We’ve gotten a lot of questions over the past few weeks
about how we work, so we thought that for this week’s blog post, we would talk
about our work process, namely, how we work on our Los Angeles greeting cards.
First we start off with an idea. It can be a tiny little
glimmer of an idea (freeways, hmmm…), or it can be a clear plan striking like
lightning (this neon sign HAS to be our next card!). Then we discuss the idea,
in the interest of full disclosure sometimes that discussion can seem more like
a heated argument, but eventually it turns into a plan, what are we looking to
explore, how do we want to approach it, how do we each see the end result…
From
there we set out to photograph and explore. Working from the photograph, we
sketch out our idea more fully, figure out our framing, decide on a size, play
with it in Photoshop, work on it until it seems right to both of us.
Next, we transfer our image onto a linoleum block, we work
with mounted and un-mounted linoleum depending on what the individual image
calls for. For the most part, we stick with the grey linoleum, but every once
in a while we’ll sketch out an idea on one of the white or pink rubber blocks.
Once the image is transferred, we’ll often go back in and
finesse the image, making sure it’s exactly how we want it because once you
start cutting, there’s no going back! One of our favorite steps in carving the
block. It’s really fun to see the image taking shape. Sometimes we split the
images up between us, and sometimes we switch off at different steps. Robin has
very steady hands and does a fantastic job with tiny, finicky or intricate
images.
After the block has been carved, we’ll start proofing the
print, often this just means printing it on a sheet of newsprint. We do this to
see if the lines are clean and to see if there are any parts of the block that
still need work. Frequently we’ll print a number of proofs, going in to clean
up the block in between. Often, Robin will proof the print and Rosemary will go
in and methodically clean up the block, taking great pains not to let the blade
slip and gouge out the design by accident.
During the proofing process, we usually print one or two on
the actual paper we’re going to use just to see how well the image transfers.
It’s better to learn now rather than later on when you’re trying to meet a
deadline!
Sometimes we dive right in and start printing the cards on
the same day as the proofing, but usually we’ll wait for the proofs to fully
dry, giving us an opportunity to discuss the results so we know how we want to
proceed with the actual printing or what we would do differently.
After the cards are printed and dry we photograph them, list
them in the Etsy shop and do our best to promote them before we cross our
fingers and hope you all like what we came up with!
We don’t have a set time frame for our projects; some can go
on for weeks (or sometimes even months) while others can be ready to list
within the week. Since so much of what we work on comes from the things we see
and do in our everyday lives, it’s not unusual for us to be working on a
longer-term project then suddenly be struck with inspiration and switch our
focus. It’s always more interesting to have a few projects going at once to
keep things interesting.
We hope you liked this little peek into our process, there
are lots of exciting things coming up in the next few weeks, and we can’t wait
to share them with you!
Hope you’re all having a very happy March, spring is just around the corner!
Rosemary+Robin.
