Very quick 6 color process

[dave welker]

Here's a quick look at the process for my latest Justin Townes Earle poster.
6 color screen print on French Steel Blue.
Nothing fancy but I think it works for Justin playing New York...


I started with a pencil rendering of the basic typography...

One of Justins' best new songs is "Harlem River Blues"...
I took a field trip up to Harlem and did some fast sketching of the Harlem River peering through the brambles on the east banks of High Bridge Park.

Using a combination of photo reference and sketches I composed the final imagery and transposed it to ink on frosted mylar...

Then integrating the typography in my trademark "old beat up wooden crest" design...

Continuing on I hand drew a total of 6 separations on frosted mylar...

Some test pulls on vellum...

I mixed some color variations for split fountains...

The first real pull on the final paper is a subtle 3 color blend in the blue-green family...

First layer drying on the rack...

Aligning the second layer...

Second layer down. A subtle 3 color blend from grey to white to turquoise sky.
The mid-tone paper now acts as a color of its own popping out the industrial landscape...

A closer look at the sky to river blend...

The third layer is an old woody green which deepens a few leaf shapes, creates the crest and pops the lettering...

Never hold a razor blade on the razor side when cleaning the table top...

A very custom metallic gold made with a powdered, oxidized, green gold pigment for layer 4...

Aligning the 5th layer to pop the foreground and push back the background.
Instead of black I mixed violet, red-blue, iron oxide brown and a spec of white...

5th layer down...

On the rack...

In a last minute decision I decided to create a lavender border color.
The idea was to isolate and separate the distant landscape paper color from the border.
... and also to add another color dimension.

The final print under natural lighting...
16x23"
Edition of 50



Thanks for looking

[James flames]

Incredible - thanks for sharing. Mad props.

[exxxlonghair]

Thats a real nice process. There's nothing like doing it all ink on mylar. Sometimes it's nice to take the computer out of the equation.

[hoveringobject]

It's beautiful, Dave. Good call on the lavender. It adds depth and changes the mood in a perfect way. Thanks for posting!

[squeegeethree]

Very very nice. Making some giant steps seems to me.

[dave welker]

Thanks guys. It means a lot coming from all of you.
I've been trying to make the best of the whole poster a week deadline thing.
I'd love to slow it down a bit next year and spend more time on a few prints.

[40ozGraphics]

Amazing.

[clinttw]

Absolutely amazing! love it! Thanks for sharing!

[caribou]

nice!

[epicproblems]

"Nothing fancy" for you is nothing short of amazing to me.