Fraktur on the brain. Rob is goading me nicely to get going in figuring out these products for the Museum of Glass --and to get the team in place, the thinking in place and get going. He is right. Plus, it gives me some venues to push the illustration that are not traditional, are about me being an illustrator/designer, is about an alternative stream of income and could be a beneficial and fun thing to do. So where is the downside? A tad bit of risk...but nothing inconceivable.
The pix above is the second Fraktur inspired picture. I decided to get back into coloring these things just to see where it could go. So, this is where it is (not done) today...with more work tomorrow. My intent is to try to infuse more color in the work and though its not bad, to not keep the black work in a single color in every iteration. Bunny Carter cited my Indian Tiger as the only full color piece in my thesis which I thought was interesting. So, to that insight, I credit Bunny with the push (not even a tiny shove) to think more about the color, their relationships and how the image begins to change with more color added and not frames that are filled with color and the line work all the same. Seems richer...more dimensional. I think this may be criteria for the color for this next round of valentines. What do you think?
I am going to contact Boxcar Press (a Syracuse Letterpress shop) to get prices on one and two color letterpress work as I am thinking of developing a series of different Birth Certificates and Marriage Certificates (maybe later, a Bar /Bas Mitzva, a Confirmation one) to be illustrated and designed for the user to have a calligrapher (or me) fill in the name/etc. and be able to sell them through high end stationery and/or gift shops. With that may come Birth announcements, Marriage stationery/thank yous that match. Plus, with an affordable letterpress option, creating condolence cards (I have had requests) from some of the Memento Mori work and selling sets of 10 with (lined?) envelopes and or as one off.
Just got back from the Oral Surgeon's office in Corning with two high school near future patients. It was a great consultation with pictures/xrays, a full disclosure of process and medications, time frame and process. Now, all we need to do is schedule it.
So, must go...now. Hotdogs on the grill await.