Garage Project Beer label: "Out of the Woods"

Out of the Woods, Garage Project

Garage Project has launched their new beer, "Out of the Woods", in collaboration with Cigar City Brewing, and it was such a thrill to be invited to be a part of it. The creative team at Garage Project were  awesome to work with. It's been a lengthy process to create the beer, which you can see more of by visiting their Instagram page @garageproject, #outofthewoods. It was such a surprise when the announcement popped up in my Instagram feed  yesterday, especially in light of the current complications with a second covid lockdown in New Zealand.

Final artwork for "Out of the Woods" beer label for Garage Project. by Toni Hartill

 

In this blog I share my process of creating the label, a year ago now, but so exciting to see it come to fruition. Goes without saying that I am looking forward to partaking in this new beer!

 

 The invitation

 

Back in May 2019 I received an invitation to be the artist for a new beer being developed by the small independent New Zealand brewery Garage Project. Yes, seriously, Garage Project!

My initial reaction was "Yeah right... as if!" I get so many scammy emails offering all sorts of opportunities and this seemed just way too good to be true so I let the email sit for a couple of days. When the email was followed up with a message through Instagram a couple of days later I thought... hmmm,,,, maybe this IS for real??

Next problem: timing. After communicating with the creative producer about deadlines, and as I was about to fly off to Spain for a month (sigh, a thing of the past) and as I had a very full schedule until about August last year, it was clear, the timing was not good. The thought of trying to whip something up in very limited time was not relished especially as I hadn't done this sort of project before. Everyone who's heard of Garage Project knows they are known for their amazing product labels AND they were about to release "The Art of Beer", a book on all the artists of their labels to date! No pressure! Actually, too much pressure! I thanked them for their very exciting invitation then declined the offer due to timing and flew off to sunnier climes... until...

Beer  and tapas in Segovia, Spain.

There I was in Segovia enjoying the history, the heat, and the odd beer, (and doing a bit of label research now that my interest had been piqued) when I received an email stating they were definitely still interested and the beer was going to be a slower brew so they would wait for me to return! Great!

Back in NZ I hit the ground running with final preparations for the "Forest has the Blues ~ Murmurings" exhibition, my Waiprint exhibition AND my selection into the Estuary Art Awards show. Crazy timing! Then, as soon as the final opening event was done and dusted I went straight to work on my label design.

I had only two and a half weeks (!) to present my concept then another 2 weeks to complete the artwork and deliver it to Wellington. They specifically wanted a carved lino design so it was a bit (loads) more complicated and time sensitive than designing something digitally. I had to carve and print multiple blocks, hoping it was all going to work  out and that I wasn't going to mess up one of the plates... gulp!

Brief:

The brief was to create a label for a new beer called "Out of the Woods".

The beer is a collaboration between Garage Project and the American brewery Cigar City so the label needed to include both logos.

The label needed to communicate an earthiness of the NZ bush and include Rimu, Manuka and Totora trees as these are used in the brewing process for this beer.

Process

Roughs

After gathering assorted reference materials including photographing trees in the local park and supermarket beer shelves I sketched up some roughs using layers of tracing paper. As time was short I just had to choose a concept, go with it and hope they liked it. No time to dither.

 I initially worked on ideas for a full label which would wrap the bottle but the brief ended up being just for a front label. I had also thought I would make a one colour lino print but... well... of course I got bigger ideas and I found myself designing a 3 block print hence the multiple layers of tracing paper.

I was invited to carve the logos and the text as part of my design but with such a tight time frame I felt this added too much extra work and pressure so decided that I would present options for the text and logos to be added digitally.

Trialing font options

Samples & Concept

Next, I carved some mini-samples to test the range of mark making I would use and possible colour combos. I was still doubting my ability and worried that I wouldn't be able to deliver what I was suggesting with my concept sketch. Its one thing to draw something and then to carve it in relief is a whole OTHER thing.

Colour & mark making samples - Toni Hartill

Using a combination of scanned sketches and digital manipulation in Photoshop I put together a series of colour and font layers to present. 

One of several concept roughs - Toni Hartill

For my own peace of mind I also made an actual size label to test what it might look like on a bottle - to see how it would "read" in the round.

 

Artwork

As soon as the concept was approved I flew into manic-carving-mode - for me a state of hyper  excitement tinged with the fear of messing up with a moment's distraction or a slip of the gouge.

1st Block

 

2nd Block

3rd Block

Testing & Proofing

 Once the blocks were all carved, then came the fine tuning: getting the colour balance correct, checking all the details, cleaning up any rough bits and setting up the press for registration.

Setting up my registration pins - Toni Hartill

 Colour mixing

 I always mix my own colours and so it is so important to mix enough ink for the entire edition yet so difficult to know how much is going to be enough.

 Proofing

Proofing "Out of the Woods" by Toni Hartill

Proofing "Out of the Woods" by Toni Hartill

 A mini edition & completed artwork

 As soon as I was happy with the proofs I prepared paper and set the press for printing a small edition of final prints for the final artwork. Having done all my testing and preparations this stage went very quickly and smoothly.

 As soon as the ink was dry I packaged up the artwork and sent it off! 

Whew, deadline accomplished!

Final artwork for "Out of the Woods" beer label for Garage Project. by Toni Hartill

Mock up of intended completed label by Toni Hartill

Documenting the Process

  I always aim to keep a good record of my process in any project so I can learn from my mistakes, build on my successes, push my skills in new directions and/or follow up on new inspirations.

I've written about how I keep a workshop journal in the past and would encourage anyone to make this a part of their normal studio practice. 

 

 What did I gain from doing this project?

I really enjoyed the challenge although I breathed much easier once I had accomplished the first lino block without mishap.

I had to push my mark-making skills to a new level to achieve the amount of detail I wanted in the image particularly in carving the fern. 

 

The experience of working to such a tight time frame has given me a new boost of confidence in my abilities which I have reminded myself of on numerous occasions since.

 

............................................................

Also, I had something of an epiphany!

 

 During printing this in my original colourway, I realised that it is possible to ink up a single block with multiple colours, or to reprint a block inked in different areas to achieve multi-layers, colours and effects! Ha, who knew?! Well others obviously did but it is only through consistently working on pushing my skill level that I am able to think "up" to the next level.

Thanks to the many artists on Facebook, Instagram and in their blogs who share their techniques and processes enabling others to learn and develop and to share in return.

Experimental play following "epiphany"!

August 2020 Launch of the Beer

There was a delay in the launch of the beer due to some unexpected hitches, not least a global pandemic but eventually, amidst our second Covid-19 Lockdown here in Auckland, NZ, the beer was has been launched!

 

 

Out of the Woods, Garage Project

 

 

It is described as a '10.9% Native Wood Fermented Dark Ale.' 

 

 

 

Out of the Woods, Garage Project

To find out more about the beer, 

which is truly made using rimu, manuka, totara and kawakawa, 

visit @garageproject on instagram, 

#outofthewoods.  

 

Check out the video that outlines 

how the beer was created, fascinating!

 

Also visit, and to purchase:

www.garageproject.co.nz

 

Thanks for visiting!

CHEERS!

Lino printing t-shirts - my thoughts on Speedball Fabric Ink

Lino printed t shirts byToni Hartill

As I've had a few inquiries from other printmakers I'd thought I'd share
my experience of lino printing t-shirts, and the inks I've used.

Last year I was lucky enough to get my hands on a box set of Speedball Block Printing ink, designed for fabric and paper. I've long wanted to trial print some t-shirts using my linocuts. I have used water-based Flint ink in the past but, even with heat-setting the ink with a hot iron, the ink is not designed for this purpose so I don't feel confident with its longevity.

This set of inks comes with 6 x 37ml tubes of black, white, red, yellow, blue and green.

According to the instructions the inks don't need to be heat set.

Instead just leave the inks to "cure" fully for 4 - 7 days, then they can be washed. 

As an extra precaution I have ironed prints with a warm iron for several minutes. 

My initial printed tees have weathered well and been washed cautiously a couple of times. 

They seem to be lasting well, so far. 

Meanwhile, a t-shirt I printed for my husband was, unknowingly, put through a normal wash with a full load of washing and I did notice that it faded in that first wash. It hasn't faded any further in subsequent washes.

Below is a step-by-step description of how I printed my t-shirts.

Preparations

Slip a thick piece of paper inside the t-shirt where the image will be printed to stop ink bleeding through the fabric. Mark where the lino block will be positioned on the t-shirt using tape.

The first two photos are the set-up used to print my snail bubble print.

 Below shows the press set-up for printing my large "Snaily" lino block.

"Snaily" t shirt by Toni Hartill

 The Speedball inks have a bit of a smell although not over-powering. I would still recommend using them in a well ventilated area. They wash out with soap and water so clean-up is EASY!

Black Speedball Ink - My thoughts

The black ink has a very slightly thicker "gritty" or matte texture and so it rolls out nice and evenly, creating an even and dense layer and rolls onto the lino solidly.

Lino cut inking up by Toni Hartill

 If I was printing multiple t-shirts I would cut a heavy paper mask to protect the surrounding areas where I don't want to get any ink. Even when taking a lot of care it is very easy for the roller to accidentally get ink on the background. I think its easier not to get ink where you don't want it than to try to remove ink once its there!

In this case, as I was only printing a single t-shirt I just masked the areas with tape. The tape is removed after inking and before printing. In this case the tape was able to be removed as a complete shape and reused for the next print.

Its important to make sure you ink up the plate evenly with thin coats getting to all of the edges and details. Holding the block up to the light helps to check the surface is fully coated but it can still be difficult to be sure. For this reason I think it is important to work in a methodical manner inking up each area of the block.

Inking up with black Speedball ink,  Toni Hartill

Inking up with black Speedball ink,  Toni Hartill

 Printing

 Set the press up as you would normally to print lino. I use wooden runners and thin mdf "pushers" instead of blankets. The pressure is set firmly down onto the runners but not overly tight. You do need to take in to account the thickness of the t shirt.

The press set-up Toni Hartill

The reveal

Note: Unusually, this lino block has a border of lino left surrounding the image and this has left a pale rectangular mark on the t-shirt from the pressure. This will disappear once the t-shirt has been washed for the first time.  

"Stick to your Bubble" lino printed t shirt by Toni Hartill

My "Stick to your Bubble" linocut was created for a print exchange "Distant Conversations" inspired by the experience of being in "lockdown" during the Covid-19 pandemic. Visit my earlier post here to view the making of and more about the prints, including how to purchase.

"Snaily" Linocut T shirt by Toni Hartill

Coloured Speedball Inks - My Thoughts

The coloured inks seem to be slightly thinner, less opaque, less sticky and therefore to have a slightly translucent quality. When they roll out they feel more slippery and I found it was difficult to rollout an even area of thin ink. The instructions on the box say to use a hard rubber roller while the instructions in the online video say to use a soft rubber roller. I used a hard Esdee roller rather than my soft Speedball roller. The soft Speedball one may have been better but I was following the instructions on the box.

 In my first batch of t-shirts I trialed using the coloured inks and printed a teal version of my rockpool lino block using a mix of blue and green ink. Likewise I found the coloured ink to be harder to roll out and to coat the lino block evenly although the final print was mostly even. Not "perfect" but not too bad.

Rockpool lino printed t shirt by Toni Hartill

To mix the slightly purple colour of the ink for my bubble print I mixed blue and red ink. I tried adding a little black for depth of tone then added a wee bit of white to try to improve the opacity of the ink but it didn't make much difference.

It was therefore more difficult to evenly ink up the block particularly in the fiddly outer details despite multiple passes with thin coats.

Inking up with coloured Speedball ink,  Toni Hartill

"Stick to your bubble" lino printed t shirt by Toni Hartill

 Comparing the Black vs the Colours

The black ink most definitely produces a much crisper and more solid image than the coloured inks. I have, thus far only used the blue and green inks with a little bit of red and in my experience these colour pigments can tend to be more translucent anyway.

You can see, in the images below, how the ink has printed much more solidly with the black ink than with the blue ink.

Black Speedball ink, Toni Hartill

Coloured Speedball ink, Toni Hartill

Coloured Speedball ink, Toni Hartill

Black Speedball ink, Toni Hartill

You can visit the Speedball website to view their specifications, 

see their FAQs and view a video on how to use the inks.

My impression is that their demonstration of inking up the carved block uses ink in a much thicker application than I would dare (for fear of bleed and filling in fine details). They are, however, printing a simple design by hand in their demonstration and so therefore a thicker coat would be necessary.

In conclusion

All of the t shirts I have printed onto are cotton knit fabrics.

At this point in my experimentations I would recommend the black ink over the coloured inks for inking ease and print quality. I am really pleased with how sharp and clean the ink prints onto the t-shirt fabric.

The coloured inks are more translucent and harder to get a strong clean print with but perhaps this just takes a bit of trial and error to perfect a technique.

I am yet to really "test" the durability of the inks through multiple and "normal" washing but, with a bit of care when washing, they are so far lasting well.

 Of course there are so many variables when printing so I would suggest, if you have the opportunity to give these inks a go, go for it and see what you think.The handy sample pack is a great way to start.

Thanks for visiting!

PCA Print Exchange 2020

Prints for PCA Print Exchange 2020. Toni Hartill

As a member of the Print Council of Australia 

I am able to participate in their biennial Print Exchange 

so, for the first time, I decided I'd give it a go.

To participate an edition of 12 prints is sent. Ten prints will be randomly exchanged with other participants, one print will be archived and one print will be available for an online sale to raise funds for PCA.

"Keep Safe not Keepsake" (detail) Toni Hartill

I wanted to choose a theme with a New Zealand flavour but which is also meaningful in Australia. At the time that I first began working on the idea the Australian bush fires were still raging in their worst season ever. Huge areas of bush and wildlife were being lost every day and we wondered if it would ever stop. My thoughts were focused on the need to protect our treasured native plants (and animals), whichever side of "the ditch" we are on.

Aluminium plate. Toni Hartill

I chose to make use of the protective dome theme that has been a continuing focus this year, and to highlight the New Zealand kauri tree, agathis australis, a revered tree in our forests, which was decimated by logging 100 years ago and which is again under great threat today by the deadly kauri dieback disease.

(Now that we are currently living through the Covid-19 global pandemic the whole concept of a protective dome has taken on new meaning. And how do we feel now, now that WE are under threat from a pathogen!)



 
 You can see images and read about how these prints were made in my earlier post
"Getting to Grips with Copper Sulphate Etching -  Part1."

Work in progress. Toni Hartill

Print with aluminium plate. Toni Hartill

"Keep Safe not Keepsake" (detail) Toni Hartill

 "Keep Safe not Keepsake"

"Keep Safe not Keep Sake" Toni Hartill

Medium: Etched aluminium
Paper size: A4 / 297mm x 210mm
Paper: Hahnemuhle Etching, 230gsm 
Edition of 12


Artist Statement:

Kaitiakitanga, the protection and guardianship of our environment, and all that it contains, in perpetuity. Even the mighty kauri tree, a symbol of strength and protector of the forest, needs safe-keeping so that it remains a living treasure, not a memento of the past.

To find out more about the Print Council of Australia, to join,
and to take part in the print exchange yourself, visit their website:
https://www.printcouncil.org.au/ 


Deadline: works must arrive in Australia by 30 September, 2020.


I greatly look forward to receiving my collection
of exchanged prints later in the year!


I'll make sure I share them in a new post then.

"Keep Safe not Keepsake" (detail) Toni Hartill

Thanks for visiting!