spread across a table in the gallery for sale. (Photo by Dr. Michael Hill)
I can’t repeat often enough how much I enjoy the process of design and production of my art postcards!
This post profiles another artistic medium that I have been printmaking in recent years. This is the design of limited edition art postcards. These are some of my earliest designs. More will be added in future posts. I hand-printed these postcards that were created from a combination of drawing and printmaking. I would make random, numbered editions of say 8, 19 or 33. A print run greater than 50 was rare. The total would be determined by the amount of blank cards, ink and time available for finishing. Once I completed a session it meant the end of that particular batch as I would not repeat the design. Cards in an edition are all original prints. These are called monoprints, so-called by being similar in design but with no exact duplicates in the batch.
The following three postcards show variations produced in the same edition. (1) the overlaid pink patch is in a different position on each card…and its shape and strength of colour vary. (2) the dragon stamp(the small curvy line) is not in the exact same position. It is on two cards but not the third. Its legs seem absent in two of the impressions. (3) the large black and yellow mass varies in colour and texture from card to card. (4) the Post Office franking machine marking is at the top, bottom or missing(only visible on reverse side of card). (5) my MH signature seal, whilst generally in the same position, is actually upside down on two of the cards…an bloody unbelievable, creative oversight! I’m sorry!
The drinking of beer, usually a bottle of stout, marked the end of an edition and celebration of completion. This was often late in the afternoon as I never seemed to print in the mornings or evenings. After a couple of years I supplemented this hand-made approach with digital printing, making copies from the scanned original. But then, lacking satisfaction…and missing the additional ink staining on my jeans, I abandoned that and returned to the hand-made printmaking process. Consequently, both my level of satisfaction and the print marks on my jeans improved, Michael.
UPDATE OCTOBER 12, 2015: A selection of these art postcards have been displayed in exhibitions. The first in 2007 titled Abstract Nos. 1-11 at the DAB LAB Gallery, Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building of the University of Technology, Sydney.
Pop-Up Postcard Exhibition by Dr. Michael Hill: Abstract Nos.1-11, DAB LAB Gallery, UTS, 2007.
Detail: Pop-Up Postcard Exhibition by Dr. Michael Hill: Abstract Nos.1-11, DAB LAB Gallery, UTS, 2007.
Exhibition flyer designed by Dr. Michael Hill a.k.a. Doctor Comics.
Reverse of ABSTRACT exhibition flyer designed by Dr. Michael Hill a.k.a. Doctor Comics.
UPDATE NOVEMBER 6, 2015: At Hondarake Full of Books in 2012…the launch of my comic Blotting Paper was accompanied by a mini exhibition of my art postcards…33 in all from 32 different designs.
An exhibition of handmade art postcards…accompanying the launch of my artist book/comic Blotting Paper at Hondarake Bookshop, February 2012 (Photo by Louise Graber).
Fukushima Kids 2013 Auction, Japan: 10 of my art postcards…each print a monoprint and thus unique…were contributed to this cause and event. The reverse side was signed and dated with my artist’s stamp. These postcards were made on machine made cardboard following the Japanese sosaku hanga method of printmaking.
This is the second report documenting the production of the fourth issue of my artist book/comic…Blotting Paper: The Recollected Graphical Impressions Of Doctor Comics. The new chapter Beer, Chocolate and Comics…deals with the feline characters recovering from the demise of their patron…and their subsequent travels in Germany to visit the world of European comics.
Continuing the turnaround of events and forward momentum that the above image from Chapter 3 illustrates…my feline leading characters start to get on top of things…taking control of circumstances and their situation and expressing their true character whilst on their travels abroad. Tail wagging. indeed!
I have been exploring the notion of a beer label collage project…derived from Belgian and German bottles, and have come up with this character. I expect others will follow. With the European theme and setting I am also considering including some bilingual content, probably English and German…and there is also an option of doing a combined issue #4-5!
In addition to collage there were some abstract ink and paint images that serve as backgrounds, settings…or sometimes mere graphic expressions of a characters’ thoughts.
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.
On location drawing trips I carry a small leather bag of art tools and sketch books. It carries some smaller leather bags and a tin of colour pencils that fit within the larger bag. (see photo below, taken on the carpet at home, before departure)
More visual developments and an update on progress will be posted on this blog in the New Year. As always, I would love to hear any responses to this post…plus any comparable comments about your own experiences of drawing on location.
Cheers for a Happy Comics and Graphic Novel Xmas and New Year…and Seasons Greetings to all comics art fans and followers!…Michael.
This post covers the installation of my comics art exhibition Blotting Paper: Works On Paper. It was held from18-29 September at GAUGE Gallery in Sydney. It included publication of the second issue of my artist book/comic: Blotting Paper: The Recollected Graphical Impressions Of Doctor Comics, Chapter 2: A Blot On His Escutcheon.
The second issue of my artist book/comic… Blotting Paper: The Recollected Graphical Impressions Of Doctor Comics, Chapter 2: A Blot On His Escutcheon… has now been published. As with the first issue the publication was planned to be accompanied by an exhibition of associated art work. This time the exhibition opening, at GAUGE Gallery, preceded the publication. The exhibition was larger in scope and located in a gallery, as opposed to a bookshop. The comic was late! It arrived on the fourth day of the event. The launch had to be postponed due to its uncertain delivery date. When the book finally arrived at the gallery it went on sale but retained its “yet to be launched” status. With two issues now complete the thoughts of it potentially growing into graphic novel size continue to circulate in my mind! We’ll see! Michael
Publication of the second issue of my artist book/comic Blotting Paper: The Recollected Graphical Impressions Of Doctor Comics, Chapter 2: A Blot On His Escutcheon is forthcoming. September is looking increasingly likely subject to completion of the printing, binding and delivery of the comics. The comic will form part of an exhibition of my works on paper at a new gallery in Glebe called GAUGE. Below is an image of the title page. The image has been constructed from elements of photography, printmaking, typography and collage. It shows Doctor Comics returning from a shopping expedition. UPDATE: Exhibition dates have been firmed to 18-29 September 2013 but still no firm launch date for the comic…which is beginning to raise thoughts in the long term of its potential development into a graphic novel. We will have to wait and see about that!
Continuing reports documenting the production process of my artist book/comic Blotting Paper: The Recollected Graphical Impressions Of Doctor Comics…Chapter 1: The Ingurgitator andChapter 2: A Blot On His Escutcheon…this post shows more examples of the image-making aspects of the project. These include assemblage, drawings, design, photography, printmaking, plus project management.
Some colourful project management in my blog log book.
This blog on my Blotting Paper comic has provided a means of documenting the production progress of the comic.
Both fish and cats feature in the comic, the fish more realistically rendered than the cats. Above is an image from my earlier fish animation, with added blood. Below is a rough sketch of one of the feline characters.
Doctor Comics 