An Experimental One-color Job
The Job
In October of 2020, our presses were just starting to pick up steam after the pandemic first started. We had a few jobs on press, and our staff was still getting used to working around and away from each other. Thats when we were contacted by mixed media artist, Joey Feldman, for a very special project. On the surface it was a simple job: one color, and even better, the one color was just black. Easy right? Except the majority of the job would be printed on hand-painted paper of various unique textures, colors, and media.
Screen printing is a printmaking method that allows for a lot of versatility. A variety of inks are available for all sorts of surfaces to ensure their longevity. Substrates are pretty much endless; here at InHouse we have printed on acetate, wood, and metal—just to name a few. Often our limits are determined by size and quantity. (Our presses are only so big, and we only have finite amounts of material.) The issue with Feldman’s job is not that the paper was painted, rather we were worried about consistency. Upon receiving the paper, we found several with a thick acrylic-like substance. It looked amazing and cool! However, it also meant the paper was not completely flat, and the printed design would likely be disrupted during production. Nonetheless, our client was up for experimentation, and a project like this was just right to get us back into the shop with vigor.
The Print
Our Art Department had little to do in terms of separating. One color meant there was no need for separations. The design was so straight forward that film and screens were prepared quickly. We chose to use a large flatbed press; this way we could monitor production sheet by sheet. A more open mesh was used to accommodate for the different textures on the paper.
We anticipated the issues with the more three-dimensional embellishments, and there was no avoiding it. The good news was the design still looked complete. In fact, the chaotic nature of the imagery worked well with the areas where our screens could not make contact. Our client did not mind, either. Such is the nature of experimental printmaking!
