Presentation of Art Work: Post 3

In this post I will be explaining how I packaged my artwork for shipment. This project is a simulation of what it would be like to actually ship art to a gallery or to its new owner. In this case, I was to pay for and include return shipping in the package (which is standard for exhibitions). If I did everything correctly, I should expect it back in the mail within the next week.

1.) The first step is packaging this pendant. I have wrapped it in packing paper and placed it into this small black box which I have taped shut.

2.) This next step includes packaging this matted print. I have nested it into two plastic foam sleeves and then bubble-wrapped on top of that. The final image in this section shows that I taped the ends of the bubble wrap so that those edges are completely covered and the print is secure within all of the packaging.

3.) Now that these two pieces are individually packaged, it is time to place them in the box. I have added a base layer of packing to the box which, in this case, will not need to be removed by the person receiving the box. I have the matted piece laying flat and the jewelry box on its side next to the print. I have added a few pieces of cardboard between the box and the jewelry box for extra protection and plastic packing in the spaces on either side of the jewelry box to prevent any shifting.

4.) Now that the items are packed into the box securely, it is time to add the final bits of packing before closing the box and shipping. I have a few layers of plastic wrapping on top which will be cushion between the artwork and the top of the box. I also have a chunk of packing paper directly over the matted print as there is a bit of extra wiggle room which is not advisable. Any room for movement within the box promotes a much larger chance of the art work to be compromised during shipment.

5.) This last step is closing up the box at the post office. Before I taped up the box and handed it over to the postman, I placed an envelope on top. This enclosed a letter to the person receiving the box which listed contact information, a list of contents and where they are located in the box, and the return shipping label and postage. Once that was completed, I taped up the box, attached the address label and shipping labels, and off it went!

Now to wait for the package to return!

Presentation of Art Work: Post 2

For my Presentation of Art Work class, the final bits of class consist of matting and framing an art piece that will be packaged and shipped to the PSU Department of Art. The key is to successfully package it, ship it, AND enclose a prepaid return shipping label. This poses as a simulated real life scenario that artists commonly come into contact with whether they are shipping work off to galleries or their new homes. As I am a 3D Fine Art major, I am required to mat a 2D work and ship that along with a 3D work. The following two images are what I have chosen to mat and ship.

The image below is of a brass pendant I constructed with cold connections (without soldering). The lines of brass running through the center of the circle are actually hammered and stretched pieces of brass rather than just using pre-made wire. This was also the first time working with brass which proved to be quite similar to copper. The brass has a gun blue patina on the surface. The imagery is from one of my old sketches which inspired this piece as well as a design I have had printed on fabric. It has been exciting to see how a simple sketch has taken shape through different media, especially in this three dimensional form.

This next image is of a print that I composed with these ladies that were old individual letterpress blocks. During my initial learning of how to block type and images into a letterpress, I found these blocks and they printed beautifully. Having matted the print really captured the classic image. On matting, it was extremely beneficial to learn how to properly mat a work of art according to archival standards. This knowledge will not only make my 2D work much more professionally presentable but have a long lifetime without falling apart or changing color.

Stay tuned for a step-by-step glimpse into how I am packaging these works for shipment!

Presentation of Art Work: Post 1

Through the Presentation of Art Work class I am currently taking, we are learning the proper ways of displaying art work. We have started with photographing our personal work and picking work from the University's Permanent Art Collection. I have included the art work that I selected of my own work and from the Permanent Collection. 

The following image is a print from PSU's Permanent Collection. As I have focused in on letterpress printing and fabric printing through my other printmaking and art experience, I was naturally drawn to this work from the Permanent Collection. I am not as much drawn to the apparent religious scene; however, I appreciate the sketchy carved woodblock which was used to print. 

 PSU Permanent Collection

The following images are a series titled Ambiguity 1-7 that I developed in the Fall of 2013 during a printmaking independent studies course. The first image is a digital compilation of several photographs I have taken. The last six works in the series represent how one image can be represented in many ways, it is almost metaphorical in how humans are all the same in flesh but our individuality sets us apart. Every element of each piece is unique to itself, including the way in which it is hung. This series was included in the "Collective Independent's" exhibition in the second floor gallery of Pittsburg State University's Porter Hall in January 2014.

 Ambiguity 1, Digital Collage, 2013

Ambiguity 2, Solar Plate, 2013

Ambiguity 3, Solar Print on Handmade Kozo Paper with painted Veneer, 2013

 Ambiguity 4, Solar Print on Handmade Cottonwood Paper, 2013

Ambiguity 5, Solar Print on Veneer, 2013

Ambiguity 6, Mixed Media Solar Print, 2013

Ambiguity 7, Shadowbox, 2013

Stay tuned for more descriptions and images of my art work!

Skylab Letterpress Internship: Week 8, Final Week

Day 25
I cut down paper for a job, packaged a finished job for shipping, and finished the edges of my cards. During lunch, I asked Bob if he had any professional development advice, specific and/or general. He suggested taking as many random classes as possible, especially business and computer (also, more Illustrator). We also discussed the many interests that I have for potential career paths, he advises me to narrow everything down but being sure to include my main interests: art, outdoors, and hands-on. He even suggested interior design, as it would be a new challenge every day, I could use art and design skills, and it is hands on. Basically from his commercial background, he was considering the many ways that I could successfully make a living in the art world. I so appreciate his words, I really need to create a balance between the commercial and fine art worlds, I feel that I will find what I am looking for there. 

Day 26
In the morning I made three photo polymer plates and boxed up my completed business cards. After lunch we had a field trip over to the Kansas City Center for the Inc and Paper Arts, a "community studio." We had a grand tour of the Hobbs Building's basement by Calvert Guthrie. There are so many different presses and TONS of type. Kansas City is fortunate to have such a place for anyone to be a member and share the love of printmaking.

Here are links to both the website and the facebook page for the KC Center for the Inc and Paper Arts https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kansas-City-Center-for-the-Ink-Paper-Arts/61767615395
http://www.inkknifestudio.org/

Above is a print that Calvert let me take home, it's from a block from the 40's with incredibly intricate line work.

Day 27
My final day started by getting a press prepped to do the blind color on a set of wedding invitations and mixing two inks. I set the second press up with one of the colors and prepped it with a run of Skylab promo cards. The ink ended up having too purple of a hue so we cleaned the press up and made a new color. Once that was completed, I ran that portion of the cards through. After cleaning up, it was time to leave. I packed up all of my creations from the summer and said goodbye! (I will be making a visit next week, so it made the goodbye easier)

Boy, it has been quite a summer at Skylab Letterpress. All credit to Bob Atkins, he taught me SO much. I have a huge respect for such a historical art form, and definitely have found a love for it. Big thank you to Bob for being an honest and enthusiastic teacher, businessman, printmaker, and friend.

Skylab Letterpress Internship: Week 7

Day 21
I started by changing the water in the plate processor and made three plates. Afterwords, I printed three older blocks of women on the Vandercook press then cleaned the bed of the press of the lead and furniture. Before lunch I prepped one of the presses and after lunch I prepped the second press to print the information on my business cards. This proved to be a hard job to set up and did not end up getting the cards printed.

Day 22
I got everything dialed in on the press and finished printing my business cards. After I cleaned up the press and ate lunch, we went on a "field trip" to a company that makes dies for cutting. We had them make a prototype of a box for one of our customers and then got a tour of the facility. There were so many CNC routers and stacks of wood. They even did a sample cut with the laser cutter for us, it sounded like noises you would hear on Star Wars. They also had the biggest paper cutter I have ever seen! They explained how the job was done before most of the computer run machines were brought in, sounded like SO much work. When we returned to the shop, I prepped a press to print out my greeting cards. It took a bit to get the feeding and ink consistency dialed into where they should be. Again, Bob reminded me that these are the daily adjustments with letterpress printing as I was getting a little frustrated while I was trying to get the press to work properly. Again, it is challenging but rewarding once you get it figured out! I printed about half of the pages in black to finish up the day. 

 

Day 23
I put dark blue ink onto the press and printed the greeting card design on a portion of the remaining paper. I cleaned up the ink rollers and added a green color and printed another portion of the paper. Next, I moved the plate up and to the left so that I could print the green offset from the blue and black. I ended up wanting a lighter green so I managed to print several cards with the color in-between the darker green and the lighter, a nice array. When I finished up I cleaned up the press. After lunch I set up a press to score the cards in the middle for folding.Once I got the pressure right and everything thing lined up, I scored all of the cards.

Day 24
In the morning, I prepped a press to print a clients job. I got everything lined up, ink and paper on, and printed all before lunch. It was a breeze after my projects provided many little issues. After lunch I got my greeting cards cut and then when I was cutting a test sheet of my business cards, I noticed that the cards were not centered on one side. As there are SO many things to take into consideration and remember throughout the duration of a job, it is easy to forget or simply not notice a step that needs to be completed. Regardless of how perfect my crop marks were in relation to each other and the page, the paper was not cut to the perfect size that would allow printing on the back to be perfectly aligned when I flipped the pages over to print. After panicking and thinking I would have to start over, Bob saved the day and we got everything lined up and consistent with what we had. They ended up looking great! My hat is off to Bob with how he handles complications, I know he says that he still makes big mistakes and it stinks but in the end, it is only paper.

Skylab Letterpress Internship: Week 6

Day 17
First thing I loaded ink into a press, packaged up a run of business cards for shipment, and reprinted a sign that I made for a reminder when making plates. I got a plate put on the press to be printed with chipboard, and adjusted the pressure and impression. We had a bride come in to okay the progress on her wedding invitations. After lunch I worked on my project designs on illustrator which included cleaning up my hand drawn and scanned art and designed the logo of one of the business cards.

The labels I made taped onto the tins.

 

My reminder when making plates...

Illustrator in action.

 

 The wedding invites.

Day 18
I made a plate for Bob then spent the rest of the day on the computer finishing the designs for my two business cards and greeting card. I also got the formatting and fonts figured out.

 

Day 19
I made the three plates for my projects as Bob was able to print out the film the night before. I selected the stock and got it all cut down to the appropriate size. I called a client in regards to her job and clamped a different run of business cards that would get edge painting.

Day 20
I started with getting the press prepped for the first color on my business cards. This included making sure the guides were straight, loading in, inking the rollers, loading the paper, getting the plate onto the chase, and making adjustments so that the plate would print on the paper straight. Bob was in the office working while I was running extra paper (a.k.a. 'make ready') through the press as I adjusted the ink to get it consistent as well as get the paper to feed without it feeding wrong and stopping the press. Two hours of tweaking and being slightly stressed, I finally figured out how to make the minute tweaks that Bob has down. After lunch, I got both sides of the cards printed. Afterwords, I cleaned up both presses for the next jobs, then worked on packaging up the recently edged cards. The last 30 minutes were spent blocking out parts of film the make a plate.Bob said it sounded like I was having issues in the shop in the morning and asked if I learned anything from being alone with the press. I said that it was indeed frustrating trying to figure it out; however, I learned valuable lessons that probably wouldn't have been learned any other way. It was hard! He said it's a learning moment for him as well as he now knows how valuable it is to let the intern have some time to be frustrated and figure it out.

Here are the designs for the business cards!

 I also printed the designs on chipboard which turned out nicely!

Packaging up the edged business cards.