There will be wax and charcoal. The page above the prints will have the charcoal, and the wax will come later in a way I’m not sure will work, but I’m going to do it anyway. If it doesn’t work, I have a backup plan. This is my second trip to Japan. Such a unique place, but two-sided in so many ways, like every other country I’ve ever visited. Prep and scouting, all day. Location after location, attempting to find the right pace and mix for the participants. I don’t like to call them students because most are so accomplished. Some in photography, others in parallel creative arts.
One of my all-time favorite projects was covering the North Shore of Oahu for ten years. The world surfing mecca. There was a subproject dealing with a small grove of banyon trees targeted for destruction. A developer loomed large. I visited the grove and made film images that looked like charcoal sketches. I still have one of the silver prints on my wall at home. (One of the only images in my house that is mine.)
The plan is similar for Japan. Photograph, thermal print, charcoal sketch. Then rephotograph or scan the pages because thermal is like the weather, temporary. I might also blend layers of clear film, something I’ve already done on other projects. Then I can add paint pen, acrylic, etc. If you told me thirty years ago I’d be making work like this, I would have laughed you out of the room in my all-black outfit and oversized scarf.
I will then take this work and use it to compile a Blurb version. This is also protocol for me, has been for almost twenty years now. Yes, I’m gaunt and wrinkly now, but I still turn everything in Blurb. It feels like closing the door on the project. I don’t sell my books or make any effort to get them to the masses. One is enough, just for me.
Comments 7
Keep them comming. Very interesting to follow your trip this way.
What is the size of that prints they look tiny?
All the best
Frank
Author
The class is about to begin, so few reports until I come out the other side.
Hahaha. We in the graphic design department would have scoffed at your all-black outfit and oversized scarf! We were busy contemplating getting tattoos that said “World Domination Through Typography”, and wearing our wanna-be punk rocker jeans and pointy-toe shoes. I miss my 80s “high hair”.
Your project has a great look.
Author
80s hair is legendary. I had a mullet. Thank you. This will force me to do some things I’ve never done.
Recently did a workshop that involved a dancer, spiritual music, and a 50’ roll of white paper. The medium was wax, charcoal, black and white crayon, and ink. At first I was choked: way too hippy new age 1970 conceptual stuff for me, but then I let it go and the results were pleasing… anyway, a long way to suggest
Adding wax charcoal and ink together in your photo/sketch/collage….
Moriyama meets Beard??
Dan Milnor, you are good… real good 🙂
I absolutely love your black and white – I’m not saying this as a photographer, which I am not, but as a ‘drawer’ [the one who draws] using charcoal. I think I’m gonna borrow your technique for a while…