Happy New Year

Hello Everyone - I just got back from the 4-night Phish run in Miami and we had a blast! It's a little difficult to come back from the warm Miami sun into the snow and cold over Pittsburgh, but, we'll get through it (how many more months until spring?)

While in Miami, I participated in Mock Show - a wonderful poster and art show held at the Hyatt Regency Miami. The Mock Show was awesome and good times were had by all. While there, I released my new print - "Happy New Year". Wanted to let my blog readers know that I have held a few back for those of you who couldn't make it to Miami or to the Mock Show. They are now available on my website in a very limited quantity.

Here's the specs
Happy New Year
Edition :50 signed and numbered
Stock: 400 gram Fine Art Paper
Colors: Giclee full color print
Size: 15"x22"
Price: $40 + shipping

Please click here to purchase

Thank you to all those who already purchased the print. I think you will really love it. I am so happy with how the colors and the details came out. Thank you also to my printer Jonathan Lamb (Like Minded Productions)

Illustration Friday - "Frozen"

Hey All - here's my contribution to Illustration Friday this week. It just so happens that I have fitting Illustrations two weeks in a row. I know that these are probably supposed to be new illustrations, but, hey, if I already have something complete - then, why not post it.
Enjoy!
Jamie

Halloween Commemorative Poster

Hey there! Just wanted to post this new work which I did in commemoration of the upcoming Phish Halloween Festival in Indio, CA. It's my not-so-subtle omage (is that right?) to the gory prank that got Trey kicked out of college. If you haven't heard the story, Trey sent a lambs heart and a human hand to his friend through the mail with a note saying "I've got to hand it to you, you've got heart" - pretty crazy! These are not on sale yet, but, will be soon. I am printing a Glicee on 310 gram fine art paper in an edition of 31 only! Make sure you sign up for my newsletter to be alerted to the onsale date.

A big thank you to Jonathan Lamb of Like Minded Productions who is printing this piece for me. Thanks Jon!

Illustration Friday - Flying

Haven't posted in my blog for a while. I have been in the process of updating my portfolio. But, saw this topic for Illustration Friday and I actually have an Illustration that fits - so, here it is.

Black and Gold Fish now available

Well, the boys are back and I was so pumped up after hearing the Hampton shows that I decided to celebrate by learning a new skill. What you see here is my first ever hand screen printed poster. You can read below to see how I got to the final product.

Here's the specs
Edition 40 signed and numbered
Colors - 3 screen printed inks
Paper - French 80# cover white speckletone
Size - 12"x24.5"

$35 + Shipping - Limit 2 per person/address

Go here to purchase

Adventures in Screenprinting - Episode 6: IT'S FINISHED!!!

There it is! It's done. I spent all day Sunday printing. ALL DAY. And it's finally a reality. Finally printed.
I learned a lot. Seriously, I made a lot of rookie mistakes that I won't make again. A lot of my mistakes had to do with registration, going back to the output of the transparencies. Actually - i think it's going to be pretty important for me to find somewhere that will print a large transparency for me so I can get the registration correct. Another rookie mistake, including too much of the wrong kind of detail in my image. I got a lot of detail that needed to be lined up perfectly to come out correctly, and since I'm still learning how to correctly and consistently register my art, it didn't always come out perfect. I think If I would have set the art up differently, I could have achieved what I was going for.

So, I printed 60 and ended up with 40 keepers. So, the edition specs are as follows:

Burgettstown, PA 06.18.09 - 40 Hand printed posters, Signed and numbered, printed on French White Speckletone 80# cover, 3 colors, 12"x24.5"

Here's some photos of the prints drying...






Thanks so much for following along. I hope you learned something and enjoyed the process.I will be selling these prints through my website shortly, so sign up for my newsletter to get the info on when and where to purchase. Also, I will be including a discount code for all my newsletter subscribers.

Adventures in Screenprinting - Episode 5: One Step Closer

After my setback on Thursday, I was a little discouraged, but, I have come too far to quit now. So, I went to my local Utrecht store and picked up some different emulsion. Their screenprinting section is small, but, they carry the basics. So, I picked up a big bottle of Speedball photo emulsion and Diazo. I've used this product in the past with a small amount of success, so, I felt comfortable with using it again.

I wanted to go for overkill on the darkness of the room that I covered the screens in, so I chose a room that had no windows - as opposed to the way I did it last time, in my basement with very little light - this room had NO LIGHT...I mean, I lit a candle to work by. I should probably order a yellow safety light to work by, but, i'm impatient and couldn't wait...so, I'll do that next time. the room I used was at my husband's funeral home next door (the flower room, where florists can deliver flowers without traipsing all through the building).

So after spilling about half of my photo emulsion because I couldn't see what I was doing, I finally got a really nice even coat of emulsion on the screens. I let them dry with the print side down, propped up by flower stands on the corners. I made sure that I used a thinner coat of emulsion this time - I think that was part of my problem.

The screens were dry very quickly...so, of course I wanted to get them burnt asap - I didn't know how long my light-tight room was going to stay that way - someone my open the door and turn the lights on inadvertently and expose my screens. I brought them home, covered in a black table cloth and exposed the first one. I let it cook for about 13 minutes. I then brought it outside to wash it off with the power washer...I held my breath. after several passes with the power washer - SUCCESS!!!

A wonderful stencil - even better than i thought it would come out - I really got a lot of detail to show up. I was so happy!!! There was only one little hiccup...I had a very minor blow-out around the "A" in PA - the emulsion is still there, it just bubbled off the screen...so, I'm going to have to figure out a way to secure that before I print. But, other than that, no problems. All three screens came out beautifully.

Here's some photos of my beautiful screens.