This project was my final for the two photography-related classes I was enrolled in at the time. The task was to use original imagery of some form, either photography or illustration, in the cyanotype printing process, transferring students' original designs onto wooden skateboard decks. Since the final was the same in both classes, I decided to relate the two and turn them into a narrative diptych.
Process: First, a design had to be solidified at 8x32 inches, which was the size of the skateboard deck. Being an unconventional canvas size, there were multiple attempts made at collaging a rough composition during the brainstorming phase. Eventually, I turned to the idea of something bat related, for multiple reasons: They were an animal I surrounded myself by (bat-related things, not bats themselves), as well as they were an interesting subject to me visually.
I created two illustrations over the course of around 30 hours for the decks, both digitally drawn on Procreate. Once the drawings were completed, the files were inverted into negatives and sent to be printed to film. Meanwhile, the skateboard decks were soaked previously in cyanotype ink, a photosensitive and permanent chemical mix. Using an applicated adhesive, the film was laid over the air-dried skateboard decks. The designs from the film were then 'burned' into the wood using UV light.
Film was then removed, and the decks were taken to be properly washed out. Anywhere in which the black of the film had covered the board washed out, creating the highlights one would see on the black and white original illustration. The rest of the cyanotype, being photosensitive, was now permanent to the board, creating the dark parts of the image. After drying, the decks were hung up for the campus' winter Deck the Halls event, in which various students from campus decorate decks and present them to be judged at the end of the quarter.
Reflection: While I absolutely love the illustrations I ended up creating, I would have liked to create something entirely out of photocollage. At the time, I racked my brain for ideas, trying a multitude of things; Nothing seemed to work/stick/look good. I would be open to approaching this project again someday to change that. Alternatively, I think a drawing of one of my original characters could have been cool to see on a physical skateboard deck. Ultimately, though, I am happy with the story that this one tells.
Film was then removed, and the decks were taken to be properly washed out. Anywhere in which the black of the film had covered the board washed out, creating the highlights one would see on the black and white original illustration. The rest of the cyanotype, being photosensitive, was now permanent to the board, creating the dark parts of the image. After drying, the decks were hung up for the campus' winter Deck the Halls event, in which various students from campus decorate decks and present them to be judged at the end of the quarter.
Reflection: While I absolutely love the illustrations I ended up creating, I would have liked to create something entirely out of photocollage. At the time, I racked my brain for ideas, trying a multitude of things; Nothing seemed to work/stick/look good. I would be open to approaching this project again someday to change that. Alternatively, I think a drawing of one of my original characters could have been cool to see on a physical skateboard deck. Ultimately, though, I am happy with the story that this one tells.
