I first learned about The Little Friends of Printmaking through one of their many awesome process videos that they share online. The duo creates these incredible, whimsical and captivating prints to share with the world. I immediately reached out (as I’d love to do) and I was so happy when they said that they would be down for a chat about all things nerdy and awesome in printmaking.
JW and Melissa Buchanan are The Little Friends of Printmaking, a duo of printmakers, illustrators, & designers living in Pasadena, California. Their clients include Disney, FX, Nike, and Cartoon Network. The Little Friends were ADC Young Guns honorees and have won awards from American Illustration, Print Magazine, and Communication Arts. In addition to their work as illustrators and designers, they continue their fine art pursuits through exhibitions, lectures and artists’ residencies worldwide, spreading the gospel of silkscreen to anyone inclined to listen.
In today’s conversation, JW, Melissa and I discuss The Little Friends of Printmaking’s origin story, the way printmaking bridges the gap between technical and creative pursuits, how the medium of print offers a wonderful constraint, the how-to of silk screening, as well as The Little Friends’ creative process. (We even dive into trapping, GCM students!) The duo shares the surprising physicality of the silk screen process, interesting techniques they like to explore (marbling, matte vs. gloss, etc.) and tips for getting started. Finally, Melissa and JW share what they’re working on now and what we can expect in the future.
About Our Guests:
JW and Melissa Buchanan are The Little Friends of Printmaking, a duo of printmakers, illustrators, & designers living in Pasadena, California. Their clients include Disney, FX, Nike, and Cartoon Network. The Little Friends were ADC Young Guns honorees and have won awards from American Illustration, Print Magazine, and Communication Arts. In addition to their work as illustrators and designers, they continue their fine art pursuits through exhibitions, lectures and artists’ residencies worldwide, spreading the gospel of silkscreen to anyone inclined to listen.
Music (public domain via Free Music Archive): Christoph Schindling - Coconut
Talk Paper Scissors Theme Music: Retro Quirky Upbeat Funk by Lewis Sound Production via Audio Jungle