Gone Loco

Awww yeah.  This really made my day.  I opened up my inbox just now to see this image of heatherjeany's new tattoo.  I can't stop smirking.  I think Mr. flashbulb looks a little peeved at Mr. Gocco for having so much clout over him, and a bigger shadow to boot.  I've mentioned heatherjeany's work before in this post.  She's really got a lot of great Gocco-created papergoods in her shop, and an extensive flickr photostream too.  She's a star. 

Gocco Daily Fix from Kate Pugsley

I have a special place in my heart for mermaids.  You see- I was one, once.  When I was in High School I dressed up like a mermaid complete with a sequin-clad bikini top for the grand opening of a video store in my hometown.  That memory=awful.  This print=charming.  As charming as anything having to do with mermaids can be.  KateP uses her trusty Gocco to print the black image almost like a coloring book.  She then adds water color and at times cut paper to complete her unique creation.  This print (is to) your wall like a fish (is to) water.   

Do Yudu?

So do you?  There has been a lot of talk about the Yudu replacing Print Gocco.  I have not done a lot of research on the Yudu but it has come up in a few conversations I've had and been witness to.  Handmade Detroit did a great little tutorial vid. on it, if you're not familiar.

Someone left a comment about it in another post today so I thought now would be a good time to address it.  Honestly, I was not-so-secretly hoping Mr. Yudu would go ahead and send me a complimentary printer to test out beforehand but it has not happened yet so let's dive in.  The truth is, I think it looks like a fantastical contraption.  It will definitely have it's place in the indie arts/crafts world but I'm not sure its place is to take over where Gocco is leaving off.  There are certainly some advantages that Yudu has over print Gocco, the most obvious being that it is, well, currently being manufactured and distributed.  It also has a much bigger print area at 11X14".  The price seems fair at $279.99 when you consider the prices of large Goccos.  I would say the cost per print is similar to what we are seeing now with Gocco.  Roughly $10 per print once you have purchased the machine and inks.  You can re-use the screens but that is a little misleading because when you "reuse" them you have to use new emulsion sheets every time-so you lose your image.  With Gocco you can keep the imaged screens and print them again and again.  You could do that with Yudu, but each separate screen costs $27.99 plus the $9 emulsion.  The Yudu is not as quick as Gocco.  There is about an hour needed to wait for stuff to dry.  Those things being said, I think the Yudu is a great replacement for trickier drawing fluid/screen filler type silkscreening.  I want one, I really do.  But I also want my endless supply of screens and bulbs for Gocco.  What can I say I'm a Gen-X girl, I want it all.  

Gocco Daily Fix from Dee Beale

Flickr Find!  I'm on a nordic track.   This print by Dee Beale is Scandi. in every way that I like. I'm fond of grey at this very moment.  Ms. Beale knows how to use it.  This print can be purchased in her etsy shop.  Guess what...you can peek at her blog too.  Have fun internetting.

Gocco Daily Fix from Happy Family

Happy birthday to me.  Unfortunately I need to turn 35 on Saturday. Fortunately, I bought myself this amazingly affordable and stunningly stylish messenger bag from happyfamily. Twenty bones.  I go back to work for a bit next week so perhaps I will be donning it for that occasion....and many more.   Update: this is traditionally silkscreened.  And that's.....okay.  Update: it arrived today and I LOVE it.  Perfection.

They work! G.E. #5 flashbulbs in action

I'm so sorry for this craptastic video but i wanted to show you that my G.E. #5 flashbulbs worked just dandy to image my master.  I've heard you have to use the blue filter every time with the #5 bulbs but I didn't and my print came out just fine.  It is my version of an open screen. I used a riso fine pen and a ruler to make a mesh pattern.  I'll use it for backgrounds and also to print with stencils.  More on that later.  OK, now ebay away!  

Where est Charlie?

Okay so now I've spent the better part of my evening watching U-tube videos.  One leads to the next to the next to the next.  Bye-bye hours. This one is worth your nine minutes, though.  The perspective is unique and the music is excellent.  I love how dirty and muddy the screen gets by the end of the edition.  Good luck cleaning that b**** up.  Speaking of french: I don't know it, so I can't say much about the who's and how's, but I can say "j'adore."