Big Smiley Canvas

Dying & Printing Process:

  • A 1st layer of texture is created with repurposed canvas: paint-spackled, stained, and dirtied from its previous life as a drop sheets or studio rags.

    Individually cut squares are stuffed into jars & low-water immersion dyed.

    After a sequence of agitation & rest, the canvas is removed from the container to be rinsed, dried, and printed.

  • The 2nd layer of texture is created with torn-up DD_super print positives. The shreddings are laid atop the canvas squares, then taped together in position to burn to screens for printing.

    These images (which were earlier repurposed in printing DD_cycle + DD_canvas) see their final iteration in their destruction. The collage shreddings visually support the smiley, while echoing Co.llections past.

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The Big Smiley is the final key. Hand-traced smiley stencil cutouts are used to burn the print screens—another charming pinch of imperfection. Printed in 2-passes for an satured yellow impression that subtly reveals the details of the textures & shades below.

After printing, canvases are aligned & stapled to a wooden stretcher. Each is signed & editioned on the reverse in oil-stick & decorated with a 2-stencil spray paint smiley. Finally, every frame is outfitted with our special 4-wire hanging system, to hang the smiley in the orientation of your choosing.