Sunday, June 5, 2011

Interview with John Andrews of Doodlepalooza

Biography  

Graphic designer, printmaker, painter, gardener, gamer, maker of boiled dinner. Living in St. John’s, Newfoundland, with my wife and two cats.

Why do you like to print?

I spent many years working in commercial printing plants; I think I got hooked on the smell of ink.

What is your favorite print medium and why?

Linocuts have always been my passion. I like the evolution of the image from sketch to marker detail to cutting; the end result is often a bit of a surprise. 

How long have you been printing and how has your work evolved?

I started about 10 years ago. Initially I was just curious about it and enjoyed learning something new (I’m easily distracted by shiny things) but after a few years of dabbling, I started taking it more seriously. My early efforts were very small prints with very few cuts. These days I like working on large, complex pieces. The cutting process gets a little maddening but the end result can be very satisfying.

What inspires you?

Writers, musicians, and artists inspire me regularly. I often pick up my collection of Lynd Ward’s wordless novels. His woodcuts are inspiring.

How do your promote your work?

I sell my prints and paintings on Etsy (of course). I started a blog in 2008 to point people to my shop, but the blog has become much more than a marketing tool. It has helped connect me with like-minded people all over the world. My blog feeds to my Facebook profile so friends and family are always in the loop with my recent work. I also post links on Twitter.  Social media is great but it can consume an immense amount of time so I have to be careful.  A few times a year I’ll buy an Etsy showcase.

Are you working on any particular projects now?  

I have a few linos on the back burner but lately I’ve been taking a break from printing to develop my painting skills. I’ve wanted to try my hand at screen-printing for while… that might happen this year.

Tell us one random fact about yourself 

I spent decades obsessing over technology but now I’m an aspiring Luddite.

Check out John's Etsy site and Blog

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