PRESSING MATTERS MAGAZINE ISSUE 27 PRINT CHALLENGE WINNER JIM FOX
Here’s an interview I did for the amazing Pressing Matters Magazine in July 2024, after “Two Blackbirds” won the pink & green print challenge.
Two Blackbirds by Jim Fox
WHERE ARE YOU BASED AND WHERE DO YOU PRINT FROM?
I'm based in a small town called Bingley in West Yorkshire. I print in my makeshift studio at home, alongside going to Leeds Print Workshop. Printing at home is handy for getting the extra hours in, but going in to the Leeds studio is great for meeting people and using the professional equipment. Everyone there has been so helpful and supportive and it's where I learnt to screenprint last year.
CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT THE TECHNIQUE THAT YOU USED FOR THE PRINT AND WHERE YOUR IDEA CAME FROM?
It's a three colour screenprint on A2 paper, using water-based acrylics. I exposed the screens at Leeds Print Workshop and then printed it at home using my homemade hinged board. My inspiration comes from my love of mid-century graphic design, where designers would often use very simplified graphic shapes, and clever use of negative space. I love looking at old book covers and posters from this era. I've had a love of birds from an early age, and love getting out in nature. You can't beat a walk in nature to relax, which then helps ideas to flow. Combining my love of birds with the graphic forms in my work is so satisfying for me.
WE LOVED THE WAY YOU USED THE TWO COLOURS TO CREATE A GRAPHIC PRINT THAT HAS REAL MOVEMENT AND FLOW TO IT - DID IT TAKE SOME TIME TO PLAN THE COMPOSITION AND USE OF COLOURS THROUGHOUT THE PRINT?
For the composition I started by drawing out a grid. I often do this as a starting point as I find that having a structure helps me to decide where to position elements. I don't always stick to the rules of the grid but it's a great device to start with. I love to use Adobe Illustrator as it makes it so easy to move shapes around until it all looks balanced. Working as a graphic designer and illustrator my whole career has really helped me here.
Restricting the artwork to two colours is something that came naturally to me as I prefer working with constraints, which is probably why I love screenprinting so much.
DO YOU SPEND TIME SKETCHING OUT LAYERS AND TRYING OUT COMBINATIONS BEFORE SETTLING ON A DESIGN USING TWO COLOURS?
I do enjoy sketching ideas but they tend to be very rough. The starting point for this was just the simple graphic outlines of the birds' bodies, then adding the eyes and wings to give character. I love to overlap the shapes so I can add in colour where they intersect, and also dissecting the shapes with diagonal lines. Then it's a case of juggling around which colours go where, until everything looks balanced. The hardest thing is keeping it simple and knowing when to stop.
WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON AT THE MOMENT AND WHAT'S COMING UP FOR YOU?
Recently I've been busy working on my website, which should hopefully be up and running by the time this is published, if all goes to plan. I'll be working extra hard on getting more prints done, and I'm super excited about developing my work and getting it out there for people to see. I'm really looking forward to learning anything I can about all print techniques and meeting more of the printing community.
Jim Fox in his home studio
Pressing Matters Magazine issue 27
PRESSING MATTERS MAGAZINE
Pressing Matters magazine is a publication full of inky inspiration, celebrating the best of modern printmaking from around the world. Made by printmakers for printmakers, we speak to artists about their creative processes and passion for print. Expect inky fingers, creative workspaces, sketchbooks and artworks – across all kinds of techniques and mediums.