Loulou. Limited edition of 25 screenprints on paper.

2019

I had initially created the artwork for this print for a callout for a potential exhibition. Unfortunately it was not selected, but I loved it so much I decided to make it anyway.

It is based on a portrait I had drawn in charcoal of the Silent Age actress Louise Brooks, and I chose to print it in black and gold, as opposed to my usual vibrant colours, to accentuate the Art Deco feel of the print.

I initially expected this print to be just two layers, the halftoned face and the gold hair, but the hair layer was too neat, too flat and it didn’t feel finished to me. I went back to the drawing board then, playing with different ways to add some grit and texture to the hair, and ended up with a few simple strokes on the top of the head and the lengths, bringing out the shape of the hair.