With this print it was the first time I tried a new technique when it came to creating my layers, and therefore a new look at registrating my layers. Before when I created my layers, I just filled in the gaps between my lines with black, leaving white gaps where my black lines would be printed. Although this method was successful, I believed my new method would be an improvement.
My new method to create layers, is to use the pen tool in photoshop to follow the lines of my drawings. But rather than going to the edge of my lines, using the pen tool I can create layers that spill halfway into the lines, therefore leaving me with some margin for error when it comes to registrating.
When drawing this piece I thought a lot about things mentioned in my review. And as advised I tried to make sure that I looked at and gathered a lot of source material as well as including a more detailed background. as these were things that seemed to be missing from my portfolio. So I gathered many images to base my image on. for example I looked at and sketched pigs, windmills, houses, bushes anything I could think of to build my image.
I wanted to show the pig 'Napoleon' from the book, and he was somewhat of a dictator in the book, I wanted to reference the real napoleon to this image. I tried to recreate the background of the left image, with an 'Animal Farm' theme. And the clothes I dressed Napoleon the pig were influenced by the right image.
I built my drawing up over many layers, using tracing paper to draw different parts of the image and then bring them together to create my overall image. Drawing the bushes and path which I sourced from a photograph and then adding the house, windmill, and pig separately. This technique of using tracing paper create my images in different layers is a new technique to me and one that I think is very effective and enjoyable. By using this method of building up my drawings I am able to think and plan my layouts more carefully and as well as this it gives me many opportunities at different stages of the process where I can rework the image and try different possibilities. It's kind of like photoshop without the computer.
Once I brought the drawing together I created my layers using my new method, which was painstakingly long. and continued to screen print.
I had endless problems with this print. My screen broke down at every stage of the print which meant that it took far too long to complete. as well as this I had some issues with my new layering technique, I followed my lines too closely with the pen tool which created odd looking shapes that were difficult to registrate. In future I plan to simplify the shapes of the layers which I think will vastly improve the success rate of my new technique.
