I've been mulling over how to best execute the creation of the flags for my research project. At first I intended to hand-make all of them in textiles, then after my tutorial with my course tutor, I started exploring options for designing them digitally and printing them on fabric - which reflects how most flags are created (more like an emblem) which allows for the design to be repeatedly printed on all manner of surfaces/objects/etc. and not just on pieces of fabric for display on flag poles. Now I'm wondering whether lino-printing might be a better option as it better reflects the insights of my research participants and the understanding I have gained from our interviews on the nature of identity:
I like the fact that with lino-printing, even though you’re printing the same design from the same plate, the print is never identical. Little aspects of the print are always changing, some within your control (like the colour ink used, the surface printed on and the pressure you apply) and some out of your control - which I think could be some kind of metaphor for identity, which I believe to be a constantly shifting, ever-changing thing - in response to people's life experiences, external factors such as political decisions, temporary circumstances and situations such as who else is "in the room", and internal factors such as motivations to change as an individual.
It's more difficult to achieve multiple colours with lino-cut printing, however, part of me loves the idea of forcing a "Desert Island Discs" decision for a single colour from the selection of 4/5 which my participants made for their portraits.
Kristyna's Print
Since Kristyna is the only participant so far who has come to a final decision regarding her flag design - I decided to try lino-cutting with her's (which I initially designed using Canva). I will admit that the linocut works really well for the design Kristyna requested since she asked for the hearts to be "wonky" - and i'm not sure it will work so well for some of the others.
I started out by printing in mono-colour on plain white paper in the different colours Kristyna has chosen for her portrait (bright red and green, pale blue and lilac):
I thad to mix the blue, red and white ink (from my set of primary colours) to mix the pale lilac colour she requested and I don't think it turned out well, so I didn't attempt mixing any green (I need to investigate buying pre-mixed inks):
I also tried mottling the red and white to create a marbled effect since Kristyna was open to pink being included in the flag design:
I also tried printing on some more textured watercolour paper
I also tried printing in white on some random card I had - which doesn't really fit with the project but I thought it looked call and Kristyna might like it.
I then tried layering a red ink print over a blue print to see if I could create a mottled design including three of Krstyna's colours: blue, purple and red - but I'm not sure it worked too well.
Then I tried printing on different types of fabric in her chosen colours, which I happened to have at home, starting with felt - which I don't think worked so well, because it is too absorbant and the texture is too rough:
Then I tried on show satin and the design came out much more clearly, however some colour inks didn't work so well over strong background colours, such as red over green:
The design worked really well in white on the show satin, however, even though this isn't one of Kristyna's chosen colours - If this is visually the most effective, I could justify using it for all the flag designs and allow the participants to choose the single colour for the background material.
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