The Photography of Greg Seman...

Among photographers, those who practice traditional film and printing techniques are fewer all the time. Of this dwindling breed, I consider Greg Seman to be one of the medium's finest visual representatives. His work is straightforward, eloquent, and tremendously beautiful without offering up any pretense. He seems to approach his natural subject matter with very few preconceptions and for the viewer, the result is an intricate and accurate representation of his vision.

It's true that there are plenty of other talented photographers currently producing work in this vein. However, Seman is one who seems to effortlessly convey the subtle beauty of his varied subjects. His formal compositions are balanced and clear, which helps to surround the viewer with emotional impact, easing one into the presentation of these uniquely beautiful places.

Gunnar Norrman Drypoint Prints

Now, I'm fully getting in the mood to make prints. I came upon this gentleman's fine work via another blog around here. His style seems very compact and precise, although he seems to keep things simple and fairly austere. It could be the monochromatic approach or the common, natural subject matter. Whatever it is, it appeals to my own personal aesthetic and I hope to get a chance to see some of his work in person one day.

After a bit more searching through the info at ArtsEditor, I've found that Norrman worked as a botanist before dedicating himself to pencil and charcoal drawing. I guess that explains his choice of subject matter, which is also most assuredly a reflection of the landscape of his native Sweden.

Ukiyo-e and Viscosity Printing...

It's been many years since I've actually sat down and tried to draw something, let alone make a print of it. Lately, I've been studying up on viscosity printing (a method of simultaneously including many hues on a print in one pass through the press) while lingering over some of the old ukiyo-e prints that inspired me during college. My old printmaking instructor at Northern Michigan University had such a laidback, supportive style and he used to encourage us to find influences and expand our own styles. I had some success with intaglio printing but really only began to get into the process by the time my coursework was complete.

These are some beautiful examples of the kind of prints that can be made through various processes including woodcut, lithography, intaglio, among others. This first is a portion of a traditional Japanese woodcut.

Peter Milton is one of the premier intaglio printers working today...the level of detail is matchless.

Of course, there's Durer, the master.

Last up is an old intaglio print of my own...a rough one, at that!

Introducing...Tallulah !

Please enjoy a tiny glimpse of one of the sweetest little canines I ever did know...it's Tallulah y'all! Check her out in all her puppy glory racing up and down the trails of Georgia's Black Rock Mountain State Park.