Jackie Durbha | Bay Area Graphic Designer
Jackie Durbha | Bay Area Graphic Designer
Ink on 4 x 4 woodblocks, stamped with photopolymer plate.
Made by hand, these coffee coasters were crafted with the intent to be sent out to my clients after shooting a wedding.
With the help of some savvy engineers, I cut and sanded several of these woodblocks from a larger piece of lumber. Meanwhile, I created a logo and produced the design on a polymer plate — a light-sensitive, water-soluble plastic with a clear backing. Once my plate was ready and the wood blocks were sanded, I was ready to print.
Normally when producing a design on a polymer plate, one would use the plate in a printing press. But because I was printing my design on woodblocks, I decided to use the plate as a large plastic stamp. I inked the plate and carefully aligned it with the edges of the woodblock before stamping. I followed the same process for all of the blocks.
For the last step, I sealed the blocks with lacquer. This made sure that the blocks were somewhat waterproof and it prevented any splitting or cracking.
I had no idea how much I would enjoy the hands-on work that this project required, but I also admit it was pretty physically exhausting at times. I collaborated and created new connections with engineers, while also implementing elements of my own design.
