Re: Interactivity and process
Hamish Stewart & Sophie Colmont (Hamish.Sophie@wanadoo.fr)
Wed, 17 Jun 1998 07:13:35 +0200
Judy wrote...
>
>Likewise in gum printing, at least my own. Perhaps it's lack of
>imagination, or lack of confidence, or lack of control, or whatever, but I
>begin with an idea, then respond to what actually occurs, making the next
>coat accordingly. Results may or may not be a surprise, and feel "right."
>Then they are in turn modified and so forth. In other words, all kinds of
>changes, some quite drastic, as well as lighter or darker, tone of shadows
>and highlights, the various modifications you mention, occur interactively
>from looking at one print, and feeling or finding your way.
>
I think this describes the "interactivity" of the gum process extremely
well - you can know what the process can do, but when you make a print,
the interaction of colours, and the sense of what is "right" is the best
guide. Some times it does not work, but other times, you find you have
found new levels with the process. After 10 years of working exclusively
with this process, its the interactive nature of the process that makes
it both interesting, frustrating and ultimately satisfying. Often I look
at a print and think - what do I do next?, if you then let the process
lead you the results draw you along an interesting path...
>Needless to say, it helps if you have some idea of what causes what and
>how to get such and such to happen.
You start with an idea and take it from there - you know the ground rules
but the game is always a little different :-)
>Flailing in the dark is likely to be
>just .... flailing in the dark. But in my experience a gum print is
>usually built by responding to the work in progress.
Cheers
Hamish