printing: Look at this haughty bitch.

Apparently, getting inky is a really good way to recharge after a few weeks of way too much writing. So earlier this week, I carved and printed a small reduction lino-cut in 3 colors.

Post-upload annoyance: The the camera flash is reflecting off the black ink at center and making it look not-uniform.
Dammit.

This print is based on a photograph I found online and wanted to play with. As a college student (i.e. before Photoshop was readily available, and shit, I'm old), when I wanted to make designs based on photographs, I would: 1) adjust the contrast settings on images, 2) print them out in grayscale, and 3) use a few markers to block out areas until the full-spectrum image was reduced down to 3 or 4 colors.

Now, however, Photoshop has a "cutout" filter which does all that for me. I gave it a try for this print, just to see what I'd end up with, and it certainly made life easier.... BUT, it also felt a bit like cheating. Creating the plate and printing the image on paper is all done completely by hand, but does the fact that I'm getting technological help to create the initial design cheapen the whole process? (Seriously, I'm asking.)

Here's the haughty bitch in quadruplicate:



Also, if you're currently thinking to yourself, "Hey, I've always wanted a haughty bitch like that!" -- you can have one for a few bucks. (I've got nine of her.) She's a perfect addition to any bathroom wall, where she'll sneer at you while you pee.