I am sick this morning with something I'm pretty sure I picked up in the hospital sitting all day with my mother on Sunday. Head and body. I took two antihistamines before bed but my nose ran like a faucet all night.
Just thought you'd want to know.
Still, I soldier on.
Here's the creative report. Nothing came of my gel plate transfer. I went back and watched more YouTube videos last night and saw what I was doing wrong. Maybe. It is going to be a lot of trial and error. I don't know why I want to do this at all, really, as the images that come off the plate are monochrome, just like any plate printing technique. But, as always, I believe I can "outsmart" the process, that I will find a way to make something nobody else is making. Why do I think that? Because I think I am a genius in that way even if I am retarded in others. O.K. Not a genius. But I am a clever boy.
I have ideas for doing three color printing as you would with silkscreen, but it is a lot of work, especially with getting the images lined up. But I think it possible.
I did some other experiments yesterday, too. I ran some Japanese rice paper through the printer, and that worked. The images are soft in both color and detail, not like printing on a good photo quality paper at all. The images will be good for something, though. I have ideas.
I also ran a Japanese Kozo inkjet paper that was delivered yesterday, and that makes a lovely soft image, too. I just got notice, however, that because of Trump's tariff and trade policies, they can no longer ship their papers to the U.S. and can only send them by air. The extra cost will be reflected in the price.
Thanks Trump.
I have a lot of experimenting before I know what I can do or even want to do.
This morning, I had an idea. Chat will now make an exact copy of an image in any treatment style I have described and that we have built. I have a whole catalog of them now that I can call up . Too many, really, and I will have to whittle them down for now they are enough that I am overwhelmed. I have an idea that I MIGHT be able to recreate my old Polaroid series, but if not, there are infinite ways to make the image that I might like. The shoe image at the top was just a rough start, not with my own photo but with an A.I. generated one. I am excited to work with my own pictures in. . . piss shit fuck goddamn! Chat won't let me work with any of my "provocative" images. And this is a real bummer. Nudity is a taboo on Chat.CalvintheReformer. And it is not JUST nudity. Provocative poses, too, no matter how covered up the person is.
The other thing I did manage to do today, though, was to get the images rendered in high enough resolution to make big prints, so there is that. Big shoes!
I am going to work with Chat to develop some Photoshop actions that might let me work my images in a similar way to Chat. I've tried before, but the results were not good. I am, however, intrepid.
I don't think I'll have the energy to work on any of it today, though. I'm thinking cold medicine and sleep. It IS a cold and not a fever. And that is good news.
I had to make an art store run again yesterday to get more supplies for the project. When I was checking out the young woman behind the counter asked if I was a student or a prof. If so, I would get a discount. I was, I said, but I don't have my i.d O.K., she said, I'll trust you.
"Right? I'd either have to be a yard guy or a prof to look like this."
"No. . . you look wise."
I've never been told that one before. I think she was fucking with me. Still, 15% is 15%. The bill was still north of $100.
When I walked to my car, there was a fellow parked next to my mother's car, probably in his 60s. He had an interesting look about him. When he saw me, he asked, "Do you have any jumper cables?" He had a pronounced Italian accent.
"I don't think so. This is my mother's car. Let me look in the trunk."
There were none.
"Sorry. . . no."
He said he had to pick his wife up in half an hour. He looked a bit panicked.
"What happens when you try to start it? Does the starter turn?"
"You try. Just push the button."
So I climbed into his car and pushed the button. It made a cha-chink noise but just barely. I looked at his gauges. New cars don't tell you how much voltage your battery has. It is impossible to tell unless the fact that the battery icon was in red meant something.
I got out of the car and went to the front of it and rocked it back and forth. If the problem was the starter, sometimes this helps.
Nope.
"Try taking in out of park and then putting it back in," I said.
There was no gear shifter. It was all electronic buttons.
"I don't know anything about new cars," I confessed. Then I remembered the tenants problem was that the battery in the key fob was weak.
"Give me your key," I said. I held it close to the ignition button, but that did nothing. I got out of the car and handed him back his key. He got into his car and looked to see if he could insert it in the keyhole, but of course there was no keyhole.
"That will only unlock your car door," I said. "Do you have AAA?"
"No," he said shaking his head.
"You are just going to have to keep asking people if they have jumper cables,"I said.
He looked sad when I got in my car to go. I hated to leave him stranded, but what could I do? I still had errands to run.
I went to my bank. Oops. Veteran's Day. I went to Office Depot to look at laser printers. I can get one for $350, but refills on toner cost around $90 per color. CYMK. Around $360. I didn't even know if I was going to keep using the gel mat transfer, so I punted on the idea.
I don't know what I will do today. I want to go to my house and lie in my own bed, but I'll probably stay here at my mother's and try to sleep away the cold. I need medicine, though, and will have to make a trip.
At least there is no fever.
Here's a song I feel in my bones today. Maybe more than just today. When I first heard it, I felt they had written it just for me.
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