Unit 2 · Project 2
Grid Plan with P/N Analysis
Select your strongest texture photo and analyze its positive and negative space for printmaking.
Before you can carve a block, you need to understand which parts of your image will print and which won't. This project bridges photography and printmaking by teaching you to 'read' an image in terms of positive (printing) and negative (non-printing) space. You'll select your strongest texture photo, convert it to high contrast black and white, and create a grid plan that maps out exactly which areas you'll carve away and which you'll leave raised. This planning step is what separates intentional printmaking from guesswork.
Objectives
- 1Select your strongest texture photo from Project 1
- 2Convert to high-contrast black and white
- 3Create a grid plan (minimum 4×4 grid) mapping positive and negative areas
- 4Write a brief analysis: what will print, what won't, and why
Materials
- Selected texture photo
- Adobe Lightroom or Photoshop for B&W conversion
- Graph paper for grid planning
- Pencil
Tips
- Increase contrast dramatically — you want clear blacks and whites, minimal gray
- Simplify: if an area is mostly dark, call it dark; if mostly light, call it light
- Your grid plan doesn't have to be perfect — it's a guide, not a blueprint
- Think about what will look interesting as a print — not just what looks good as a photo