So its back to the drawing board.
The images i'm using are ok. But ok isn't good enough. They need revised. The printing rig is a real problem though. The deck won't stay in place as i apply pressure and print. This movement causes mistakes. Frustration is setting in.
One solution. Take everything apart and start again.
So that's what i did. I sketched out a new design and re-used all the wood with a few new additions.
Rig all sorted. Screens re-done with the Annie Lennox image in half tone (or lots of dots as i called it!). Now i'm ready to go.
Ink? Check.
Squeegee? Check.
Screens? Check.
Blank Deck in rig - secure? Check.
Let's go.
Dear God - its still not working.
So here i am - its approaching Christmas 2016 and i've missed my initial launch of November. I've been back to the drawing board already and it looks like i'm going back again..
My partner (such a sterile word eh? Lets say Girlfriend!) Nicola helps with focusing my perspective. Walk away and go back the next day.
And then i have a night. A night that inspires you and pushes you on.
I start with the logo on the topside. Its not been happening but i experiment, mostly with the amount of ink, pressure i apply and the angle of the squeegee, and at some point i get it right. And i get it right again. And again. Before i know it i have 20+ decks all printed with the top logo!
The frustration i've felt at this point isn't a commercial/money based one. I'm not interested in being the next Stacey Peralta. The frustration and pressure is all purely self inflicted and based on my own expectations. Lessons learned at this point:
- Its great to have standards but don't be too disappointed when you fall short - just crack on and keep going;
- Don't let pressure dictate. This is supposed to be fun and feed the creative side of me.
- Throw out the schedule. Oddly my day job involved being a planner. Schedules are my bread and butter - but sometimes you just can't plan everything out.
Reference Donald Rumsfelds famous quote (although this quote has many origins):
"there are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns – the ones we don't know we don't know"
Unknown unknowns. Damn them. But sometimes this can lead to positive outcomes.
Join me in Part 5 - Muscle Memory and Experimentation, coming later this week!
