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Half FullHalf Full

Four out of eight students were missing this week from my screen printing class. Since we don't know each other's names, no one mentioned anything about it. This meant that I didn't have to wait long to redo a screen that I messed up last week. I was so pumped to complete my 4-color, timing-consuming, and precisely-placed art print that I'd begun two weeks ago, and I didn't notice the screw up until it was finally time to place the ink. What happened? I placed my original face down on the light box that exposed my design to the chemically-treated screen. So the orientation of my design was backwards :/ but hey, now I know that part is important!

ProceduralProcedural

Because there were only half of us using the studio, I had enough time to correct the mistake and then to complete my long-awaited orchid portrait. I'm excited to show it off, would you like to see it?

Progress

Final

That key block certainly is key.

(Key block was a term we learned last week, remember?)

When I found myself in the final stretch, when the image finally made sense and came alive on the page, I remarked, "now I'm having fun." It's no masterpiece, but that may be in store later on, as long as I keep up the practice. I was the last student out this time, and so had a few moments to speak with the instructor. I was just beaming with excitement and reflecting on the process up to this point. I said to her, "it's very procedural, isn't it?" And she said, "Yes. I love that aspect of the work. Whenever I'm stuck, I just return to the process."

How right it is to enjoy the process, whatever it is. How right it is to know that work is a trustworthy guide leading you somewhere.

I have been a little lost in my writing life, and I've been sort of commenting on that. Now I'm saying it out right, because I just admitted it to myself two seconds ago. I make demands on my writing work. I demand that the destination should be carefully plotted, poured over, even memorized, before I take one step. But I don't have the map, right now, it got rained on or something. The state of being lost is a chance to make unexpected discoveries. I'll look at it that way.

Future pressFuture press

I am so excited to begin setting up my own printing procedure press, and you bet it's gonna be plebeian. I'll DIY my screens, a light box, a darkroom (that's easy enough), and anything else I can. It will be hobbled together with great care. It will not compete with print shops that you go to for printing just another t shirt that gets thrown at you at yet another event that you'll wear two times; it won't even try. I found everything I could possibly need conveniently sold together as a kit on amazon, to be sure, but I'm refusing to click this into existence. Why? I'm just stubborn, I think. It'll be more fun to give into the process, enjoy it, mess up, correct it, and get something I like, something with charm, on the other end.